www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Just back from family hol cruise, unfortunately an accident @ Manchester airport limited my ability to get out & about. Saw a few birds & butterflies. Gdn @ palace of Churchill Roosevelt Stalin famae Yalta had 50/60 hummingbird hawk moths some Clouded yellows & an oblique shot of one I need id for. Ismir turkey had a Brimstone along the seafront with a lazy flight that revealed a brief glimpse of upper wing, this had a orangy/brown band near edge, never seen it on a UK brimstone but they do seem to fly faster. slight indication of what i mean can be seen in my photo. Also found a wasp there not seen before. Poster at Yalta for butterfly gdn attracted me because it showed UK species. Eric

Hi Eric,

I think you'll find your wasp is the Oriental Hornet, Vespa orientalis.

Kind regards. Mark

Interesting spot to visit. I wonder what it would be like in mid-July?

Hope your accident didn't inconvenience you too much.

For the fritillary, I'd go for male cardinal, Argynnis pandora. The colour seems the right tone and the sex brands, without dark spots between them, suggest cardinal rather than silver-washed fritillary.

The brimstone in that picture looks like a brimstone to me - I don't quite understand how the orangey brown band looked but it doesn't ring any bells with me.

Guy

A male Cleopatra? Certainly the orange on the forewing is pretty striking in flight on one of these - I think you can just see this orange on the photo where the wings don't quite meet. The shape of the forewing looks more like Cleopatra, too - less sinuous, and with a less-pronounced "hook".

Dave

You're right Dave - there is a hint of orange along the costa. I hadn't noticed that. And the wing shape does look more like Cleopatra, though the hindwing is broken and I thought that might be misleading. But the main reason I rejected Cleopatra initially was the Black Sea bit! I thought Cleopatra only flew around the Mediterranean... Now I see the picture was taken on the Mediterranean, not the Black Sea. I'm quite sure you're correct that this is a Cleopatra.

Guy

Thanks Mark for Vespa orientalis id

David M, July is hot see Paul Weltons bulgaria trip. Shoulder still aches having to type left handed!

Guy thanks for frit id

Dave & Guy, thankyou both for Cleopatra info. I have done a sooc crop of the relevent area & attached it. A new one on me as I am no expect on anything much!
Eric