Return Trip to SW Bulgaria, 30 May-8 June 2012

[Michaeljf]

Hi Paul - there were also Mazarine Blues on some of the other days, hopefully correctly identified Thanks also for the ID on the Cricket.


Friday 8th June 2012 – return to Golemo Beliowo (Golyamo belovo) - continued

As the walk in Golyamo belovo had been so pleasant on the previous visit, it was not a difficult decision to do the same walk again for our last day. The start of the walk again had Nettle-Tree butterflies but this time there seemed to be hundreds of these on the wing: these butterflies were not only enjoying the ground salts but also I noticed that many of the bushes lining the walk now had yellow blossoms on them that the Nettle-Tree butterflies seemed to like. Along the sides of the walk today were also Sloe Hairstreaks and some Pearly Heaths but the Heaths did not stay long enough for photos. After taking the main dirt track about half-way up the ride, we stopped in one of the subsidiary paths and here there were plenty of different butterflies, including some fresh Silver-Washed Fritillaries and more Green Hairstreaks. One of the best sights of the morning was a large European Green Lizard that was sitting / hiding patiently in amongst the tall Umbellifers, waiting for any unsuspecting insect to pass – though as soon as the Lizard saw a photographer he was back off into the scrub. Also at this spot were more medium-sized bright Orange Fritillaries, which turned out to be Marbled Fritillaries (I had seen these at my previous Bulgaria visit but these were the first ones during this late spring visit). As with the Silver-Washed Fritillaries these were all freshly hatched individuals, and I would imagine that over the following days Dark Green and High Brown Fritillaries would probably be out as well.


A photo of the Village houses at Golyamo belovo, just before today's main walk.


This house at Golyamo belovo seems to have a range of netting and protection over their household crops.


What looks like a pretty, but unfinished building at Golyamo belovo.


One of the first Nettle-Tree butterflies to greet us on todays walk.


A close-up to show the strange snout on the Nettle-Tree butterfly. It sort of reminds me of one of the 'Clangers' from the childrens series...


One of the early views of a Sloe Hairstreak. There would be darker individuals seen later.


The Nettle-Tree butterflies seem to be taking good advantage of the Yellow blossom in the bushes lining the path.


One of the Green Hairstreaks favouring the slopes off the main path.


A fresh Silver-Washed Fritillary, not nectaring, but it seems to be licking the flavour off from the Mint leaves.


Another view of the Nettle-Tree butterfly nectaring from the yellow flowers.


A quick view of the inside of the Nettle-Tree butterflies wings.


A view from the path, looking back towards the village. As you can see, there are plenty of wildflowers on the sides of the path.


A close-view of the underside of one of the Marbled Fritillaries, the first time we saw this species on this trip.


Plenty here for any butterfly to enjoy - plenty of local wildflowers, trees, dirt track and even a bit of shade.

[Michaeljf]

Friday 8th June 2012 – return to Golemo Beliowo (Golyamo belovo) - continued

The sun continued to shine against a deep blue sky as per the last three days. Further up the ride and approaching the meadows that edged onto the mountains, there was the sound of Cuckoos again and also a swarm of Hornets, so we quickly walked past this point and up to the wildflower meadows. Here as before there were Cardinal Fritillaries, Clouded Yellows, Black-Veined Whites, Meadow Browns, some more Large Tortoiseshells and a few Hummingbird Hawkmoths. We spent an hour or so in the top meadows but there was no sign of the first Apollos of the year that I had hoped to see, so we ventured back towards the town. On the way back I spent quite a while following some of the Sloe Hairstreaks as there were quite a few near the main path: I had always thought Sloe Hairstreaks might be a bit dull in appearance, but these ones were freshly hatched and a rich, dark-chocolate colour. At first glance I didn’t recognise which Hairstreaks these were as they were so dark: in the strong sunlight they almost looked black. Trying to photograph some of the Hairstreaks as they twirled around the wild mint flowers was quite a test, as in the mid-day (strong) sunlight the butterfly would only catch the sun at a good angle for a milli-second. Nevertheless the time I spent here, lying down in the grass opposite the mint flowers watching these little hairstreaks, remained one of my favourite times of the whole trip.


The view across from the meadows near the top of the walk, looking towards the mountain vista.


One of the Hummingbird Hawkmoths near the top of the walk. Here we would also hear Hornets on the move so we quickly walked on...


As with other days, there were quite a few Clouded Yellows, especially nearer the meadows.


Another view of one of the Clouded Yellows.


