French Blue

[Charles Nicol]

here is another one i am not sure about:

can you help ?

merci


Aude, South of France, yesterday

[Padfield]

It would take a brave man to say if that is coridon (chalkhill) or hispana (Spanish chalkhill). Both fly in the Aude. Detailed, local distribution maps might help.

Guy

[Charles Nicol]

It would take a brave man to say if that is coridon (chalkhill) or hispana (Spanish chalkhill). Both fly in the Aude. Detailed, local distribution maps might help.

Guy

thanks for those possibilities Guy...

hmmm.... Roger ?

[Roger Gibbons]

I'll express a qualified opinion (it's the opinion that qualified, not me) - I would be more inclined to go for hispana for two reasons:

1. the unf submarginal marks look quite heavy (only quite, not overwhelmingly) which I usually find is a strong pointer to hispana.

2. the date - hispana flies in two broods and is currently out in huge numbers in some places in Var, and coridon tends to be sandwiched in between. So on a date basis, hispana seems more likely.

A sight of the upperside colour would be very helpful (I know we always say this) as the colour of hispana is a rather duller blue colour, not having the brightness of coridon.

But I don't have much experience of Aude in September and no real knowledge of the distributions of coridon and hispana in Aude.

Roger

[Charles Nicol]

I'll express a qualified opinion (it's the opinion that qualified, not me) - I would be more inclined to go for hispana for two reasons:

1. the unf submarginal marks look quite heavy (only quite, not overwhelmingly) which I usually find is a strong pointer to hispana.

2. the date - hispana flies in two broods and is currently out in huge numbers in some places in Var, and coridon tends to be sandwiched in between. So on a date basis, hispana seems more likely.

A sight of the upperside colour would be very helpful (I know we always say this) as the colour of hispana is a rather duller blue colour, not having the brightness of coridon.

But I don't have much experience of Aude in September and no real knowledge of the distributions of coridon and hispana in Aude.

Roger

many thanks Roger ! here is a picture of another individual from 2km away...

i hope this helps ?

Charles

[Roger Gibbons]

Hi Charles,

I would tend to say that this upperside photo supports the hispana (or hispanus) view. Can't be 100% certain, but I think all of these factors bring to 90%.

I'm intrigued that you get so many photos of jasius with open wings. I so rarely see them posing open, and still don't have decent photo that shows their upperside to proper effect.

Roger

[David M]

Yes. It doesn't look quite 'right' for coridon, but then I've seen precious few hispana so I don't want to proclaim any kind of authority.

[Charles Nicol]

Hi Charles,

I would tend to say that this upperside photo supports the hispana (or hispanus) view. Can't be 100% certain, but I think all of these factors bring to 90%.

I'm intrigued that you get so many photos of jasius with open wings. I so rarely see them posing open, and still don't have decent photo that shows their upperside to proper effect.

Roger

this one was quite early in the day... the shadows are quite striking

if you need this shot for your records then please copy it

Charles

[Charles Nicol]

Yes. It doesn't look quite 'right' for coridon, but then I've seen precious few hispana so I don't want to proclaim any kind of authority.

the Chalkhill does not seem to produce the mini-specimens which we have seen with the Common Blue....