www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Last weekend was carnival (fašank) in Traplice and I was asked by organizers for photografing and recording.
First we have walked across the willage and invited to the evening ball. Procession was composed of masks with reproduced music on the cart and a group of boys with the sabres (mostly wood but two of them were iron soldier sabres) in the traditional costumes and three fiddlers and accordionist. I have weakness for fiddle so I have recorded them above all:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unA2bWYLSMc[/video]

There is a short video from the evening ball:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYdhaeYHD2k[/video]

Really beautiful music. It looks as if you had a great ball.

It seems for me that this year carnival ball was dedicated mainly to White-Carpathian folklore (or folklore from southern part of Moravian - Slovak border).

But note this Slovak folk song, the same in the interpretation of Slovak folklore band is here (refers to the Slovak municipality Heľpa). Compare with Chinese rock song HaSaYaKi by Zhou Chuan Xiong .

The first this year Carpenter Bee - Xylocopa violacea grubbing through slots in the courtyard of our house and invasive Western Conifer Seed Bug - Leptoglossus occidentalis before the entry into our house.

It was sunny midday today and I have watched first this year buterflies: Some nymphalid flew over my garden (but hasn't sat so I couldn't determine one) and behind the cellar window flapped a Peacock. I have released one to the courtyard and taken it to the photo.

There were lots of firebugs everywhere.

Today I have taken a look to one of places where I found Viola alba last year. Here I have taken a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Viola alba begins to bloom and I have create a special album for this plant.

Before last year was critically endangered Viola alba known from 2 places of the Czech Republic (one locality in the White Carpathians and one locality in arroundings of Hustopeče), since last year from 3 places - additionally from the Chřiby hills. It is interesting that this is historically the first find in the Chřiby hills - they are simply unexplored, being situated close to the White Carpathians which engage attention of explorers so that close areas lay in their "shade".

Spring is here! Meloe decorus watched in my garden again!

I just have watched two endangered oil beetles Meloe decorus in my garden and recorded them to the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCKopJP18NY[/video]

Later I have watched more Commas on this place and taken one of them to some photos and recorded one to a video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GO6ZU1eN5o[/video]

On the same place I have recorded myself searching for Viola alba:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80gNbuxCuGE[/video]

When I processed photos and video of the oil beetles my wife notified me that she sees a yellow butterfly opposite to our house (most probably Brimstone - but I haven't succeeded in searching one).

Today I have watched oil beetles Meloe decorus in my garden: One of them ate tinder from old plum-tree stump:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfgjOOzbeoc[/video]

I have watched and taken to the photo (and recorded to the video, but not processed yet) a pair of Meloe decorus matting and a female searching for a chink for oviposition in the hill of earth excavated by the water vole in my garden. I have also taken a wasp Chasmias motatorius and sand lizards in my garden.

In afternoon I have snapped a Comma (there were about 10 of ones) and a Large Tortoiseshell here and at least two Large Tortoiseshells - photo1 and photo2 on this place.
Since Nymphalis polychloros is similar with wanted Yellow-legged (or Scarce) Tortoiseshell - Nymphalis xanthomelas (extinct in the Czech Republic between 1951-1960, after 2000 begins to return), I have taken also legs of these butterflies: They are dark brown so it is really N. polychloros.

I have watched a Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) here but not suceeded in snapping.

I have found that Viola alba occurs interspersedly also at this wood border in this place.

A Large Tortoiseshell watched here but I haven't succeeded in snapping one.

I have taken oil beetles Meloe proscarabeus or M. violaceus on this forest road.

I wouldn't like to lost face but I thing I just have found Viola alba directly inside our village, about 150 m from our house and about 30 m from house of our former mayor, in this place. Here is photo of this place.

The confusion with Viola suavis is possible but when I compare stipulae of my plants with ones of Viola suavis and Viola alba it seems for me that my plants are similar soon to the second one. Tomorrow I shall know more.

I am invited to the excursion to White-Carpathian localities of Viola alba which will take place on April 9th (with part of about 30 botanists).

Oil beetles are not doing too well over here, either. This article appeared on the BBC website today:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_ne ... 434963.stm

Matsukaze wrote:Oil beetles are not doing too well over here, either. This article appeared on the BBC website today:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_ne ... 434963.stm

There used be 23 species of oil beetles in the Czech Republic but 10 of them is extinct. Occurence of Meloe (Micromeloe) decorus used to be restricted to the Pálava hills but recently is spreading.

Oil beetles Meloe proscarabeus or M. violaceus were found by me in this place last year (and a few of specimens also this year).

http://traplican.rajce.idnes.cz/Botanik ... 29_015.jpg is definitely Viola alba. http://traplican.rajce.idnes.cz/Botanik ... 9_024d.jpg may be a hybrid Viola x pluricalis of Viola alba with Viola odorata. Determined by Karel Fajmon.

Today we have a family trip to the upper end of Jankovice and in and around of the fire reservoir there were lots (hundreds) of common toads. I have recorded more videos and one of them posted to youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFU2MZappFc[/video]

Regrettably, enough of them were crushed by the cars on the road and also - the road is powdered by the fly ash from the desulphurization boiler so the toad on the road were black from sticked ash. The same material is also deposited here and here.

On this place I have taken:
- Comma - Polygonia c-album
- Camberwell Beauty - Nymphalis antiopa - there were at least two ones and I have recorded and posted to youtube a video of one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wEUsinUU-k[/video]

- Green-veined White - Pieris napi
- Peacocks - Inachis io

I saw also more Brimstones and maybe a Large Tortoiseshell but not succeeded in snapping them. But I have taken ones on another place later.

