Greenwings: French Alps, 27th June - 15th July 2017

[David M]

Another stunning sortie into the heady world of summer Alpine butterflies.

This time, I had the unprecedented pleasure of spending 3 days on personal reconnaissance prior to the official trips, and given the hot, dry weather prior to my arrival and the single afternoon of heavy rain afterwards, conditions were near perfect for butterflies in this green and incomparably pleasant area of Europe.

Butterfly numbers were almost unreportable....they were around in stupefying numbers!

More of that later, but firstly, as ever, here are a few images of the terrain one encounters in this utterly divine part of France:

[essexbuzzard]

I recognise that lake, Dave! Looking forward to more...

[David M]

I recognise that lake, Dave! Looking forward to more...

Yup, that's Esther's Alpine Blue lake, Mark......more to come in due course!

[petesmith]

Some familiar landscapes there David! Be interesting to hear what you found, especially as you were out there a good week and a bit before us.

[David M]

Thanks, Pete. I'm sure you'll enjoy what's to come but I get a bit frustrated on these tours as I don't get to venture into the really high 'hinterland' that you visited, meaning that the likes of Alpine Grayling, Warren's Skipper, et al are all unattainable.

Still, one can't complain at 130+ species in an 18 day trip, not to mention the wonderful views, general wildlife, lack of traffic, etc...

[Padfield]

I had the idea you were a tour leader, David ... Can't you take your troops where you want?

Ah well - you can always come to Switzerland for alpine graylings and warrenensis.

I'm looking forward very much to seeing what you did see in that wonderful landscape.

Guy

[David M]

I had the idea you were a tour leader, David ... Can't you take your troops where you want?

Yes. But a 5 hour round trip from the Mercantour to the outskirts of the Hautes Alpes isn't really a viable option.

Ah well - you can always come to Switzerland for alpine graylings and warrenensis

I shall look forward with great anticipation to the day when that prospect transforms into reality!

[David M]

As I begin to write this commentaire, I can't settle upon a final figure regarding the number of species I personally saw. I am still getting my head round all the sightings, and things have changed since my return, with new species having been recorded...and, there is the question of those butterflies I saw in my own time prior to the official trips getting underway.

I'm sufficiently confident to state that I saw over 130 species, and given that analysis will take a further week or so, I feel it's best to just plod along and see where I'm at once I've finished this report.

I'll take each family in turn to keep things simple, so here goes:

Species seen - Hesperiidae

1. Mallow Skipper
2. Tufted Marbled Skipper
3. Marbled Skipper
4. Dingy Skipper
5. Large Skipper
6. Large Grizzled Skipper
7. Alpine Grizzled Skipper
8. Carline Skipper
9. Safflower Skipper
10. (Southern) Grizzled Skipper
11. Red-Underwing Skipper
12. Lulworth Skipper
13. Essex Skipper
14. Small Skipper
15. Silver Spotted Skipper
16. Foulquier's Grizzled Skipper
17. Rosy Grizzled Skipper
18. Oberthur's Grizzled Skipper

[David M]

Pyrgus

With every passing year, I'm becoming increasingly attentive towards this genus, to the point where I'm beginning to understand why Roger (Gibbons) studies them so intently.

With 90% of species fairly easy to identify, one is often left in a position where one needs to pay special attention to the less spectacular butterflies sharing airspace with their more resplendent brethren.

Historically, Safflower Skipper has always proved to be the most abundant of this genus in these parts, but the early season this year saw a richer variety than I am used to, and thankfully I had taken a plastic vial meaning that I could easily 'pot' specimens for closer scrutiny, with the added advantage of these butterflies being incredibly reluctant to leave the pot once the lid was loosened! They seem to revel in the temporary microclimate within the plastic confines, and quite regularly they would willingly bask on the rim for a while before flying off!

