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Introduction.

A recent visit was made to the Central Mountains of the Haute Corse of Corscia in July to find and photograph the special butterflies of that island. Some endemic butterflies only occur on Corscia, while others also are found on the island of Sardinia lying to the south. The weather during our stay was very hot with the temperature reaching 36 centigrade during some days. We stayed for a week among the Beech and Pine forest of Vizzavona where in the early to mid-20th Century many well known British lepidopterists came to collect butterflies . Margaret Fountaine, the Reverend Frank E. Lowe and Henry Rowland Brown and other famous collectors visited here.

The richest locality was the rocky slopes of the Col de Vizzavona and further afield at the more remote Col de Sorba, which is situated between the mountain villages of Vivario and Ghisoni. Most of the Corscian specialities were found at these two localities but a few nice surprises turned up elsewhere.

The endemics.

Papilio Hospiton.

We decided to visit the Col de Sorba after seeing lepidofrance's excellent summary of their expedition to find this magnificent species. This link is in French, but you can find the article on their website and then use google translate. http://www.lepido-france.fr/2013/06/au- ... enee-1839/

Our visit was made nearly a month later and due to the hot weather we searched in vain for P. hospiton on the rocky slopes of the Col de Sorba. Those very steep rocky slopes are quite difficult of access being covered in bramble and other thorns. We saw much of one of the Corsican Swallowtail's foodplant Giant Fennel Ferula communis. While we were walking back up the road we at last came upon a solitary Papilio hospiton feeding at thistles just below the pass. While photographing the Swallowtail, we were joined by the appearance of an aggressive snake. This surprised us, and I later found out this was a non poisonous Whip Snake Hierophis viridiflavus. As the snake was in great danger of becoming a road casualty I moved the reptile out of harms way with the aid of a stick. The Papilio hospiton was still busy floating between the thistle flowers and occasionally soaring high into the pinewoods before returning once more to this nectar source.
Figure 1. The steep slopes of the Col de Sorba with the yellow Ferula communis, one of the foodplants of P. hospiton.
Figure 2 . Papilio hospiton at a roadside thistle Col de Sorba 1250 meters.
Figure 3. The Whip snake Hierophis viridiflavus on the Col de Sorba.

Perhaps the highlight of our trip was above the Col de Vizzavona. The slopes were alive with butterflies. Great Banded Graylings Kanestia circe chased each other and Corsican Graylings Hipparchis neomiris joined in their games. Migrant Painted Ladies jostled on the yellow flowers of the spiny Clustered Carline Thistles Carlina combosa with a few Queen of Spain Fritillaries Issoria lathonia. They were joined by huge black Carpenter Bees Xylocopa violacea, named after their violet wings. A large female Cardinal Argynnis pandora soared around the slopes where scores of Silver washed Fritillaries Argynnis paphia form immaculata fed on the bramble flowers with abundant Holly Blues Celastrina argiolus. Clouded Yellows Colias crocea zig-zagged across the rocks without stopping.
Figure 4. Issoria lathonia Col de Vizzavona.
Figure 5. Carpenter Bee Xylocopa violacea. Col de Vzzavona

It was now very hot on the mountain and we decided to seek the shelter of the beechwoods in the gorge below and cool off in the cold waters of the pools of the well named Cascade de Anglais. Just as we were about to descend a Swallowtail came floating along to seek nectar at the Carlina corymbosa thistles. What an important summer nectar source this spiny common mountain thistle is, but the thistle needs the insects too , they being its main pollinator. We were excited to find the Swallowtail was an almost pristine Papilio hospiton and it was especially pleasing because none of the old collectors mention that the Col de Vizzavona as a locality for this species. In previous visits here we had seen no others. It was now time to descend to those pools in the gorge below where the cathedral like pines soared above.
Figure 6, 7, & 8. Papilio hospiton above the Col de Vizzavona

Next the endemic and lovely Plebejus argus corsicus.
Peter.

Glorious stuff, Peter.

Are you currently on a bursary to locate European species endemic to very narrow habitat ranges? If so, tell me where I apply!

