Butterflies of the Doubs and the Jura.
Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2018 9:25 am
Visit to the Doubs May 2016.
Part one.
The Doubs and the Jura are perhaps not best known as a popular tourist destination, if Sun and Sangia is your preference it's not for you but for Scenic beauty, Comte cheese,and butterflies, a relaxing location away from the crowds it's perfect.
Plans were made in the hopes of seeing Coenonympha hero a butterfly that is listed as critically endangered ,one of France's rarest butterflies.
We made our base camp near Pontarlier at Camping de la ForĂȘt at Levier.
The rain Gods were playing games sending daily storms to annoy the travellers so little progress was made looking for the target species, "patience is a virtue possess it if you can" was often quoted to me by my family elders and patience was certainly needed, finally sunshine arrived and the search was on, the first species to look for was the very pretty Violet copper, I had previously seen this attractive small copper in the Pyrenees, here in the Doubs they seemed to be more plentiful but squelching around their flooded marshland habitat was extremely tiring, the worst was yet to come.
Habitat of the Violet copper
We then drove further north to look for C hero, the rain had returned, day after day, I was now thinking my carpentry skills would be needed to build an Ark, to pass the time as we watched the falling rain I imagined butterflies flying into my Ark two by two.
The rain finally stopped and I was now able to explore the site for my hero, I was soon to find that a Herculean effort was needed to navigate the bog, no sign was there of any hero, however Woodland ringlets were present and also surprisingly Grizzled skippers not so surprising Marsh Fritillarys, very appropriately named for this swampland, the rain returned, why are we here screamed my long suffering wife I want to go shopping, a break was need so we returned to Pontalier.
With a return to more stable weather my wife granted me one last visit, we returned, no hero was seen all morning, a break for lunch, one last desperate effort was called for,with water lapping close to the tops of my wellies once more into the bog, suddenly there he was, my hero newly emerged and he was in love having found a beautiful heroine,they happily posed for some photos, I then left the young couple to their nuptials and returned to the van, my wife seeing my smug grin, we can go now ? this was cause for a celebration upon our return to Camping de la forĂȘt.
More pictures from the Doubs here https://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com/p29 ... #h3859144b
Part two, we return to the Doubs.
Part one.
The Doubs and the Jura are perhaps not best known as a popular tourist destination, if Sun and Sangia is your preference it's not for you but for Scenic beauty, Comte cheese,and butterflies, a relaxing location away from the crowds it's perfect.
Plans were made in the hopes of seeing Coenonympha hero a butterfly that is listed as critically endangered ,one of France's rarest butterflies.
We made our base camp near Pontarlier at Camping de la ForĂȘt at Levier.
The rain Gods were playing games sending daily storms to annoy the travellers so little progress was made looking for the target species, "patience is a virtue possess it if you can" was often quoted to me by my family elders and patience was certainly needed, finally sunshine arrived and the search was on, the first species to look for was the very pretty Violet copper, I had previously seen this attractive small copper in the Pyrenees, here in the Doubs they seemed to be more plentiful but squelching around their flooded marshland habitat was extremely tiring, the worst was yet to come.
Habitat of the Violet copper
We then drove further north to look for C hero, the rain had returned, day after day, I was now thinking my carpentry skills would be needed to build an Ark, to pass the time as we watched the falling rain I imagined butterflies flying into my Ark two by two.
The rain finally stopped and I was now able to explore the site for my hero, I was soon to find that a Herculean effort was needed to navigate the bog, no sign was there of any hero, however Woodland ringlets were present and also surprisingly Grizzled skippers not so surprising Marsh Fritillarys, very appropriately named for this swampland, the rain returned, why are we here screamed my long suffering wife I want to go shopping, a break was need so we returned to Pontalier.
With a return to more stable weather my wife granted me one last visit, we returned, no hero was seen all morning, a break for lunch, one last desperate effort was called for,with water lapping close to the tops of my wellies once more into the bog, suddenly there he was, my hero newly emerged and he was in love having found a beautiful heroine,they happily posed for some photos, I then left the young couple to their nuptials and returned to the van, my wife seeing my smug grin, we can go now ? this was cause for a celebration upon our return to Camping de la forĂȘt.
More pictures from the Doubs here https://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com/p29 ... #h3859144b
Part two, we return to the Doubs.