Butterflies in Provence, June 2023

We're now going back to last summer, when we went to Provence in late June/July. Whilst I saw some great butterflies, of which seven were lifers (!), they weren't found all over the place. There would be a whole group of different species in one area, then nothing much in places I would have expected to see them, like wildflower meadows and lavender fields. You will see in some of the following photos the kind of habitat where I came across them.

The first two were in the Luberon at one of the many former ochre mines. I would like to think this butterfly is Chapman's Blue (Polyommatus thersites). The main difference between this and the Common Blue is the lack of the second marking on the underside forewing in Chapman's. This in itself doesn't always mean it's a Chapman's, as it could be a Common Blue without this marking! But given that I saw a number of them on holiday then I am counting it as Chapman's - which makes it Lifer no. 1.

There were a few other interesting insects as well as butterflies of course. I think this bug is a Red Assassin Bug (Rhynocoris iracundus). I didn't have my SX50 with me as I was taking photos of scenery where we were, so I don't have macros of this and the following butterflies.

Lifer no. 2 is this handsome False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi), a butterfly of hot dry scrubland of southern France, Iberia and north Africa, where the larvae feed on Holm and Kermes Oaks.

Some days later going high up in the mountains near Barcelonette, on a rather chilly day, I came across a group of butterflies puddling. Not interested in the wild flowers, but just in this stony patch by the side of the road.

I don't know if these skippers are Southern Grizzled Skippers (Pyrgus malvoides) or Alpine Grizzled Skippers (Pyrgus andromedae), which both look alike to me. This spot was at 1,950m altitude and both butterflies can be found in habitat like this. Either way, they count as Lifer no. 3.

Also amongst these puddling skippers were several Mazarine Blues (Cyaniris semiargus) and a Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) on the right.

I was pleased to also see a number of Small Blues (Cupido minimus). In the picture below, the top left and bottom butterflies are Mazarine Blues, the middle small one is a Small Blue, and the other on the right, I'm not sure!

Moving further south to lower altitude at about 500m: on a walk from our campsite to the village of Entrevaux on a rocky path above the Var river, we encountered this Clubtail dragonfly - the Green-eyed Hook-tailed or Small Pincertail Dragonfly (Onychogomphus forcipatus). It is mostly found around rivers with stony or gravel banks.

Just outside the village was this butterfly on a rock. It confused me at first, then I realised it was a Comma. But every time I looked at the photo it puzzled me as it just didn't look right. On further delving into 'pale coloured Commas' I discovered it's actually a Southern Comma (Polygonia egea), which I didn't even know existed! Yet another lifer then, no. 4. This species prefers perching on rocks in hot dry places which is quite different from the regular Comma, and is found from South Eastern France through Italy and the Balkans to Greece.

One of the places we stopped which you would imagine would be full of butterflies. But - no.

At a layby near Mons in the Alpes-Maritimes at about 1,100m altitude, with a nice muddy puddle, that's where, again, I found many butterflies! This is an Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineola).

Another lifer, no. 5, a False Heath Fritillary (Melitaea diamina). These butterflies inhabit damp flowery meadows, woodland margins and rides from low to alpine levels up to 2200m.

I suddenly noticed something brown moving - and knew what it was immediately. A Nettle Tree butterfly (Libythea celtis)! Click on the photo to see it larger, as it has a snout! It's not an easy butterfly to photograph when it's against mud. My sixth lifer of the trip.

I've saved the best for last. In this same patch of mud was a butterfly that I have wanted to see for a long time. Can you guess why? It's the Amanda's Blue (Polyommatus amandus)! I didn't even know what it was at the time, just snapped away, and was sooooo excited when I ID'd it. My namesake made it the seventh lifer of our holiday. 😁 Amanda's Blue is usually found at an altitude of at least 1,000m and inhabits meadows, heaths, grassland and roadsides across much of central and northern Europe, and feeds on various Vetches.

It's occurred to me that nearly every time I have seen butterflies puddling, it has been at altitude. Better minerals in the rocks in the mountains? It wasn't a lack of flowers, certainly. Food for thought!

Other butterflies noted - all these seen at yet another layby at under 1,000m, although flitting around the flowers in this place:

Great Banded Grayling
Meadow Brown
Scarce Swallowtail
Cleopatra
Brimstone
Clouded Yellow
Small Heath
Small White?
False Ilex Hairstreak (again)
Southern White Admiral
Marbled White

So all in all, despite only seeing butterflies of note in about five or six different places during a two week trip, the species encountered were rather special! 😀💜