What's flying in Marseilles 2015

[Roger Gibbons]

Cirsii struck me immediately. And it helps that I know they fly at Ste Baume (having seen them there on several occasions).

Roger

[Chris Jackson]

Thank you for the ID, Guy and Roger. These Pyrgus look very much alike. Your personal experience is more valuable than the generalised information in the reference books.
The PACA Butterfly Atlas places Cinquefoil Skipper sightings, however, quite a distance from where this one was spotted.
Cheers, Chris

[Roger Gibbons]

Don't put all your faith in the PACA Atlas. Var was very much under-recorded until Philippe (Bricaire) and I started to have a thorough look. Here's a photo I took two years ago at Ste Baume.

http://www.butterfliesoffrance.com/html ... Var_1Sep13_

Roger

[Chris Jackson]

Your study of the Cinquefoil Skipper is quite thorough, Roger.
You have a good set of high quality upperside and underside photos which makes the features a lot clearer.
I must keep more precise records of the locations of my own sightings relative to those given in the PACA atlas (I have got a good handful of discrepancies already).
Cheers, Chris

[Chris Jackson]

Tuesday 28th July - South of France

The Mistral wind is blowing at the moment which is keeping the temperature down to between 28 and 30°C .

Yesterday at work during my lunchbreak, on the plateau of Vitrolles, I spotted what should be my last "local" butterfly species of the season, the Tree Grayling, which appeared on exactly the same date as last year.
This species likes to suddenly drop down and hide in the dappled shade at the foot of bushes, and preferably behind a twig or blade of grass which makes taking photos more tricky
Tree Grayling:

Context - plateau of Vitrolles:

Also seen - Long-tail Blue:

Also flying: Swallowtail, Scarce Swallowtail, Two-tailed Pasha and Striped Grayling.

Cheers, Chris

[Charles Nicol]

Tuesday 28th July - South of France

The Mistral wind is blowing at the moment which is keeping the temperature down to between 28 and 30°C .

Yesterday at work during my lunchbreak, on the plateau of Vitrolles, I spotted what should be my last "local" butterfly species of the season, the Tree Grayling, which appeared on exactly the same date as last year.
This species likes to suddenly drop down and hide in the dappled shade at the foot of bushes, and preferably behind a twig or blade of grass which makes taking photos more tricky
Tree Grayling:

statilinus (2).JPG

statilinus (1).JPG

Context - plateau of Vitrolles:

context plateau Vitrolles 01 Jun 2015.JPG

Also seen - Long-tail Blue:

boeticus.JPG

Also flying: Swallowtail, Scarce Swallowtail, Two-tailed Pasha and Striped Grayling.

Cheers, Chris

Bonjour Christophe

I am een Carcassonne... have started bothering les papillons: https://www.flickr.com/groups/2902510@N22/

Charles

[Chris Jackson]

Check out my TTP, Charles

Thursday 30th July - Vitrolles, South of France

The breeze is keeping the temperature down to about 28°C.
Up on the plateau de Vitrolles today there was little flying: Striped Grayling, Tree Grayling and Two-tailed Pasha.
Context - plateau of Vitrolles

Two-tailed Pasha (my best upperside shot yet - can be bettered)

Tree Grayling (rarely found in trees )

Cheers, Chris

[Charles Nicol]

Check out my TTP, Charles



Cheers, Chris

Ouais c'est super

rainy and overcast down here

still i had a nice coq au vin for lunch

Charles

[Chris Jackson]

Saturday 01 August - South of France, overcast and cool 26°C

In my local Parc des Bruyères, in Marseilles, proof that the 2nd brood Two-tailed Pasha is active:
In the same and usual Strawberry Tree, I spotted a TTP egg, probably laid less than 48 hours ago otherwise it would be browning around its crown

A very recently-hatched caterpillar and its egg shell

Context: Strawberry Tree in the Parc des Bruyères, Marseilles

Cheers, Chris

[CFB]

Great stuff, Chris.
--
Colin

[David M]

South of France, overcast and cool 26°C

You're just teasing us now, Chris.

[Sylvie_h]

Hi Chris,

How did you manage to take a picture of the TTP with its wings opened? Fantastic picture ! I never managed it....
Sylvie

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Chris,
How did you manage to take a picture of the TTP with its wings opened? ....
Sylvie

Every lunchbreak at work, out in the scrub, I see TTP, during both broods, so I'm the last person on this forum not to have an excuse for not having a reasonable photo of a TTP.
Seeing them and getting photo opportunities every day necessarily ups the odds of a worthwhile photo.
Obviously, don't create a shadow, and stay downwind of them - I'm sure thats not teaching you much .
However, when they are perching, you can approach them, without crouching or anything fancy, no sudden movements, just by taking very small steps (shuffling) and getting progressively nearer.
Underside shots are relatively easy, however, fortunately I have a swivelling screen (Panasonic FZ150), otherwise I don't think I would have got this upperside shot. Its as simple as that.
Arms up, camera held high and in front, pointing nearly vertically downwards, screen swivelled appropriately, watch out for your shadow .... and its in the can ! Then lower the lower camera towards the insect, slowly, while shooting, until your luck runs out.
Chris

[Roger Gibbons]

Hi Chris,

How did you manage to take a picture of the TTP with its wings opened? Fantastic picture ! I never managed it....
Sylvie

Me neither.
Roger

[CFB]

It's all a matter of luck, being in the right place at the right time with the right TTP .

--
Colin

[Chris Jackson]

It's all a matter of luck, being in the right place at the right time with the right TTP ....
Colin

I think you are right, Colin. You do very well indeed with your camera .
Chris

[Chris Jackson]

Monday, South of France, 30°C and slightly overcast

Hi Folks,
This weekend I popped inland and upland to see what was flying in the Var.
I was pleasantly surprised to find a species that does not occur in Marseilles
Sage Skipper

also a Small Heath, with rather uncommon markings

a Silver-spotted Skipper

a pair of Tree Graylings in cop

Then at lunchtime at work today, back in the scrub in Vitrolles, I was only just a very small angle short of what could have been a well balanced openwing shot of a TTP

Context for the TTP

Ah well ... better luck next time

Cheers, Chris

[Charles Nicol]

here is my latest open-winged TTP... a bit decrepit but heigh ho

[Chris Jackson]

here is my latest open-winged TTP... a bit decrepit but heigh ho

Still worth posting, Charles - today's decrepit butterfly will be this winter's fond souvenir
Chris

[David M]

I was pleasantly surprised to find a species that does not occur in Marseilles...Sage Skipper

Nice spot, Chris. That one's on my wish list.