More ID requests

[Part timer]

Hi again

Grateful for expert opinions on the following - photographs I took in Bulgaria, close to Shabla Lake, in May. I've had a stab at identifying them from the book as follows, but they are all species I've encountered rarely or never before:

top, 2nd & bottom - Knapweed Fritillary
3rd - Marbled Skipper I think
4th - I has this down as Glanville to start off with, but now I 'm inclining towards Less Spotted Fritillary, primarily due to the upf markings.

(btw if anyone is ever down that way, the Freyer's Purple Emperor was present in numbers and spectacular - no problem identifying that one!).


Thanks, again

[Padfield]

Hi Part Timer,

Your 'marbled' is tufted marbled (though I can't rule out Oriental marbled). I am also pretty confident you have lesser spotted there! You can even see the discocellular vein, distinguishing this species from spotted fritillary.

Guy

[Part timer]

Thanks, Guy.

According to Collins, the Tufted Marbled Skipper only occurs in SW Bulgaria and at an altutude of 1000-2000m. This photograph was taken at the Srebarna reserve in NE Bulgaria, which is close to the Black Sea coast and presumably, therefore, a lot lower. Oriental also seems to have a restricted distribution in Bulgaria, but seems to occur at lower altitudes. Anyway, I've managed to find an underwing photograph of the same insect, which may (or may not) help to identify it positively.

I'd also be grateful for your views on the following, taken at the same location on the same day. I'd taken it to be Silver-studded Blue, but I'm wondering on re-examination whether they might be female Idas?

[Padfield]

Hi Part Timer. I only have personal experience of tufted marbled - and I can't see anything to separate this from a typical female tufted marbled. Kudrna records both from Shabla but the records for tufted relate to before 1980 (just north of this there are more recent records). HOWEVER, the phenology might be the key. Tolman states that in Greece (as opposed to central and western Europe - so you could read 'Greece and Bulgaria') tufted marbled is univoltine, flying in July and August. If that is right, your butterfly would have to be oriental marbled.

I hadn't realised before studying your butterfly how similar these species were. When I looked at the picture, tufted marbled just leapt out at me. I still can't see anything really decisive after comparing your butterfly with the pictures.

Your blue is, I'm pretty sure, a male silver-studded blue.

Guy

[nik_s]

Hi Part Timer,

Seems you've been visiting some interesting places

Regarding skippers: the Oriental Marbled (Carcharodus orientalis) has been reported from the Shablensko Ezero lake on the Black Sea coast (Abadjiev 2001). Tufted Marbled (C. flocciferus) is known to occur in NE Bulgaria; there is one report from a bit further north (Durankulashko Ezero - same source). Bottom line: you can't be sure without checking the genitalia...

Re: Guy's remark on voltinism, this appears to be related to altitude rather than anything else, since flocciferus retreats to the mountains further south (S Bulgaria and Greece), hence the flight period starts later and there may be no time for a second brood. I have seen Tufted Marbled, a fresh copulating pair (left alone to breed) and one very worn male (genitalia checked) on June 3 in NE Bulgaria. So it seems quite possible that it flies in May at low altitude, just like Oriental.

The first broods of the two species are very similar and virtually impossible to tell apart without dissection. This being said, the underside on your photo looks somewhat oriental-ish... creamier and more yellowish than the usual flocciferus. Second brood orientalis is much easier to recognize - hw uns is very pale uniform grey - although I wonder what second brood lowland flocciferus looks like...

Blues are definitely silver-studded. Idas in lowland NE Bulgaria would be very major news though

Regards,

Nikolay

[Part timer]

Hi again

Thanks for both responses - looks like the skipper has generated an interesting discussion.

As I'm in no position to dissect the genitalia (and wouldn't know where to start if I was ), I'll conclude it was one or the other (although I guess Oriental is the favourite).

As Nikolay says, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit several parts of Bulgaria last month. It was primarily a birdwatching trip, but lots of interesting other wildlife (including a Wildcat) and I always enjoy the challenges of trying to identify butterflies. That particular area was excellent for a number of species I hadn't previously encountered, including good numbers of Large Copper, but also for its voracious mosquitos!

[Reverdin]

If it's any help... here are two definite flocciferus from the Vercors....

as opposed to two orientalis from the Mani...

they are very similar!!