Greenwings: Montes Universales, Spain, 30 July - 5 August 2020

[David M]

Southern Gatekeeper

All three Gatekeepers are present during this tour, and cecilia is undoubtedly the commonest.

It was certainly one of the top 5 in terms of numbers during this trip, and having largely ignored them the last two years I made sure I took an image or two this time:

[John Vergo]

Yes David there was a lot of them, and the female is so outstanding from the upper side

[David M]

Yes David there was a lot of them, and the female is so outstanding from the upper side

Very nice, John. You clearly had more patience than I had!

[David M]

Cardinal

I reckon of the three years we've done this trip, this one saw the best returns for this magnificent Fritillary.

I'm confident I saw more than 30 personally, so I guess the group total was probably double that:

[David M]

Iberian Scarce Swallowtail

Quite a few of these about, but I wouldn't describe them as especially numerous. They are always much appreciated though, due to their size and elegance:

[David M]

Colias

Two members of this group present. Clouded Yellow is fairly common and seems to crop un small numbers almost everywhere. This female is open-winged because there is a male just out of picture:

Berger's Clouded Yellow is a little thinner on the ground but at least three dozen were seen, including this one puddling amongst many Blues and Skippers:

Here's a short film I took of this blaze of colour at a damp spot:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt59cU_8WJQ

[David M]

Full species list by family

Hesperids

One quick mention for the second most common Skipper in these parts (after Cinquefoil). Silver Spotted Skippers are extremely common, so much so that I virtually ignored them, something I would never do in the UK:

1. Mediterranean Skipper
2. Mallow Skipper
3. Southern Marbled Skipper
4. Tufted Marbled Skipper
5. Red-underwing Skipper
6. Sage Skipper
7. Safflower Skipper
8. Cinquefoil Skipper
9. Olive Skipper
10. Large Grizzled Skipper
11. Essex Skipper
12. Small Skipper
13. Lulworth Skipper
14. Silver-spotted Skipper
15. Large Skipper

[David M]

Papillionidae

16. Iberian Scarce Swallowtail
17. Swallowtail

No Apollos this year, for the first time. That means just the two Swallowtails, although as ever they are very welcome.

[David M]

Lycaenidae - Coppers

18. Small Copper
19. Purple-shot Copper
20. Iberian Sooty Copper

[David M]

Lycaenidae - Hairstreaks

21. Spanish Purple Hairstreak
22. Blue-spot Hairstreak
23. Ilex Hairstreak
24. Sloe Hairstreak

[John Vergo]

We need a picture here David

[David M]

I'll never get tired of seeing that, John. For me, that little meadow and the solitary Spanish Purple Hairstreak within it, alongside Zapater's Ringlet, Hermit & Esper's Marbled White, was the highlight of the week.

[John Vergo]

Yes that was realy a hot spot

[John Vergo]

And among many others also a Twin-spot Fritillary on that little meadow

[David M]

Shame on me for forgetting those, John.

They are usually quite worn in this part of Spain in early August, so I'm guilty of paying lip service to them on those grounds alone.

I reckon in mid-July they'll be quite common and many will be fresh round these parts.

[David M]

Lycaenidae - Blues

A couple of this family I haven't mentioned are Lang's Short Tailed Blue, which was very common this year:

...and a personal favourite of mine, Turquoise Blue, which popped up in small numbers here and there:

[David M]

Lycaenidae - Blues

25. Long-tailed Blue
26. Lang's Short-tailed Blue
27. Holly Blue
28. Silver-studded Blue
29. Large Blue
30. Southern Brown Argus
31. Spanish Argus
32. (Southern) Mountain Argus
33. Turquoise Blue
34. Mother-of-Pearl Blue
35. Chapman's Blue
36. Common Blue
37. Escher's Blue
38. Adonis Blue
39. Azure Chalkhill Blue
40. Spanish Chalkhill Blue
41. Oberthur's Anomalous Blue
42. Damon Blue
43. African Grass Blue

[David M]

Nymphalidae - Fritillaries

44. Silver-washed Fritillary
45. Cardinal
46. Dark Green Fritillary
47. High Brown Fritillary
48. Queen of Spain Fritillary
49. Lesser Marbled Fritillary
50. Twin-spot Fritillary
51. Knapweed Fritillary
52. Lesser Spotted Fritillary
53. Spotted Fritillary
54. Provençal Fritillary
55. Glanville Fritillary

I suspect we saw Niobe too, but no-one was able to provide definitive evidence, myself included.

[John Vergo]

Here some of the Fritillaries from the tour

[David M]

Thanks again for those, John. I'm afraid I was too busy drawing people's attention to them to actually get an image of my own.