www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hi all,
We're still getting temperatures up to 25°C down here in the South of France, so moral is good and I'm making the most of it while it lasts.

That's a wonderful photo of the two-tailed pasha caterpillar! What an amazing creature!

We're officially getting temperatures like that in the Rhône Valley but it doesn't feel at all how it looks in your last picture!

Guy

Super caterpillar image!

I got back from 2 weeks in Corsica on Sunday. The place is alive with 2 Tailed Pasha. I thought Kefalonia was good but Corsica is crawling with them. Apart from in the mountains where there were stacks of Grayling species, everywhere else I'd say they were the commonest buterfly. I'd see them all the time while driving and around fig trees, prickly pear where the friut had fallen there were often several together. I was seeing 30+ most days easily.

I searched the Stawberry Trees (which are everywhere!) but couldn't find a single caterpillar. Couldn't even find any feeding signs!

Thanks Guy, and hello again FISHiEE,
Glad to hear you had a good time in Corsica. I am amazed that you saw that many TTPs although this may be a particularly good year for this species. I am becoming more familiar this year with this mythical species. I believe that fig trees ARE an attraction to them, but you can't beat a good "carnivor poo". As for spotting eggs and caterpillars, it does take a bit of practice and lots of staring at bushes. I'm interested to hear anything you may have on the graylings you saw- the Rock Grayling in particular interests me.
Cheers. Chris.

Well, that's a first for me - seeing an image of a Two-Tailed Pasha larva, so many, many thanks for posting it.

I'm also very envious of the weather conditions and temperatures. It reminds me all too well of my own time spent living in France, where September is effectively a cast-iron FOURTH summer month.

Hello again David,
"Hélas" September will soon be out.