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Post by lepidofrance on Jun 8, 2011 16:09:15 GMT -8
Today 8 June, the weather was not very favorable: a lot of clouds and temperature cool enough, 5 minutes of sunshine for 30-40 minutes of clouds ... Nevertheless many butterflies (during the few sunny moments) and lots of butterflies "early" compared to their usual time of emergence: Melanargia galathea, Manolia jurtina (a lot), Ladoga ( Limenitis) camilla (very many), Coenonympha arcania. One female Apatura iris, flying quickly without resting: Unable to photograph or capture. It flew in a location already frequented the previous year by the same species. I expect a really sunny day! Attachments:
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Post by thanos on Jun 9, 2011 17:20:12 GMT -8
Today's work . Thanos Attachments:
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Post by lepidofrance on Jun 10, 2011 2:58:28 GMT -8
Dear Thanos, These A. ilia f. clytie are very nice ! Some years ago, I got some from Italia (in Staggia Senese, not far from Siena, Toscana). They were flying along a stream with many Salix trees around. Here, in Normandy, since two days, the weather is very bad : clouds, clouds, few rain, very few sun. I'm waiting the sun return ! According meteo, it will be for next Tuesday !
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Post by thanos on Jun 10, 2011 5:56:23 GMT -8
Dear Jean-Marc,thank you ! They don't show all their beauty at the moment cause of the mounting papers,but I'll post a photo when they will be dried -the purple is really very strong,as they're super fresh -was really a great pleasure to catch them with my net ! So..,from this Tuesday on,be prepared for a successful French Apatura safari ! Keep us updated with your results ! I'll go to N.Greece(a stream with Salix) for the first generation of A.metis balcanica in the end of this month,as well to the valuable mixed forest I mention above,for A.iris,Limenitis populi..,and many other interesting species ! Thanos
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Post by lepidofrance on Jun 10, 2011 6:43:41 GMT -8
What is strange is that this year I have not seen a single Araschnia levana, including locations where, in previous years, this butterfly was abundant! Similarly, since the spring, I've only seen one copy of Vanessa cardui. While abundance is, as already said, the rule for many other species. JM Attachments:
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Post by nomihoudai on Jun 10, 2011 8:19:44 GMT -8
Population dynamics Jean Marc, I already said that the predator number for Vanessa cardui must be extremely high, and now another thing:
A very experienced lepidoptologist told me that this year there is not many migratory species as during the time when they migrate there was north wind, so they had problems getting here, example is Autographa gamma which also has very low numbers.
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Post by jackblack on Jun 10, 2011 16:18:19 GMT -8
Some years ago a Japnese butterfly collector who collected in my rainforest block told me in South America the natives spread human ### on the rocks beside a river and all species of butterflies came he was amazed at the variety .I haven`t been game to try it , I value my friends . I once tried some baits of the same tied in muslin to catch dung beetles till my dog came back with the package in his mouth , never tried it again !!!!
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Post by jackblack on Jun 10, 2011 16:20:15 GMT -8
oops left the word " sh t " out there which was spread on the rocks.
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Post by lepidofrance on Jun 11, 2011 1:21:35 GMT -8
"in South America the natives spread human on the rocks beside a river" As far I know, that's the best way to collect Agrias ! If I remember correctly, it writes d'Abrera in his little book on neotropical butterflies! Needless to say, after the collect, cleaning of the net seriously needed .... ;D ;D
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Post by lepidofrance on Jun 12, 2011 5:11:44 GMT -8
To-day (June 12th), very shiny sun : I saw one Apatura iris (by far) and an Apatura ilia who came quickly turn 4 or 5 times around me (as do the Hamadryas in neotropical countries or in southern Europe Charaxes jasius). All this, too fast to try any photo or capture! Interesting to quote that the A. ilia was very close to fresh horse dung (without resting on) !
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Post by lepidofrance on Jun 13, 2011 5:07:01 GMT -8
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Post by lepidofrance on Jun 13, 2011 5:09:51 GMT -8
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Post by lepidofrance on Jun 13, 2011 5:12:32 GMT -8
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Post by thanos on Jun 13, 2011 5:25:47 GMT -8
Thank you for sharing and updating,Jean-Marc ! A very beautiful and fresh male ! Do you have them next to your house..?! This is greeeeat ! I have the A.ilia f.clytie 3 hours road from my home. Thanos
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Post by lepidofrance on Jun 13, 2011 7:28:51 GMT -8
Dear Thanos, Look at this little Google Earth map (the tennis court gives the scale) : - the Apatura ilia from I took pictures to-day was in the house (yellow mark) - the one I saw yesterday around horse dung was on the path going South-West between the two blue marks. - and the Apatura iris (yesterday) was flying just south of the most southern blue mark. It's only two minutes walking to check if they are flying (when sunshine). I hang a trap (with cheese) at the South-East angle of the garden (close to the pink mark) : but with this rainy weather I got (in the trap) only Polygonia c-album ! I'm still waiting for sun ! Note that North of Greece, both Apatura are rather common. Here, we have only few samples. Attachments:
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