Spring 2012 newsletter - Butterfly Conservation

The weather cleared slightly and butterflies came
out in the thin sunshine. Bog, Lesser Marbled, Small
Pearl-bordered, Spotted and Dark Green Fritillary;
Chestnut Heath and Purple Edged, Sooty and Scarce
Copper. After lunch we to the north side of the
valley on the hillside where Iberian Marbled White,
Piedmont and Large Ringlet with Weavers Fritillary.
On the hillside, a scrubby patchwork of grazed grassy
areas were a number of blues – Adonis, Amandas,
Idas, Mazerine and Silver-studded. The only skippers
seen were Small and Essex. 27 Species.
MONDAY 18th July Above Caussou Village and
Col de Marmare.
Weather AM 70% PM 35% sun
Walking alongside a stream into another scrubby
hillside with plenty of butterflies flying in the warm
sunshine Adonis, Amandas, Chalkhill, Eshers,
Large, Common, Silver-studded and Small Blues,
Purple, Sloe and Ilex Hairstreak; Woodland and
Great Banded Grayling; Marbled and Lesser
Marbled, Heath, Meadow, Spotted, Weavers, Silverwashed
and Dark Green Fritillaries; Bergers and
Clouded Yellow, Black and Green–veined, Wood
Whites. Mallow, Marbled Large, Essex, Small,
Dingy, Grizzled and Large Grizzed Skippers. After
lunch we moved up to the Col de Marmare but the
weather closed in few butterflies were seen but we
found lots of Mountain Alcon Blue eggs on Cross
Gentian. 44 species
Mountain Alcon Blue eggs on Cross Gentian
TUESDAY 19th July Barry d’en Haut, above
Ussat-le-Bains and above Verdun.
Weather 50% sun
Changeable weather did not prevent us seeing
Large Blue, Sooty Copper, False Ilex Hairstreak
and Dryad in the morning and as the weather
5
deteriorated to a heavy shower in the afternoon
after we saw High Brown, Silver-washed Fritillary,
White Admiral and Holly Blue as we walked
through the woods above our camp site in la
Cabannes. About 30 species.
WEDNESDAY 20th July Montsegur Lasset valley
and Gorges de la Frau.
Weather AM 60% PM 80% sun
Poor weather in the Ariege Valley sent us north over
the mountains in search of better weather which
occurred as we walked along a track running out of
the village of Montsegur. Here we found a splendid
display of Dark Red Helleborine; Bright Eyed
Ringlet, Heath and Dark Green and Silver-washed
Frillary. After lunch we drove to the Gorges de la
Frau I took a lot of photographs of two Apollos
on Great Knapweed Flowers and more of Marbled
Fritillary on Thistles as these insects posed before
my camera. Many of the species seen here would
normally be found in England but a few continental
species were seen Weavers Fritillary, Woodland and
Large Wall Brown, Pearly Heath, Ilex Hairstreak
and Rosy Grizzled Skipper.
THURSDAY 21st July Return to Narbonne.
Weather 90% sun
Just typical, as we took the tent down the clouds
drifted away to reveal a blue sky and lots of sunshine
to accompy us on our journey back to Narbonne.
With memories of a great holiday, assisting the
French with their butterfly survey, 106 species,
including 21 new species for me. Thanks to our
guides Jude Lock and Graham Hart and to Simon
Spencer and B.C’s European Interests Group for
arranging the tour.
Shepherds Fritillary