The Alps 2019.

[Medard]

Thankyo Guy,Roger another new species for me.could you also comment on the blue thats in the top right of the photo ?

MAY_8072_01 3x2.jpg (51.82 KiB) Viewed 1669 times

[David M]

Hi Jim. That one's a Mazarine Blue.

[Bluebell]

My first trip to the Alps in August and saw some wonderful butterflies. my pictures are the best I could do as they kept moving I was at Les Caroz in the French Alps. I only just got back and will post more pictures in due course, but here are a couple of butterflies that I saw. Whilst at the half way stage of the Chamonix Mont Blanc Gondola a saw a couple of butterflies, one I could not take a picture of and the other very tatty looking like a gate keeper. The pictures are attached that look like a marbled white, marble skipper and a scarce swallow tail, confirmation would be appreciated. Deb

[Charles Nicol]

Definitely a Scarce Swallowtail

[Padfield]

As Charles says, that's a scarce swallowtail, and you are also right about the marbled white. The skipper, I believe, is a mallow skipper. The pale marks are too narrow for marbled, and the only other species of the group in that region is the tufted marbled. I can't see any of the distinctive features of tufted marbled here.

Guy

[Bluebell]

Thank you for that Great to get some proper ID's

[Bluebell]

Some more of my Alpine Butterflies

Again confirmation of Id would be very much appreciated I have some guesses ??? Thank you in advance

[Bluebell]

More Butterflies from my Alpine trip that I am looking for confirmation of ID please. Also the one I was embroidering (just for a bit of fun) Thank you in advance.

[David M]

Your latest batch is Large Wall Brown, High Brown Fritillary, Jersey Tiger & Small Heath for the first four, Bluebell.

[Bluebell]

Thank you this has been so wonderful, even if a couple are a bit tatty. Bluebell

[Matsukaze]

Wed Aug 21, 2019 11:50 am

1) Rock/Woodland Grayling; 2) male Chalkhill Blue; 3) one of the Mellicta-group of fritillaries (Heath Fritillary and others); 4) female Wall Brown; 5) High Brown/Niobe/Dark Green Fritillary.

Wed Aug 21, 2019 9:07 pm

1-4 as David says above 5) Marbled White; 6) Six-spot Burnet (considered a moth in England, a butterfly in France); 7) female Wall Brown; Painted Lady; 9) Small Tortoiseshell.

[Bluebell]

Thank you so much, still sorting through my pictures, so hopefully will post some others.

[Bluebell]

Some more

[Bluebell]

Can anybody recommend a book on French Alpine Butterflies please

[David M]

Your golden skippers are both Large Skipper, Bluebell. Your first image seems to be of an erebia, which is interesting given that it's on a buddleia.

[David M]

...I'd say your second image is of a male Green Veined White.

[Padfield]

Agreed for the large skipper and green-veined white. The Erebia is almost certainly Scotch argus, the first blue is a common blue and the second a chalkhill blue. I'll leave the non-Lepidopteran to the bug experts!

All books on covering the whole of Europe cover the Alps, of course, and it would be wise to have at least one such. There are many excellent guides to choose from but despite being horribly out of date in all sorts of ways the essential one, in my opinion, is the Collins Guide by Tolman, illustrated by Lewington.

For the Alps in particular, Paolucci's book (https://www.pemberleybooks.com/product/ ... ons/25125/) is worth noting. The pictures are good, though they fail to illustrate the great variety within some species, and identification points are clearly flagged. The text is very concise and limited to the essentials but there is a map showing where in the Alps each species flies. AND (this is the main reason I frequently pull this book from the shelf) it shows the caterpillars and pupae of all species. As a bonus, it includes the burnets, which are frequently included in butterfly books on the continent.

Guy

EDIT: The Paolucci book is more expensive on NHBS but you can get a look inside to see the layout of text and pictures. See here: https://www.nhbs.com/butterflies-and-bu ... coons-book.

[Medard]

From Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne we take the road to Briançon, destination the beautiful Névache valley but first the ascent of the Col du Télégraphe, its steep,very steep with many hairpin bends, a testing challenge for the cyclists that seem to be around every corner, we finally reach the summit and take a break before continuing to Valloire. Above Valliore the climb is easier, the scenery spectacular, stopping beside a mountain stream I find a pair of Large Blues and Almond-eyed Ringlets (Erebia alberganus) but little else.

We continue and finally reach the summit of the Col du Galibier and pass though the single track tunnel to be greeted by the magnificent view of the La Meije and the Écrins National Park.

On the descent I stop hoping to find some fritillaries, a Skipper was the only butterfly seen, a little disappointing.

Continuing the journey to Briançon we made good time and entered the Névache valley, stops along the way brought little of interest other than good numbers of Silver studded blues, one possible Large blue was seen, finally our journey ended at a pleasant campsite a few kilometres from the old village of Névache .

The following day would at least make up for the scarcity of interesting butterflies.
to be continued

[aeshna5]

The hoverfly is Volucella pellucens.

[David M]

That scenery makes me want to whizz the calendar forward by 8 months, Jim! What a delight.