Butterflies of Var, Southern France

[John Chapple]

With a bigger audience in mind, I asked Thierry if a DVD was available and this is his e-mail to me....

Hi John,

Thank you for contacting me about "Papillons de France en liberté".
At this time, this documentary is not available on dvd, but only in the form of a screening followed by a discussion, which I can lead alone or with another specialist.
The film itself has a duration of 48 minutes and the debate usually lasts 45 minutes. Consequently, a session typically lasts one hour and a half.

People likely to organise a screening in France or abroad can send us all relevant information (date, place, public...) in order to receive a quotation.

Kind regards,

Thierry

[Roger Gibbons]

Hi John,

This was the 48 minute screening and Q&A session that I was at. The plan for the video is for it to be screened at various cinemas around France, although I feel he is nearing the end of this tour. I would mention that the day before the screening I was at, there was a showing (maybe the shorter version) at the same cinema to 300 schoolchildren. Enlightened, eh?

I had a long conversation with Thierry and I got the feeling that he hadn't thought beyond the current tour and was pleasantly surprised to hear that there was such interest in the UK. He said that he would consider a version in English and I think he found that prospect quite appealing. I suggested to Thierry that it need not be translated, if that were a possible obstacle, as the images speak in any language. I have suggested to the EBG/EIG (I am a committee member) that this would make a great presentation at an EBG AGM.

I seem to have done a lot of suggesting. Let's see what transpires.

Roger

[John Chapple]

Nice one Roger. It would be quite a pull for the EIG if he could do a presentation over here. It would probably encourage me to travel from deepest Cornwall. As you say, if he was encouraged enough to produce it on a dvd even if it wasn't translated to English I'm sure it would be popular! something for him to contemplate after his film shows come to an end maybe.

[Matsukaze]

A couple of ID requests from northern Var in late June:

Melitaea celadussa, or whatever the taxon is known as this week?

Female Silver-studded Blue? Blue-spot Hairstreak for company.

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Chris,
You may be interested to know that in your second photo, both butterflies are nectaring on Teucrium polium (Felty Germander) .

CJ

[Matsukaze]

The lycaenids do seem to like nectaring on that plant - quite often I see half-a-dozen assorted hairstreaks on it.

[Roger Gibbons]

Some images from Provence and the southern French Alps (the "PACA" region).

A very lightly marked Heath Fritillary

A rather sombre Small Tortoiseshell seen at 2000m. Of the commoner vanessids, ST is the only one commonly seen at high altitude (apart from Painted ladies that are probably in the course of migrating). It is often the only species flying at that altitude, especially if the temperature is low

A White Admiral underside. WA doesn't fly in the PACA region (except quite rare sightings in the north of the region) and usually by the time I get to the central Alps they are starting to show signs of wear, so this opportunity to get a photo of an fresh underside was quite an unusual occurrence

A group of six Swallowtails puddling in company with a Scarce Swallowtail. This is rather the opposite of the proportion that would normally be expected, as Scarce Swallowtail is encountered perhaps four times as frequently as its cousin (or, more accurately, its brother, as according to Greek mythology Machaon was the brother of Podalirius)

A female Asian Fritillary - quite a rare species in France. It has a habit of sitting, when warming up, with its wings curled downwards

A female Meadow Fritillary. Another species that doesn't occur in southern PACA and when I reach the southern Alps the form I encounter is usually the high altitude dark form

A group of Idas Blues puddling. There were around a hundred in this group, with the odd Mazarine, Glandon, and Eros blues included from time to time

A Spotted Fritillary from Savoie, some way to the north of PACA, much darker than the ones seen in PACA

A few more to follow...

[David M]

Interesting stuff, Roger. Meadow Fritillaries were all but absent during my fortnight's stay (I reckon a dozen at best).

How far north did you see Asian Frit? That's one species I'd love an audience with.

[Roger Gibbons]

There are allegedly locations for Asian Fritillary in the PACA region, in the north of the region. I have searched there in a known location but the last time I was there, there were also hundreds of sheep indulging in a bit of surpâturage and there was little vegetation and even less butterflies.

