Greenwings: Montes Universales/Valencia coast, Spain, 30 July - 7 August 2021

[David M]

I should remember this David, but are you able to describe what I should be looking for when trying to identify Southern Marbled Skipper?

Personally, Paul, I think the uph submarginal band which I have highlighted is the strongest feature, being noticeably sinuous in appearance. The discal band is fairly bold and whitish in colour too, which is certainly not the case with alceae (immediately below).

The other species that may cause confusion are Marbled and Tufted Marbled Skipper. However, lavatherae has much more strongly marked uphs, with the submarginal 'band' tending to form white chevrons. There is much more in the way of white colouration on both uppersides and undersides too.

Tufted Marbled Skipper is much 'chunkier' and generally darker in colour, with that gossamer-silver dusting on the forewings. Again, whilst flocciferus usually has clear white discal markings on the uphs, the submarginal area is quite obscurely marked; certainly nothing like the continuous band that baeticus has.

The undersides are equally as definitive, although these species tend not to present that view as often as they do the uppersides.

[Andy02]

David. Hope you don’t mind me adding to your ID comments but here is a Southern Marbled underwing from earlier in the year near Malaga

[selbypaul]

Thanks David, that's really helpful and detailed. And thanks Andy also

[David M]

David. Hope you don’t mind me adding to your ID comments but here is a Southern Marbled underwing from earlier in the year near Malaga

Not at all, Andy. The more input the better regarding these issues.

That's a great underside of baeticus, with those reticulated markings that are unmistakeable. I'd love to have something similar in my own albums but my job is mainly to point them out to others rather than indulge myself. Oh, to have a week or so in that region on my own!!

[David M]

Thanks David, that's really helpful and detailed. And thanks Andy also

No problem, Paul. Like with many species, identification of carcharodus seems tricky until you actually see them in the field. Southern Marbled Skipper generally goes under the radar as people are concentrating on the 'jazzier' types of butterfly. Once you get your eye in you don't forget the next time.

[David M]

Pieridae

Nothing too exciting to report on the Pierid front - in fact, I didn't take images of any of this group!

A few dozen Clouded Yellows, the odd Berger's, low three figure numbers of Whites (mainly Small, but also Large, Green Veined and Wood Whites).

Brimstones cropped up in a few places; Cleopatras were rather scarcer, with no more than ten or so seen.

Bath and Southern Small White were probably the most interesting, but getting them to settle for any length of time was impossible:

57. Wood White
58. Large White
59. Small White
60. Green Veined White
61. Southern Small White
62. Bath White
63. Clouded Yellow
64. Berger's Clouded Yellow
65. Brimstone
66. Cleopatra

[David M]

Lycaenidae - Coppers and Hairstreaks

There are only three species of Copper in this area at this time of year, and we saw all of them.

Small Coppers aren't too common; at best I reckon we saw about 20. As mentioned before, Iberian Sooty Coppers were extremely common at the Noguera site, but only a few were recorded elsewhere.

The other member of this group is Purple Shot Copper. These cropped up in low numbers here and there as ever is the case. The males I saw all looked pretty jaded but a couple of the females seemed in good condition:

Hairstreaks were a major disappointment though. One of the first butterflies I saw when we stopped at a riverside location on the way to the hotel on the first day was a fresh looking False Ilex Hairstreak. I reckoned we would see plenty more but I was wrong. I don't think any of the five on the list reached double figures, and most of those that were seen were past their best. This Spanish Purple Hairstreak (one of two during the trip) was in a pretty sorry state, which just about summed things up:

67. Small Copper
68. Purple Shot Copper
69. Iberian Sooty Copper
70. Spanish Purple Hairstreak
71. Blue Spot Hairstreak
72. Ilex Hairstreak
73. False Ilex Hairstreak
74. Sloe Hairstreak

[David M]

Lycaenidae - Blues

This group is well represented and within it are a few endemics/near endemics that are extremely desirable.

Spanish Argus is the pick just because its range is so restricted, but Mother of Pearl Blue isn't far behind. Like its near-relative, Turquoise Blue, it never occurs in large numbers, but we found a handful here and there:

They are enthusiastic puddlers, and their extremely pale uppersides mean they are easy to pick out amongst the darker Azure Chalkhills, Oberthur's Anomalous, Damon and Chapman's Blues:

This may well be a female, although Turquoise Blue females are near-identical so I can't be sure:

[David M]

Lycaenidae - Blues

Perhaps the nearest butterfly to a Montes Universales endemic is Oberthur's Anomalous Blue.

They are fairly common in this region, but there have been debates over the years about the presence of Ripart's Anomalous Blue, something which I remain keen to investigate.

This year, we saw well into three figures, and although this species will never win any beauty contests, you have to accord it special status merely because you'll never see it anywhere else:

[David M]

Lycaenidae - Blues

Azure Chalkhill Blue was extremely common again, but not quite as numerous as the multi-thousands seen previously during this tour.

They are always a delight to behold, however, with their richer shade of ground colour than coridon:

[selbypaul]

Lycaenidae - Blues

Perhaps the nearest butterfly to a Montes Universales endemic is Oberthur's Anomalous Blue.

They are fairly common in this region, but there have been debates over the years about the presence of Ripart's Anomalous Blue, something which I remain keen to investigate.

This year, we saw well into three figures, and although this species will never win any beauty contests, you have to accord it special status merely because you'll never see it anywhere else:

01.Fabressei(1).jpg

That's interesting what you say about Ripart's Anomalous Blue. I take it the debate is that a percentage of the Oberthur's are actually Ripart's?

[Andy02]

On that subject , I met an enthusiast from Gran Canaria the week before David’s trip whilst at the Rambla. He said that he had seen Riparts and I attach his photo.

[David M]

Thanks, Paul/Andy.

Yes, we have now had it confirmed (by Miguel Munguira) that recent studies have shown that ripartii does fly in this region. I forwarded two images for him to examine, one of which was a rather faded specimen but the other was very fresh and so different to fabressei that I simply couldn't believe it was anything other than ripartii.

We will now be on the lookout for it during subsequent trips there:

[John Vergo]

Hi David, that is very interesting, I have because of that, been looking at my fabressei image from last year, and this one could look like a ripartii ??

[David M]

Yes, John. I agree. That is surely ripartii.

Now that we know it DOES occur in the region, I will update the species list and ensure we track it down in future.

[John Vergo]

David it was taken at the Rambla near Albarracin

[David M]

David it was taken at the Rambla near Albarracin

Thank you, John. Useful to know.

Of the two confirmed as ripartii this year, one was at the site up the road from the rambla and the other was from Noguera, so a fair distance between them meaning they may be widespread but low density.

[David M]

Lycaenidae - Blues

One of the most immediately noticeable species in this area is Spanish Chalkhill Blue, with its silvery white uppersides and large wing span (for a lycaenid).

Plenty of them again in the drier spots on this trip:

There was a damp patch by a tunnel underneath one of the roads and there were over a hundred taking minerals, including a couple of dozen on this concrete wall:

[David M]

Lycaenidae - Blues

Whilst photographing albicans, I managed to get an image of Chapman's Blue showing the two-tone nature of the upper forewings, caused by the androconial patches.

It's a common butterfly during this trip, but often goes under the radar:

[petesmith]

Lycaenidae - Blues

Whilst photographing albicans, I managed to get an image of Chapman's Blue showing the two-tone nature of the upper forewings, caused by the androconial patches.

It's a common butterfly during this trip, but often goes under the radar:

01.thersitesetal(1).jpg

That's a nice diagnostic image David!