On this place I have taken a Small Tortoiseshell - Aglais urticae and on this place this Peacock - Inachis io.

This Brimstone - Gonepteryx rhamni was taken here and this Large Tortoiseshell here.

This Wood White or Réals Wood White (I saw two ones) was taken in the middle of bramble on this place and one had vector me to this plant because one perhaps muddle up its flower with another white. This is definitelly Viola alba but it was solitary. Nevertheless on the margin of the brumble on this place there were more plants that may be the same species.

I saw also a Small Tortoiseshell on this place but not succeeded in snapping one.

Hi Traplican,

Your English puts me to shame and I'm only pointing out that Inachis io is peacock, not comma (your last post), to show you I read you diary with great interest every time you post!!

Guy

Thanks, I am going to repair it.

On 7th April I have visited place "Na Honech" because I had obtained a tip about occurence of Viola alba there but I haven't found one (or I am not sure). Instead I have snapped there:
- Map
- Wood White or Réal's Wood White on this place (but only bad photo).
- I have seen also Green-veined White but not succeeded in snapping.

On 9th April I have taken part in the botanical excursion to the White Carpathians led by Karel Fajmon and Jan W. Jongepier.
I have snapped butterflies:
- Green Hairstreak basking on the cart road on this place
- Wood White or Réal's Wood White here
- Green-veined White (there were a number of ones) and
- Orange Tip here
- another Green-veined White on the forest road margin and next one on this place (I thing).

Yesterday I have snapped
- Peacock in my garden.

On this cart road:
- Map (there vere a number of them)
- Large Tortoiseshell
I saw also two Wood (or Réal's Wood) Whites and a Dingy Skipper but not succeeded in snapping ones.

On this place by the stream I have snapped:
- Comma
- Large Tortoiseshell upperside and underside.

On Saturday 16th April I have passed the same places like 10th April and I have snapped:

On this cart road :
- Dingy Skipper
- Comma
- Wood White or Réal's Wood White
- Grizzled Skipper
- Peacock

On this place by the stream I have snapped:
- Comma
- Large Tortoiseshell (there were 4 ones and showed concern about riverine willows).

On Sunday 17th April I have passed the forest road from the upper end of Jankovice to under the Komínky rocks and back. Here is my trace.

I have snapped:
- on this place by the fire reservoir Map
- Here lots of Wood Whites or Réal's Wood Whites
- Camberwell Beuty here
- Orange Tip here
- Green-veined Whites here and here
- Camberwell Beauty here and another one here and another one here.

In this pool by the crossroads I saw a Agile Frog - Rana dalmatina and in another pool lots of Alpine Newts - Mesotriton alpestris.

- I have snapped a Small Copper here and another one here.
- a Peacock here
- and the last this day Camberwell Beauty on this place.

On 18th April I have snapped a Map on our garden.

On 23th April I have snapped:
On our neighbour's meadow on this place (used as the casual horse pasture):
- Short-tailed Blue (but only bad photo)
- Dingy Skipper
- and here Small Heath
This Carpenter Bee was snapped on this place.
These Field Crickets - Gryllus campestris were snapped on this side between the footpath and the school park.

By this cart road have snapped:
- Dingy Skipper
- the Drinker - Euthrix potatoria caterpilllar
and on the adjacent meadow
- Short-tailed Blue

On these meadows:
- Grizzled Skipper
- Comma
- Short-tailed Blue ... I have recorded one to the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEkBX8YLOzg[/video]

- and bug Spilostethus saxatilis (it is very shy).

On 24th April A have visited the meadows, orchards and pastures above the upper end of Jankovice and I have snapped there:
- Wood White or Réal's Wood White
- Small Heath
- Weaverś Fritillary ... I have recorded one to the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxjVKmwGb9w[/video]

- Short-tailed Blue
- Dingy Skipper
- Grizzled Skipper

I have seen also Pearl-Bordered Fritillaries but they were mostly in this fenced orchard so I haven't succeeded in snapping ones.

On Saturday 30th April I have visited locality "Sklepisko" (It is an archeological locality, too).
I have snapped:
- Sooty Copper - I have recorded one to the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYunq5UlKq8[/video]

- Small Copper
- Scarce Swallowtail
- Eastern Short-tailed Blue - Everes decoloratus ... I have recorded on to the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhUt5fCZQRE[/video]

- Dingy Skipper
- Small White
- Swallowtail
- Chequered Skipper
- Speckled Wood
- Mother Shipton
- Small Heath
- Map
- Wood White or Réal's Wood White

- unkown moth

This sheep had given birth to a baby during my visit.

Yesterday I have snapped Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly - Ischnura pumilio in our garden.

In this place (which name is "Vlčí jáma" - Wolf Hole, although wolves occur at least 50 km far in number of approx. 10 specimens ) I have snapped:
- Pearl-bordered Fritillary
- Broad-Bodied Chaser

Approx. on this place was snapped this longhorn beetle - Mesosa nebulosa nebulosa (determination by Francesco Vitali).

On the Meadows and pastures below the Sklepisko hill were snapped:
- Sooty Copper
- Grizzled Skipper
- Short-tailed Blue
- Chequered Skipper
- Wood White or Réal's Wood White
- Small Copper
- Eastern Short-tailed Blue - Everes decoloratus male
- Small Heath
- Map
- Speckled Wood (but only bad photo )

This Small Blue was snapped in this place by the fence.

Cold weather. Yesterday was raining the whole day and today in morning was temperature -3° C, currently is 9° C. It is hopeless to try go to snap butterflies but all the same I have found this one hiding on the dandelion anthodium in our garden.