CFB

[CFB]

This morning I saw my first Pearly Heath (#45) of the year.

Otherwise much as the preceding days: a few Provence Chalkhill Blues, one Southern White Admiral, one or two Meadow Browns, several Adonis Blues, Glanville Fritillaries, and Berger's Clouded Yellow, a couple of Baton Blues, a few Small Heaths and Brimstones, one male Orange-tip.
--
Colin

[CFB]

My first Heath Fritillary (#46) of the year, seen along the Piste des Tamarins.

Amongst others seen were Glanville Fritillaries, a Red Admiral, a few Small Heaths and a couple of Meadow Browns.
--
Colin

[CFB]

A couple of days ago I saw my first Large White (#47) of the year. In fact there were three or four of them together.

This morning along the Piste de Darbousson I discovered what must have been at one time a field of some sort, but which is now abandoned by man, but not by butterflies . There were dozens of Common Blues

and Provence Chalkhill Blues, a few Knapweed Fritillaries,

and a couple of Heath Fritillaries.
--
Colin

[CFB]

This morning in the Parc de la Brague I saw my first Blue-spot Hairstreak (#48) of the year. There were many of them but they were difficult to photograph.

There were several Spotted Fritillaries (this one seemed to be asleep),

several Clouded Yellows including a female f. helice and this dead male (at least it gave the possibility of seeing the upper-side),

one Swallowtail, a few Large Whites, a few Meadow Browns and a couple of Wall Browns.

I also saw a dragonfly (Gomphus pulchellus?)

and some lovely Pyramid orchids (Anacamptis pyramidalis, unless they have changed their name).

--
Colin

[CFB]

It was very windy this morning, so there weren't many butterflies and only a couple of photos.

This female (?) Clouded Yellow stayed around long enough for me to get a few photos,

as did this Southern White Admiral which seemed to like the oak leaves, repeatedly flying away and coming back to sometimes the same leaf.

There were also many Provence Chalkhill Blues, a couple of Glanville Fritillaries, a Knapweed Fritillary, some Meadow Browns, a few Heath Fritillaries and a Swallowtail.
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Colin

[Pauline]

You're posting some lovely images Colin, of butterflies I can only dream of seeing, such as that gorgeous Pearly Heath and the Blue-spot Hairstreak - wouldn't half like to see one of them

[Padfield]

Hi Colin. Your dragonfly is Onychogomphus - in my opinion uncatus, despite slightly anomalous thoracic markings. The anal triangle is clearly visible on the left hindwing and is 4-celled. The only similar dragonfly is forcipatus, which is typically 3-celled.To me, everything fits uncatus, including the generally bright appearance, except the thoracic markings. My book states of uncatus: 'The yellow antehumeral stripe dorsally connects with the broader yellow stripe before it. Thus the black stripe separating them is not connected with the black along the middorsal keel.' In yours, the black stripe is (just) connected. But I still go for uncatus.

Guy

EDIT - there's a nice illustration of the thoracic difference here: http://guillaume.doucet.free.fr/doc/unc ... ipatus.jpg

By that alone, yours would be forcipatus. But then again, the yellow collar is broken by black, an indication of uncatus. I'm not expert enough to know which criteria are truly diagnostic and which just good guides.

[CFB]

Hello Pauline,

Thanks for your kind words. I find that Pearly Heaths are particularly photogenic, provided of course that you have the patience or luck to find one willing to stop flying and let you get close enough to photograph it .

Hello Guy,

Thanks for your helpful analysis and comments concerning my dragonfly. I didn't realise that the number of cells in the anal triangle entered into the identification .

Colin

[CFB]

I haven't been able to go out much these last few days, but today in the garden I saw my first Great Banded Grayling (#49) of the year. It stayed around the Centranthus ruber (Red valerian) flowers for quite a time in the company of a couple of Meadow Browns.

[EDIT] I saw the same specimen the following day, in camouflage mode:

--
Colin

[CFB]

Another first of the year in the garden, an Ilex Hairstreak (#50) enjoying the Helichrysum stoechas.

--
Colin

[CFB]

The Ilex Hairstreaks seem to have been replaced by False Ilex Hairstreaks (first of the year #51) on the
the Helichrysum stoechas flowers.

--
Colin

[CFB]

For various reasons my Personal Diary has been neglected during the last few weeks.

To bring my list of first-sightings-of-the-year up to date:

Jun 28: Lang's Short-tailed Blue (#52)
Jun 29: Two-tailed Pasha (#53) in the garden
Jul 01: Silver-washed Fritillary (#54)
Jul 03: Marbled White (#55)
Jul 09: Large Skipper (#56)
Jul 21: Southern Gatekeeper (#57)

I did however manage to take some photos:

Speckled Wood

Wood White

Silver-washed Fritillary

Geranium Bronze

Provençal Fritillary

Marbled White

Large Skipper

Weaver's Fritillary

Painted Lady

Southern White Admiral

Marbled White

Scarce Swallowtail

--
Colin

[Roger Gibbons]

Colin,

Are you sure that Fritillary is Knapweed? It has a distinct look of Provencal about it. Actually more than a distinct look - it looks spot on (there are some clues in the markings) and I can see reasons to eliminate all other candidates.

I'm just working from gut feel as I am on the road with no books to refer to. Perhaps Guy will pick this up and comment.

Roger

[Padfield]

I'm with Roger 100%. Female deione.

Guy

[CFB]

Thanks Roger and Guy for the correction. I'll now go through all my photos labelled phoebe to see how many are in fact deione.
--
Colin

[CFB]

This morning it was hot and humid when I visited the Parc de la Brague.

I saw a couple of Silver-washed Fritillaries,

a few Berger's Clouded Yellows,

two or three Scarce Swallowtails,

a Provence burnet moth (Zygaena occitanica),

and two Glanville Fritillaries.

I also saw several Large Skippers, two or three Marbled Whites, one Southern White Admiral, a few Meadow Browns, several Wall Browns, one male Cleopatra, a couple of Wood Whites and several Small Heaths.
--
Colin

[CFB]

This morning I visited the Bois de Darbousson thinking that it might be cooler under the trees. But I don't think it was .

I saw one Common Blue,

one Southern Small White,

and a few male Cleopatras, this one leaving its wings slightly apart when feeding, which is unusual for this species .

I also saw a couple of Silver-washed Fritillaries, a couple of Marbled Whites, a couple of Large Skippers, one or two Berger's Clouded Yellows, one Southern White Admiral, a few Meadow Browns, many Wall Browns and a few Wood Whites.
--
Colin

[CFB]

This morning along the Chemin du Bruguet it was mainly cloudy, but still very hot, and there were not many butterflies.

I did however see one Tree Grayling (the first of the year #59),

several Small Heaths,

a few Adonis Blues,

a couple of Heath Fritillaries,

a few Southern Small Whites, this one being a female,

and many Wall Browns.
--
Colin

[Chris Jackson]

Hello Colin,
Nice photos.
I too am seeing Tree Grayling, it is probably the most common and resistant butterfly in the scrub at the moment with the heat over here near Marseilles.
I notice your Small Heath which is possibly form lyllus. I may be posting a photo of one soon.
Cheers, Chris

[CFB]

Hello Chris,

Here it's still Wall Browns which are the most numerous species.

I was in the middle of watering the garden this afternoon - I guess it's as hot here as it is with you - when this Lang's Short-tailed Blue came and visited a nearby plant.

Incidentally this photo was taken with my old Canon PowerShot S90, as I've abandoned the PowerShot S100 which developed a lens error for the second time .
--
Cheers,
Colin