Hi Y'all,
Just back from a week in the Dolomites - I should be so lucky , but, at least, I know it... I stayed in Soraga at the Arnica Mountain Hotel, a gem of a place with sensational food and very reasonable prices - end of commercial break!
The meadow at the top of the Vigo funiculare was positively heaving with butterflies . Mainly Shepherd's Fritillary with some Mountain Frit (as evinced by about one in 20 or so being greyish females. Also saw debilis and a couple of Heath Frits and plenty of Alpine Heaths :
Shepherd's Frit :
The bluish cast on freshly eclosed female Mountain Frits is seriously beautiful, but difficult to catch adequately in a photograph ( for me, anyway ).
.
The underside is much greyer than Shepherd's:
I went back to a place in the Costalunga Pass, where I found a worn Asian Fritillary last year. Delighted to find a much fresher specimen, which was very obliging:
Any comments on the napea/pales issue would be very welcome.
More later...
Tony M.
Dolomites
- Tony Moore
- Posts: 810
- Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:37 pm
Re: Dolomites
I went up to the Buffaure by cablecar from Pozza and was pleased to see a few Alpine Blues - a new butterfly for me:
Then took the ski lift to the top where this appeared! :
Cynthia's Fritillary
A real bonus . Despite going up there four more times and virtually camping out, I never saw it again .
The Val Veneggia produced some stunning scenery and a good showing of Titania's Frits in fresh condition along with the, by now, usual Mountain/Shepherd's problems...
Last year, I was a week earlier and only saw a couple of dozen Frits all week...
A little restaurant garden near Bolzano had a few Buddleia bushes, which were alive with stuff. Nothing rare, but this beauty appeared for just long enough:
Scarce Swallowtail:
At the top of the San Pelegrino lift, it was very barren, but I saw this skipper:
I think it may be Dusky Grizzled, but would appreciate confirmation or otherwise.
Further down the hill were a number of Mountain Clouded Yellows ~ this is a crap photo, but it does show the upperside:
Last two are for ID please. I think the Ringlet may be Almond-eyed, but have no idea about the Lycaenid:
Wonderful area - hope to be back next year.
Tony M.
Then took the ski lift to the top where this appeared! :
Cynthia's Fritillary
A real bonus . Despite going up there four more times and virtually camping out, I never saw it again .
The Val Veneggia produced some stunning scenery and a good showing of Titania's Frits in fresh condition along with the, by now, usual Mountain/Shepherd's problems...
Last year, I was a week earlier and only saw a couple of dozen Frits all week...
A little restaurant garden near Bolzano had a few Buddleia bushes, which were alive with stuff. Nothing rare, but this beauty appeared for just long enough:
Scarce Swallowtail:
At the top of the San Pelegrino lift, it was very barren, but I saw this skipper:
I think it may be Dusky Grizzled, but would appreciate confirmation or otherwise.
Further down the hill were a number of Mountain Clouded Yellows ~ this is a crap photo, but it does show the upperside:
Last two are for ID please. I think the Ringlet may be Almond-eyed, but have no idea about the Lycaenid:
Wonderful area - hope to be back next year.
Tony M.
- Padfield
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- Location: Leysin, Switzerland
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Re: Dolomites
Hi Tony. Lovely pictures. Your Lycaenid is sooty copper and the skipper is, as you thought, dusky grizzled.
Guy
Guy
Guy's Butterflies: https://www.guypadfield.com
The Butterflies of Villars-Gryon : https://www.guypadfield.com/villarsgryonbook.html
The Butterflies of Villars-Gryon : https://www.guypadfield.com/villarsgryonbook.html
- Tony Moore
- Posts: 810
- Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:37 pm
Re: Dolomites
Many thanks, once again, Guy. Should have got SC .
Tony.
Tony.