Warrensis?

[David M]

I did not see this butterfly; it was photographed by one of my guests. However, the individual who took it explained that it had stood out because it was small in size and very weakly marked.

Sadly, there is no underside shot, but is it possible that this could be warrensis?

The image was taken at about 2,500m in the east of the Queyras:

[Padfield]

Hi David. My gut instinct is cacaliae. I think it is probably the wing shape (warrenensis is more pointy in my experience) and the greyish colour extending over the forewings that push me this way - but to be honest, as you know, my main identification technique is just to look at something and say what it is. Analysis comes later.

Without an underside, I certainly wouldn't like to claim certainty, and I hope someone will overrule me. But that's what it looks like to me.

warrenensis in Switzerland:



cacaliae in Switzerland:



(Not a totally fair comparison, as the warrenensis is male and the cacaliae female - but I don't seem to have a decent male upperside immediately to hand)

Guy

[Roger Gibbons]

I agree witth Guy for the same reasons. Here is one I saw, same place, 5 July, which struck me as rather small for cacaliae at the time (hence my interest) but I think the texture clearly says cacaliae.

Plus there were a lot of cacaliae about there. Any view of the underside, as Guy says, would be conclusive.

Nice to see you've caught the Pyrgus bug, David. Warrenensis is probably the third hardest to find in France (after ergane and morronensis)

Roger

[David M]

Thanks, both. Your comments are much appreciated.

Yes, Roger, I confess to being a bit of a pyrgus 'anorak' (I largely blame you for this!!)

By the way, surely desfontainii has to be in any list of difficult to find French butterflies?

[Roger Gibbons]

Oh yes, that too.
Roger

[Padfield]

And don't forget trivia/ignasiti! That's now definitely on the French list.

Guy

[Roger Gibbons]

There a few in the category of "does it live here or has it just wandered over the border", niviscens being another. Then there's the helvetica question.

I have enough trouble seeing the ones that are definitely French!

Roger

[David M]

Yes, I suppose having borders with other countries leads to questions regarding whether a species is truly resident or not.

I will put forward pylaon as an example. Does it actually occur as a resident in France or are any sightings temporary immigrants from Switzerland?

[Padfield]

I think pylaon - or more strictly, trappi - has been confirmed just once in France, in the Haute Savoie - and for some reason the specimen (a female) was taken and killed. It figures in Leraut. For a Lycaenid that is so easy to identify I can't see the justification for taking specimens.

I tease Roger about ignasiti because I know he really doesn't want to have to add another species to his wish-list. But this does seem to be long-established in the Pyrénées Orientales and perhaps elsewhere in France too. At the very least, it's worth keeping an eye open for. It's interestingly different from didyma.

Guy

[David M]

I tease Roger about ignasiti because I know he really doesn't want to have to add another species to his wish-list. But this does seem to be long-established in the Pyrénées Orientales and perhaps elsewhere in France too. At the very least, it's worth keeping an eye open for. It's interestingly different from didyma.

Yes, I know you like to tease Roger, Guy.

The poor guy is on the verge of completing the mainland French list and now there's another species to trawl around for!

Does ignasti fly in the eastern Pyrenees in late May? If so, I will make an effort to look out for it next year when I'm back there.