Here in the top wildflower meadow is a slightly dusky-looking Black-Veined White, getting truly 'stuck-in' to the flowerhead.


Taken in the top meadows, one of my favourite landscape shots. These large wildflowers were only now starting to bloom.


An alternative view of the wildflower meadows looking over the mountains.


Somewhat surprisingly, we didn't ever see many Meadow Browns. Here is one sheltering from the mid-day sun.


Also sheltering on the Oak tree-trunk, a single Large Tortoiseshell.


As with other days on the trip, there were still caterpillars to be seen (an unidentified Moth caterpillar).

[Michaeljf]

Friday 8th June 2012 – return to Golemo Beliowo (Golyamo belovo) - continued...


Above: one of the newly-emerged Sloe Hairstreaks amongst what seems to be Wild-Mint flowers.


I spent a long time with these individuals trying to get a good photograph of their dark-chocolate-colour wings.


Another view of one of the Sloe Hairstreaks, a charismatic little butterfly....

After returning to the village at Golyamo belovo we had a quick Ice-cream and drink of water (very welcome in the heat) and then took our last quick drive through the village and found another brief walk through the landscape (which was probably below the main walk we had just taken). Here the most notable species were some Blues mud-puddling: most seemed to be Silver-Studded and Mazarine but there was also a Short-Tailed Blue (Cupido argiades), quite a notable spring migrant.

It was time to start our journey back from Golyamo belovo, though we did stop briefly on the outskirts of the village where we could park right by the stony banks of the river: here I saw my first High Brown Fritillary of the trip though it was in no mood to stop for photos, as the temperature was still unrelentingly hot. Within an hour we were back at Velingrad, stopping just enough for a few quick pictures of the town. Unfortunately the light was still very strong so perhaps I should have taken these first thing in the morning, but there had always been more important things to go out and see...


The range of blues taking up salts from the dirt track: Silver-Studded Blues are the main species pictured.


A better view of the Short-Tailed Blue (Cupido argiades) at the back of the line...


One of the single Silver-Studded blues beside the track taking in some nectar. The last butterfly photographed on the trip.


One of the local Cafes in Velingrad that seemed very popular with the locals. Even when we left early the next morning it was full.


At the start of the trip I'd realised I'd forgotten part of my tripod, but I still managed this hand-held Panorama of the Velingrad town scene.

Saturday 9th June 2012 – return to Stanstead via Plovdiv airport

We flew back in the morning to Britain, and again the weather along the Bulgarian route was hot and there was a cloudless blue sky. The journey to Plovdiv turned out to be remarkably straightforward, but there was not time to stop for any ‘last minute’ sightings. As a whole it had been a lovely ten days, mostly in good weather (though my boots were worse for wear – and quite smelly - from walking in wet grass for most of the mornings, and were dumped before we left the hotel!). Our hotel (Velina Spa) in Velingrad had been excellent and Velingrad itself had been a great town to stay at, with relatively easy access to other good spots in South-West Bulgaria and some great local spots. If there was any drawback to the trip it was that I still hadn’t seen any Apollos or the Emperors (we were probably too early or just unlucky): however, the addition of some late spring butterflies such as the Chequered Skipper and the Eastern Festoon had been worth the trip, plus we had witnessed some butterflies that were obviously just at the start of their flight period (Large Tortoiseshell, Niobe Fritillary) and also a range of interesting small and sometimes more common species. I was sorry to leave Bulgaria this time, but little did I know I would soon change my mind and return in August for one more ‘throw of the dice’.

Michael

[Michaeljf]

Hi all,
my good friend Nikolay Shtinkov - who runs his own excellent website on Bulgarian butterflies - has emailed me some comments relative to this thread - useful regading the ID's in several places. I hope he won't mind me quoting some of the most relative and interesting comments below:

I am amazed at the number of Black Hairstreaks that you saw - this is a species that I have seen in ones and twos only. The Eastern Short Tailed Blue is also a good find, but most interesting of all is the Osiris Blue. The "small Mazarine Blues" from June 7 are definitely Osiris; the males of the Mazarine Blue have a very different upperside http://nsbutterflies.com/splibg.html?f=lyc&s=plesem , and you have a nice picture of a male Mazarine as well from June 4. As far as I know, the Osiris Blue has never been recorded in the West Rodopi before.