Whilst Safflower Skippers were conspicuous by being only a support act this year, there were nonetheless plenty about:

Large Grizzled Skippers were equally commonplace:

Foulquier's Grizzled Skippers became the signature pyrgus during the second week with their bold markings and distinctive white abdominal tuft:

Once you get your eye in, you have a 'feel' for anything that is different. Several times I felt compelled to use my vial to inspect insects falling into this category. This one proved to be a Rosy Grizzled Skipper:

Carline Skipper isn't particularly common, but it is significantly smaller than the majority of the other pyrgus encountered, so when you see a group puddling and one of them is only 70% the size of the others it's always worth paying a second look:

The one I was most eagerly searching for though was Alpine Grizzled Skipper. I believe three were seen in total, including this poor specimen that I found roosting on a flowerhead during my recce prior to the official trips in temperatures of 12c, accompanied by cloud and occasional rain:

Conditions were so bad shortly after trapping it in my vial, that I had to take it into my car at 2300m and turn the heating on to bring it back to life:

Oberthur's were seen in small double figure numbers, whilst Southern Grizzled was observed only twice (due, no doubt, to the early season). In fact, the only member of this group not seen for sure was Olive Skipper, which I will be concentrating on next year as I'm sure they were about, but only by paying considerable attention can you capture this entire range.

[John Vergo]

Realy nice David , looking forward to see more

[David M]

Realy nice David , looking forward to see more

Much more to come, John, and willingly so.....

Non-pyrgus Skippers

Large, Essex and Small Skippers were simply too numerous to count. I reckon the latter two species were threatening five-figures!! As a result, I didn't really pay too much attention to them, but certain other species were worth recording on camera.

Marbled Skippers are always a welcome addition....and there were decent numbers of them (although given their territorial nature, they tended to turn up singly):

Tufted Marbled Skippers were far harder to observe, with no more than 10 seen in the entire period:

So much was happening, that I didn't even take images of Lulworth Skipper, even though they appeared quite regularly. However, in the latter part of my stay, Silver Spotted Skippers suddenly emerged in numbers, and I couldn't resist taking a photo or two:

[David M]

So many different Blues were recorded that it would be impossible to condense them all into a single post. Here is the full list though:

Species seen - Lycaenidae - (Blues)

19. Brown Argus
20. Mountain Argus
21. Geranium Argus
22. Silvery Argus
23. Geranium Bronze
24. Holly Blue
25. Small Blue
26. Osiris Blue
27. Mazarine Blue
28. Lang's Short Tailed Blue
29. Mountain Alcon Blue
30. Large Blue
31. Silver Studded Blue
32. Glandon Blue
33. Idas Blue
34. Alpine Blue
35. Amanda's Blue
36. Adonis Blue
37. Chalkhill Blue
38. Damon Blue
39. Turquoise Blue
40. Eros Blue
41. Escher's Blue
42. Common Blue
43. Chapman's Blue
44. Baton Blue
45. Chequered Blue
46. Meleager's Blue
47. Long Tailed Blue

Mountain Argus were plentiful and generally very fresh at altitude:

Geranium Argus were just going over, but there were still a few in excellent nick:

Silvery Argus were increasingly abundant as the trip wore on:

Geranium Bronze was also about....on both the hotel pelargoniums and the local lavender bushes:

[Roger Gibbons]

Wouldn't it be easier to list the ones you didn't see, David?

I opted out of the tour this year to spend the first half of July in the Cevennes and Pyrenees, but I came back to the Mercantour in the third week of July to see the species that emerge later (Stephane told me who had stayed at the hotel in the past few weeks). I spent a day at the flowery meadow between the two locations and there were at least 60 species flying there, including 13 different fritillaries. On the bank of thistles adjacent to the parking spot there were at least 100 butterflies nectaring, about half of which were fritillaries.

As you say David, stupefying numbers.

Roger

[David M]

Wouldn't it be easier to list the ones you didn't see, David?

Yes, it would, Roger. Green Underside Blue, Large Tortoiseshell, Duke of Burgundy, Green Hairstreak, Lesser Purple Emperor, Mountain Dappled White & De Prunner's Ringlet were the most notable absentees!

I spent a day at the flowery meadow between the two locations and there were at least 60 species flying there, including 13 different fritillaries. On the bank of thistles adjacent to the parking spot there were at least 100 butterflies nectaring, about half of which were fritillaries.

