Croatia 28/6 to 5/7

[Kip]

An opportunity arose to visit central Croatia in late June-early July, staying near Plitvica National Park. The countryside there is "under" cultivated, bemoaned by the locals, but very welcome if you like butterflies. The NP is worth a visit for its waterfalls, but maybe not a special trip!.

These are the complete set of Lycaenid photos I managed, with my only lifer for the trip, Anomalous Blue, rather unexpectedly, but it made up for all the others I hoped to see but didn't!!

First, a splendid fresh male Lycaena virgaureae

Next, three Hairstreaks...

Satyrium acaciae

Satyrium ilicis

and Satyrium spini...

onto some Blues...
Polyommatus amanda was frequently seen, (in common with icarus which I didn't pay much attention to)...
Polyommatus amanda

there were a few Mazarines...
Polyommatus semiargus

and some oddments....
....a female Short-tailed Blue...
Everes argiades (same specimen)...

a few worn Silver-studded Blues were around..
Plebejus argus

a ?Mountain Argus...
Aricia artaxerxes

and my lifer, rather unexpectedly at the limit of it's range, in a dusty hot lay-by on a very busy road...
Polyommatus admetus

[selbypaul]

Croatia was one of my very favourite places to visit on my European travels so far. So much diversity of habitats, and, like you say, so many different butterfly species. Glad you enjoyed it.

[David M]

Interesting destination, Paul.

That admetus was a great find! As you say, right near the limit of its known range.

[Rogerdodge]

Paul
Looking forward to seeing more photos.
They are excellent as usual.

Roger

[Kip]

Thanks guys
The most common Frit was the False Heath variety, though I hoped fruitlessly for Assmans or Nickerls, so spent a fair amount of time chasing them.
Melitaea diamina

I think this one is a female Lesser Spotted Frit, but am open to any discussion....
Melitaea trivia (??)

The only other worthwhile photo was of a Marbled Frit. There were other species around, but they tended to be very worn so I did not pursue them. Brethnis daphne

[Padfield]

Hi Paul. That potential trivia is very interesting. The submarginal spots on the underside hindwing are certainly triangular - the feature most books point out. But I can see no hint of the discocellular vein. That doesn't mean it's not there - it's actually quite difficult to see because it is less prominent than the other veins. Do you have any other shots of the underside, perhaps from a different angle to the light, that might show its relief? The other thing I note is that the black part of the antennal club is faintly ringed orange rather than being solid black. Leraut gives this as an indicator of didyma rather than trivia. I hadn't known about that before tonight and will have to check my own pictures (though I've only seen ignasiti, not trivia.

Admetus would have been a lifer for me, too ...

Guy

[Andy02]

Guy. I have Trivia photos from Sierra Nevada in Spain with the same antennal club markings.

[Kip]

Hi Guy, and Andy... I figured it would be uncertain, and I have no other shots to show. Any more thoughts would be welcome. I'll otherwise leave it as questionable. So to Graylings, even murkier... circe is plain enough but the other two, not sure. I am reasonably certain syriaca is represented, but is my senthes just a second syriaca do you think. The one I have labelled as such behaved typically but the other appeared greyer and was in a more mountainous area.

circe

syriaca

???? senthes

[Kip]

On reflection, looking at the Frit underside, it is pretty clear it is more consistent with didyma - thanks Guy for pointing it out!