I think it is a species that you have to go to Savoie for (sorry, ending a sentence on a preposition), and even then you have to know where to look. It is very localised. Hence my excitement.

Roger

[petesmith]

I certainly understand your excitement regarding Asian Fritillary Roger! As you know, we were at the same site a few days before you, where I got my life-tick for this beauty. I have been looking at my only photo of a female Asian Frit from our visit to see if it might have been the same insect that you photographed, but it clearly isn't. I also saw another female there who was in a very worn state indeed and missing part of her wing edges. Hope you don't mind me posting this image of my female on your thread. Be very interested to see some of your shots of the male of the species!

Your Heath and Spotted Frits look almost aberrant!

[David M]

You pair are making me very envious!!

I agree that some of the other Frits look aberrant. Is that a consequence of the abnormal weather or does one expect it further north in France's eastern montane area?

[Roger Gibbons]

A female Spanish Purple Hairstreak taking a break from constant nectaring. This female is very fresh, and shows the delicate silver and orange marginal markings to good effect.

A Swallowtail is always a delight to see, and this one looks to be out-of-the-box fresh and posing obligingly as it takes salts from damp ground.

In this late season I arrived in the Queyras National Park at a time when the Dusky Grizzled Skippers were fresh and numerous. This one shows the characteristic unh markings of this species.

I don’t see Purple Emperors in the numbers that Neil and Matthew see them, but whenever I see one it is always a special moment. This one, one of three that were puddling at this location, looks rather orange.

The previous posting had a female Asian Fritillary, and this one is a male. There were maybe 8-10 males flying at this location, in varying degrees of wear. This was about the freshest. Look familiar to you Pete?

Hitching a lift on a Turquoise Blue.

High Brown Fritillaries are not common in Alpine France and are usually encountered in singles or small numbers, whereas Dark Green and Niobe are usually more numerous.

A male Cranberry Blue. This one was very fresh and the blue scales on the large marginal mark were very visible, even from a distance.

[David M]

Some lovely stuff there, Roger. Any other species that aren't generally seen further south?

[petesmith]

Ha! I am sure I recognise that male Asian Fritillary Roger! Lovely shot. And your Spanish Purple Hairstreak is gorgeous - I have only ever seen one, 15 years ago in the Picos de Europa.
David - there is definitely merit in heading further north in the Alps towards Savoie - some good stuff to be had up there.

[David M]

David - there is definitely merit in heading further north in the Alps towards Savoie - some good stuff to be had up there.

Yes. I have had my eye on it for a year or two now.

Perhaps it's time to take the plunge and visit?

[Roger Gibbons]

Breakfast at chez Gibbons. They are four Two-tailed Pashas dining on a sumptuous meal of banana with rum mashed in (a little dried).

It took a while to get all four in shot as the first ones to arrive were intent on chasing off any others.

Roger

[petesmith]

Wow - what a great way to start the day!
Fantastic stuff Roger!

[David M]

Breakfast at chez Gibbons.....

'Chez Gibbons' sure knows how to rub it in!

You've reported this to me in the past but I've never seen the images to go with it until now.

One day I will see this species for myself!!

PS - the poor things must have been slaughtered by midday....could they still fly?

[Roger Gibbons]

Not meaning to rub it in further (although it probably will), the main delight is watching them circle around for a few minutes before they alight. They really are the most magnificent flyers, like a squadron of Spitfires, with incredible mid-air manouvres. (Sorry, David, I didn't succeed withthe "not rubbing it in" bit).

They don't get drunk even though they spend inordinate periods at the mixture. In fact, one was still there at 20.00 last night in the gloom.

Roger

[David M]

Marvellous it is, I'm sure, Roger.

They're pretty 'hardcore' if they can spend all morning drinking fruit laced with rum and still fly.

Not a bad life, I suppose. September warmth in the south of France with caring humans to see to your every need....