Thank you very much for your kind comments David. Yes, I suppose I am. Endemic butterflies, either subspecies or species have always fascinated me. As regards Corsica, I gleaned much information from the old entomological Journals. I am really following in the footsteps of many famous British butterfly collectors, but armed not with a net but with only a camera. That famous and fearless lady Margaret Fountaine came to stay at Vizzavona and she was certainly led a very interesting life, there were not many countries where she did not go in search of butterflies.
Vizzavona was a very beautiful place to stay, our hotel was set in Beech and Corsican Pine Woods and the village probably had not changed much since Margaret came here. Just a few houses and a couple of hotels clustered around the mountain train station. In the small station, I found two interesting early 20th century posters. The English really put this small place on the map after they found out the delights of the waterfall and pools deep in a gorge, the Cascade des Anglais.
The Forest Vizzavona.
Early posters in the small Vizzavona station

More soon. Peter.

The Corsican Silver-Studded Blue Plebejus argus corsicus Bellier 1862.

The idea to visit Corsica, originally formed after a study of the extinct British race P. argus masseyi Tutt 1909. P.argus masseyi once occurred on the mosses of Northern England. James Tutt suggested to H. Massey, who was the first to pay a special attention to the blue females of the race from Westmoreland and Lancashire that it was referable to var corsica. This shows that at this time island races were then little understood. Tutt later noticed on comparing museum specimens of the race from Corsica and Northern England, that their versos were completely different. One of the most distinctive features of ssp corsicus is its very faint verso occelli. Tutt called subspecies corsicus a special and well defined endemic race. Although blue females occasionally occur in populations of P. argus they are only a special characteristic of Plebejus argus corsicus and a few other widely separated races. One race with blue females, the dwarf ssp caernensis occurs in North Wales.
Figure 1. Female underside of P. argus corsicus. Col de Vizzavona.
Figure 2. Male underside of P. argus corsicus. Col de Vizzavona.

Plebejus argus corsicus is a very local butterfly of the Central Mountains of Corsica with most of the known colonies being found in the Haute Corse region. The habitat of ssp corsicus is rocky mountain slopes at high altitude often in clearings between bracken and scrub where it flies in July. My European butterfly guide book ' Collins Butterfly Guide' by Tom Tolman & Richard Lewington mentions that ssp corsicus is found between 800 -1000 meters but it in fact occurs much higher. Margaret Fountaine collected it on the Col de Vergo at 1478 meters and we found it as high as 1350 meters on the slopes above the Col de Vizzavona. The Col de Vizzavona is a noted locality for the Corsican Silver-studded Blue and it is mentioned in a number of entomological journals.
Figure 3. The habitat of P. argus corsicus ( 1300 meters) with the Monte d' Oro ( 2388 meters) in the background.
Figure 4 & 5 . Females of P. argus corsicus ( 1170 meters)
Figure 6 & 7. Males of P. argus corsicus .

Both sexes of ssp corsicus fly close to the ground and at the highest altitude the females were especially fond of the yellow flowers of the Corsican Composite endemic Santolina corsica . As soon as it grows hot, the butterflies usually feed with their wings closed.
Figure 8 & 9. Females of Plebejus argus Corsicus feeding at Santolina corsica at 1300 meters.

Later at a lower elevation on the Col de Vizzavona, we found a nice colony in clearings between bracken and scrub at 1170 meters. We visited this site early in the morning and were rewarded with some nice displaying butterflies. Once warmed up at this lower site, the males of ssp corsicus were especially attracted to Bramble flowers. The males were often larger than the females.

Next the Corsican Fritillary Argynnis elisa.
Peter.

Superb observations, Peter. Can't wait for your next images.

We are off to Sardinia on Saturday and hope to add to this list of special species. We're going up to Mt. Gennargentu and really hope that A. elisa will still be around. Here's hoping.....

Tony M.

Thanks David. Tony, have a great time in Sardinia. Looking forward to your butterfly report. Have fun.

Peter.

