The first whole day butterflying and we had three venues to visit - roadside meadows at Conat, Vernet les Bains and finally the Torre de Goa.
Conat and Vernet les Bains
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| Even more Glanville Fritillaries making even more Glanville Fritillaries |
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| Another Glanville! |
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| Green Hairstreak |
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| Marsh Fritillary |
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| Provencal Fritillary |
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| Provencal Fritillary |
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| Provencal Fritillary |
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| Provencal Fritillary |
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| Provencal Fritillary |
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| Spotted Fritillary |
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| Spotted Fritillary |
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| Spotted Fritillary |
The Pyrenees had a late spring and snow had hung around for some time. Consequently the vegetation was not as advanced as in a normal spring, even the butterflies were late and this turned out to be a bonus. By late May the Spanish Festoons have all but disappeared but we managed to find several fresh specimens - definitely worth photographing.
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| Spanish Festoon |
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| Spanish Festoon |
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| Spanish Festoon |
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| Spanish Festoon |
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| Spanish Festoon |
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| Weaver's Fritillary |
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| Weaver's Fritillary |
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| Weaver's Fritillary |
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| Spotted Fritillary |
Torre de Goa
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| Adonis Blue |
All three species of Bee Hawk moth were on the wing and as always, very difficult to capture. This Broad-bordered Bee Hawk Moth was no exception. I cranked up the ISO and shot wide open to get the shutter speed as fast as possible, of course at the expense of the depth of focus. I guess this is a subject where you just have to get lucky.
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| Broad-bordered Bee Hawk Moth, unfortunately with one antenna missing. |
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| Broad-bordered Bee Hawk Moth |
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| Broad-bordered Bee Hawk Moth |
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| Broad-bordered Bee Hawk Moth |
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| Broad-bordered Bee Hawk Moth |
Next up was a life tick, I hadn't come across Chequered Blue before and it isn't one that you would forget. It has the odd quality that it subtly changes colour and intensity in the varying light conditions. Definitely a butterfly that brightens up your day.
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| Chequered Blue |
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| Chequered Blue |
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| Chequered Blue |
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| Chequered Blue |
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| Chequered Blue |
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| Chequered Blue |
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| Chequered Blue |
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| Chequered Blue |
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| Chapman's Blue |
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| Chapman's Blue |
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| Southern Scarce Swallowtail, Iphiclides podalarius feisthamelli |
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| Southern Scarce Swallowtail, Iphiclides podalarius feisthamelli |
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| Spotted Fritillary |
I was so intent on capturing the Chequered Blues that I only had a slight inkling of something on the path. When I looked up I was confronted by what looked like a wolf. Well it turned out that I was half right - a cross breed Wolf/Alsatian, specially bred as sheep guard dogs. At least this one a had a rather nice lady owner, not sure I would like to meet one on my own - the dog that is - not the owner.
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