I know exactly where you mean, Roger, and on both trips I couldn't prise the guests away from this area. The pink valerian on the road up to your favourite col was equally plastered with butterflies. It really was an outstanding fortnight in terms of sheer numbers.

[David M]

I was rather surprised to find a couple of Chequered Blues during the first week, and even more so that they were in excellent condition. None were seen subsequently so one assumes they met a sticky end. I was thankful for their presence though, as they are near the top of my wish-list on the lycaenid front:

Another in this family that I covet greatly is Turquoise Blue. It keeps itself to itself, so you have to keep a sharp eye out for it, but it is nearly always there, awaiting the gaze of those who care for it most:

Only about 8 or 9 were seen, including this individual who was content to share a nectar source with a female Large Skipper and a Pearly Heath:

A handful of tiny but delightful Baton Blues were seen too:

The early season also ushered in Meleager's Blue, which we often miss on these trips:

[petesmith]

The Chequered Blue is a gorgeous butterfly David. I have only ever seen it on the famous track behind Stephane's hotel, at the very beginning of June. You were lucky to get it so late in what was, by all accounts, an early year!

[David M]

Very true, Pete. I was highly surprised to see two of them, and even more so that they were quite fresh looking. There were none during Week 2 unfortunately which was a shame because it really is a beautiful little insect.

On the day of my arrival, I was informed by, of all people, a local tabac owner that butterflies were abnormally plentiful in the region this year. It didn't take long for the facts on the ground to corroborate this. Lang's Short Tailed Blue is a very infrequent addition to the butterfly list normally, but they were quite commonplace this time round, with upwards of two dozen seen:

The same was true of Long Tailed Blue. I think in the last 4 trips we've only recorded 6 at best cumulatively, but this year, particularly during Week 1, they popped up quite regularly, with as many as 15 seen:

Of course, where there are winners there have to be losers, and unlike 2016 when we hit peak Mountain Alcon Blue emergence, only a handful were seen this year, with Week 2 merely recording a solitary tatty female:

Large Blues were steady in comparison. They usually crop up in small numbers, and this year was no different. The default specimens here are routinely dark, and here's a good example of one:

Further evidence of how advanced the season was came in the form of good numbers of Chalkhill Blues. Normally, this time of year sees the first males emerge, but from early in the piece they were conspicuous by their presence, and during Week 2 they became very common indeed:

[Art Frames]

Sounds a great trip and exceptional year David. Illustrated by some lovely shots, wish I could have seen them with your group.

A good number of the list would have made my trip.

[David M]

Thanks, Peter. Yes, it was certainly the best trip in terms of sheer numbers, no doubt about it!

Altitude Blues put on a good show this year. I've certainly never seen so many Idas Blues....I reckon there were over 100 on a single fresh cow-pat on the final day of the first week. Here's one that was posing on his own:

Eros Blues were pretty common too above 1400m:

Damon Blues were hugely abundant during the second week. This one is in the company of a False Heath Fritillary and a Mazarine Blue:

Alpine Blue, as ever, was much less frequently spotted - probably no more than a dozen seen:

One of the few Blues that was encountered LESS often than in previous years was Amanda's Blue. I reckon 50 at best:

I took plenty of 'group photos' of Blues taking minerals, and I'll post the more interesting ones later in this thread.

[David M]

Species seen - Lycaenidae - (Coppers)

48. Purple Shot Copper
49. Purple Edged Copper
50. Small Copper
51. Sooty Copper
52. Scarce Copper

By far the rarest of the Coppers was Small Copper, which popped up singly every so often. Of the others, only Sooty Copper was seen in lowish numbers...probably fewer than 50:

Purple Shot Coppers were threatening to break the three figure barrier, which is far more than I normally see here:

Is there such a thing as a female caeroleopunctata Purple Shot Copper?

As ever, good numbers of Purple Edged Coppers were observed at 1400m and above:

Which leaves just Scarce Copper....which I'll deal with in the next post....