A riveting report, nomad. You've obviously done your research. Some very interesting photos.
Cheers, Chris

Thanks Chris. I am pleased that you are enjoying the field reports.

Corsican Fritillary Argynnis elisa. Godart 1823.

I had read that Argynnis elisa was a common butterfly in the mountains of Corsica . However, in the Haute Corse region, we found it to be a very local butterfly and we only saw it on the steep slopes of the Col de Sorba at around 1200 meters. It has been reported from the Vizzavona area but it may not have emerged in that locality, although the Col de Sorba is at around the same altitude. This Fritillary flies at some speed over rocky ground and if it was not for the spiny Clustered Yellow Thistle, I certainly would not have obtained any images on such a hot day.

This butterfly is closely related to the much larger and more widespread Argynnis aglaja and the underside of A. elisa somewhat resembles that species.

At the Col de Sorba, A. elisa were visiting the thistles on the very steep slopes above the road with large Carpenter Bees. Here A. elisa was joined by a huge female of the Cardinal A. pandora, a splendid sight but she flew off before I could reach her. What a magnificent butterfly A. pandora is. I did manage to photograph this splendid Fritillary at Vizzavona. All the below images were taken at the Col de Sorba.
Figure 1. Male Argynnis elisa.
Figure 2. Female Argynnis elisa.
Figure 3,4, & 5. Argynnis elisa.
Figure 6. Room for two. A. elisa feeds with the Wall Brown Laisommata paramegera Hubner 1824.
Figure 7. The Col de Sorba.

Next, more endemics. Peter.

Corsican Grayling Hipparchia neomiris. Godart 1824.

Endemic to Corsica and Sardinia and Elba. A local species in the mountains where it flies in open rocky and bushy places often in clearings among the higher pine woods. Common above the Col de Vizzavona.
Figure 1 & 2. H. neomiris. Col de Vizzavona.
Figure 3. H. neomiris Col de Sorba.
Figure 4. H. neomiris feeding with the Great Banded Grayling Kanetisa cire. Col de Vizzavona.

I'm speechless.

One of the best threads ever on this forum.

Excellent stuff.

Thank you David. I am pleased that you are enjoying this thread and I hope others are. It is nice to generate some interest.

Corsican Heath Coenonympha corinna Hubner 1804.

Coenonympha are an intresting group of Satyridae. This pretty little butterfly was frequent in the mountains . This species is endemic to Corsica and Sardinia. Photos taken on the Col de Vizzavona.
C. corinna.
C. corinna feeding with a female of Plebejus argus corsicus Val de Vizzavona.

Idas Blue Plebejus argus bellieri Oberthur 1910.

I was keen to phtograph this subspecies which is endemic to Corsica and Sardinia, because as in P. argus corsicus the females are a lovely blue. Those notable entomologist's R.F.Bretherton and the Baron C.G. De Worms had encountered this species at Tattone the village below Vizzavona ( Butterflies in Corsica 1962, Entomologist's Record and Journal of Variation Vol 75 1963) but although we, my wife and I searched this locality we found no sign of this species.

Later in the hottest part of the day on the Col de Sorba, I saw a few blue butterflies on an almost inaccessible slope flying among the bracken. The butterflies were only resting with their wings closed. Hanging on, I managed to get an image, this was indeed bellieri. It is a real pity that I could not return to this locality earlier in the morning.
Plebejus argus bellieri Col de Sorba 1250 meters.

Silver-washed Fritillary Argynnis paphia form immaculata Bellier.
Here is the special form of this denzien of the woodlands immaculata that is found in Corsica and Sardinia . In this form the butterflies Silver-wash on the verso is replaced by extensive silvery-gold suffusion ( Tolman). To my eyes the silver-wash is more faint and the ground colour darker .
I also believed I got a photograph of the female form valezina.
We found this butterfly to be quite common in the Beech and Pine forest of Vizzavona where, as in Britain, patches of brambles were the feeding grounds. All photos taken in the Forest of Vizzavona.
Normal British Silver-washed Frit