French Fritillary

[Charles Nicol]

this was in the South of France near Rennes les Bains yesterday:

merci for your help

( more pics here: https://www.flickr.com/groups/4548429@N21/pool/ )

[David M]

Given your location, Charles, I'm struggling to see what that could be apart from Weaver's Fritillary.

[Charles Nicol]

Given your location, Charles, I'm struggling to see what that could be apart from Weaver's Fritillary.

many thanks David !

i was exploring a strip cut from a chestnut/oak forest for the passage of an elevated power line . there was a colony of these fritillaries as well as hundreds of the moths i mentioned on the other thread.

[David M]

Yes, those Box Moths had commandeered the whole of the southern Mercantour when I visited in early July, Charles. There were many hundreds (if not thousands) of them. I don't know if it's a one-off phenomenon or whether they'll continue to occur in such numbers in future years.

I'll no doubt find out in 2019!

[Charles Nicol]

Yes, those Box Moths had commandeered the whole of the southern Mercantour when I visited in early July, Charles. There were many hundreds (if not thousands) of them. I don't know if it's a one-off phenomenon or whether they'll continue to occur in such numbers in future years.

I'll no doubt find out in 2019!

apparently they have arrived from China .... where they are the favorite snack of the Asian Hornet....