A couple of remarks on identification (although I have very little to add to the excellent comments you got on the forum). Regarding the fritillaries - the one that has a "twin" species is the Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe), not the Glanville Fritillary (M. cinxia). Yours are definitely Glanvilles. The Balkan Heath (Coenonympha orientalis) does not occur in Bulgaria; yours are definitely Russian Heaths (C. leander). Also, the "darker" specimens of the Sloe Hairstreak (Satyrium acaciae) from your last day are actually Ilex Hairstreaks (S.ilicis).

Many thanks to Nikolay and all of you that have helped with the ID's. I hope to have time to go through this thread by this weekend and amend the ID's accordingly.

Michael

[Paul Wetton]

Absolutely great Michael. It's a shame for all of us reading this, that you weren't there for a few more days, as I'm sure everyone would have loved some more of your photos and excellent commentary.

Well done.

[DaveF]

Stunning photos of Niobe fritillary. Checking on the internet I discovered " Niobe. Symbolic of a mother's grief. Niobe, Queen of Thebes, boasted that her fourteen children were more lovely than Diana and Apollo, the children of Latona (Leto). Because of her arrogance, Niobe's children were slain by Latona's children, and Zeus turned Niobe to stone - yet still her tears flowed from the rock." I wonder how the butterfly came to have this name?
Ian

Terrific report, this. Many thanks indeed for sharing.

Though I am somewhat late to this discussion, in mugging up on my Eastern European species, I found Niobe Fritillary quite easy to learn because of what I found to be a link between the name and the appearance. In Greek myth, Apollo and Artemis killed the sons and daughters of Niobe by shooting them with arrows. Hence the distinct arrow-head ('sagittate') submarginal markings!!

For those of a literary disposition, the story of Niobe is one of the most famous in Classical literature, featuring as it does as one of the most powerful paradigms for consolation and loss, used by Achilles consoling Priam at the end of Homer's Iliad after Achilles has killed Priam's son Hector in revenge for the death of his own friend Patroclus. See Homer Iliad 24.599-620, where Achilles returns the body of Hector to his father:

'Your son is given back to you, aged sir, as you asked it. He lies on a bier. When dawn shows you yourself shall see him as you take him away. Now you and I must remember our supper. For even Niobe, she of the lovely tresses, remembered to eat, whose twelve children were destroyed in her palace, six daughters, and six sons in the pride of their youth, whom Apollo killed with arrows from his silver bow, being angered with Niobe, and shaft-showering Artemis killed the daughters; because Niobe likened herself to Leto of the fair colouring and said Leto had borne only two, she herself had borne many; but the two, though they were only two, destroyed all those others. Nine days long they lay in their blood, nor was there anyone to bury them, for the son of Kronos made stones out of the people; but on the tenth day the Uranian gods buried them. But she remembered to eat when she was worn out with weeping. And now somewhere among the rocks, in the lonely mountains, in Sipylos, where they say is the resting place of the goddesses who are nymphs, and dance beside the waters of Acheloios, there, stone still, she broods on the sorrows that the gods gave her. Come then, we also, aged magnificent sir, must remember to eat, and afterwards you may take your beloved son back to Ilion, and mourn for him; and he will be much lamented.'

[Michaeljf]

Hi Dave and Paul,
thanks for your kind comments and the education on Greek myths (!). My internet link has been down the last 3 or so days so I've only just been able to log-on.

Paul - I'll be interested to see if you are going to do a write-up about your own ecent trip to SW Bulgaria - I will be very green with envy (an unfortunate state of affairs ) regarding some of the species you saw, but I'm sure when you bring out a DVD of your trip it will be very exciting, especially for me.
Best wishes,
Michael

[Paul Wetton]

Hi Michael

You won't be envious just keen to go back and see some more.

I've totalled up what we saw which comes to a definite 148 species plus a few dodgy ID's I'll need some help with a possible Inky Skipper and Heath type Fritillaries plus some difficult Grizzled Skippers.

I think my favourites were the Balkan Blue (Bosnian Blue in some books), Poplar Admiral and Freyer's Purple Emperor of course, plus we managed to find a new species for South West Bulgaria, the Grass Jewel, only previously reported from Eastern Bulgaria close to the Turkish border.

I'll definitely be putting a report on my webs site and a link on UKButterflies when I've sorted through Helens 7000 plus photos. I made the mistake of telling her she didn't take enough last year. More fool me.

I've really enjoyed your report and if you need any further information on where we stayed etc please get in touch again.

[rags]

Very enjoyable report with some superb photos. Makes me wish I was back in Bulgaria.

Unable to add anything on the butterflies but if it helps your "Grass Snake" on the second page actually looks like an Aesculapian Snake - (Zamenis longissimus).

Cheers.