www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hello all, another very successful Butterfly Safari in France, despite the heat I found and photographed my principal target species for July plus many others, C oedippus was by far the most challenging of the species seen requiring a chase across terrain that would have been fit for a commando training course,temperatures around 40 degrees C !!!. Was it worth the effort I will let the viewers decide.You can see these beautiful Papillons on my website by clicking on the following links.
http://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com/f438410662 Butterflies of France July 2015
False Ringlet (Coenonympha oedippus)
http://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com/p464286111#h507e9b75
Alcon Blue (Phengaris alcon)
http://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com/p464286111#h507ed3d3
Gavarnie Blue (Agriades pyrenaica)
http://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com/p464286111#h507e9c9d
Esper's Marbled White (Melanargia russiae)
http://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com/p464286111#h507ea748

http://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com

I’m not sure about your Eastern Wood White (L. duponcheli), Jim. If the shot was taken in July, the duponcheli underside would be almost devoid of scaling, as it would be second brood. The first brood underside would be “solid” as in the photo below. If you’re judging by the absence of a white spot on the inside of the antennal club, this only occurs in the male Wood White (L. sinapis), and this could be a female. Your last two Marbled Fritillaries (upper and under) are Lesser Marbled (B. ino).

The Erebia looks like the Pyrenean form of Bright-eyed (E. oeme) to me, but I don’t see an awful lot of these.

I would guess the Dappled White is Mountain (E. simplonia).

Nice selection of interesting species.

Roger

Hello Roger, thank you for your observations,Dappled Mountain White (E. simplonia) is a new species for me, a very worn specimen, it is listed on the website of the Atlas des Papillons de Midi-Pyrenees and was found at 1500 m on the 1 July above Gedre.The Lesser Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis ino) same location ,I have now changed the description to ino, .Not sure which of the Ringlets you refer to, can you give me a number ? it can be found on the thumbnails along side the main photo.I will take another look at my other photos of the Wood White, if I haven't binned them, a very limp little specimen.Thank you. Jim.
http://www.cen-mp.org/observations/atla ... ?id=608275

The Erebia was 80 of 134.

Guy has more experience of this species.

For the ringlet, if it was taken in the Pyrenees then I see no alternative to oeme. There are similar forms of medusa in the high Alps, and the pale antennae rang alarm bells - but medusa doesn't fly in the Pyrenees so the antennae must just be catching the light.

Guy