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Baltic Butterfly Challenge, 2016
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<blockquote data-quote="Jos Stratford" data-source="post: 3423122" data-attributes="member: 12449"><p><strong><u>1 July. </u></strong></p><p></p><p>Evening is not usually productive for butterflies, but with an hour to spare and temperatures at 28 C, I decided to head out to meadows west of Vilnius that often hold <strong>Turquoise Blues</strong>. Probably a few days too early for this species, but had a good walk round anyhow ...didn't find any, but did stumble across a colony of <strong>Large Blues</strong>!!! Haven't seen this butterfly in Lithuania since 2010, so a welcome find indeed!</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong><u>2 July. Nemunas Foray.</u></strong></p><p></p><p>Next couple on the hit list - <strong>Scarce Large Blue </strong>and <strong>Marbled Fritillary</strong>. For chances of these, I need to travel to the Nemunas valley in <strong>south-west Lithuania - both have restricted ranges in this country, the Scarce Large Blue</strong> at a variety of localities in central and western part, whilst the <strong>Marbled Fritillary</strong> occurs in just a few localities in the south-west.</p><p></p><p>Fortunately, I have seen <strong>Scarce Large Blue </strong>before in Lithuania, so I had a concrete locality to begin the search, but for <strong>Marbled Fritillary </strong>I had no such information - I would need to search for areas with suitable habitat, then hope to get lucky! So it was, a scorcher of a day with temperatures touching 30 C, I began my day aside the Nemunas River near Jurbarkas. <strong>European Bee-eaters</strong> decorated roadside wires, their flutely calls filling the air, <strong>Red-backed Shrikes</strong> spied from straggly bushes, I parked up and began to wander the meadows.</p><p></p><p>Almost immediately realized I was probably a week too early - precious few blue butterflies of any description were flying at this locality and an hour later, I was still drawing a blank on the main target. I did however find two <strong>Large Coppers </strong>and a <strong>Northern Brown Argus</strong>, both new species for the year, plus my first <strong>Small Copper</strong> since May.</p><p></p><p>Zigzagged for another hour, hoping for an early <strong>Scarce Large Blue</strong> or even a<strong> Swallowtail</strong>, the latter seeming to elude me everywhere this year, then decided to give it up and travel further west to search for Marbled Fritillaries. Flower meadows in forest clearings, broad rides through deciduous stands, the habitats I was seeking. And soon I found a likely site, a walk producing a nice variety of butterflies, including numerous <strong>Silver-washed Fritillaries</strong> and even several <strong>Lesser Marbled Fritillaries</strong>. Many dozens of <strong>Ringlets</strong> and <strong>Brimstones</strong> also present, <strong>Scarce Coppers</strong>, <strong>Holly Blues</strong> and a couple of<strong> Purple Emperors </strong>too. At one stage, a very probable <strong>Marbled Fritillary</strong> came flitting through, but failed to settle and eventually rose high above trees and vanished. Over 25 species in this clearing, but eventually decided to move on, no confirmed <strong>Marbled Fritillary</strong> to add to the list.</p><p></p><p>A few kilometres on, through a maze of forest tracks, I came to another excellent looking clearing - several flower-rich meadows, good mixed forest alongside. Had to stop for a bunch of butterflies taking salt from the track - <strong>Wood Whites</strong> mostly, but also several <strong>Holly Blues</strong> and a few <strong>Silver-washed Fritillaries</strong>. Glanced to the left and saw a medium-sized fritillary atop a flower. Hmm, thought I, quickly nipping over with my camera ...and indeed it was, one <strong>Marbled Fritillary</strong>, my first ever in Lithuania!</p><p></p><p>I soon lost this individual, but in my good fortune I had actually stumbled across a colony of <strong>Marbled Fritillaries</strong> - the meadows to my immediate rear supporting at least six more, plus a <strong>Pallas's Fritillary</strong> thrown in for good measure.</p><p></p><p>So, a good day - no <strong>Scarce Large Blue</strong>, but four new for the year.</p><p></p><p> </p><p></p><p>BALTIC YEAR LIST</p><p></p><p> 79. Large Blue</p><p> 80. Large Copper</p><p> 81. Northern Brown Argus</p><p> 82. Pallas's Fritillary</p><p> 83. Marbled Fritillary</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Jos Stratford, post: 3423122, member: 12449"] [B][U]1 July. [/U][/B] Evening is not usually productive for butterflies, but with an hour to spare and temperatures at 28 C, I decided to head out to meadows west of Vilnius that often hold [B]Turquoise Blues[/B]. Probably a few days too early for this species, but had a good walk round anyhow ...didn't find any, but did stumble across a colony of [B]Large Blues[/B]!!! Haven't seen this butterfly in Lithuania since 2010, so a welcome find indeed! [B][U]2 July. Nemunas Foray.[/U][/B] Next couple on the hit list - [B]Scarce Large Blue [/B]and [B]Marbled Fritillary[/B]. For chances of these, I need to travel to the Nemunas valley in [B]south-west Lithuania - both have restricted ranges in this country, the Scarce Large Blue[/B] at a variety of localities in central and western part, whilst the [B]Marbled Fritillary[/B] occurs in just a few localities in the south-west. Fortunately, I have seen [B]Scarce Large Blue [/B]before in Lithuania, so I had a concrete locality to begin the search, but for [B]Marbled Fritillary [/B]I had no such information - I would need to search for areas with suitable habitat, then hope to get lucky! So it was, a scorcher of a day with temperatures touching 30 C, I began my day aside the Nemunas River near Jurbarkas. [B]European Bee-eaters[/B] decorated roadside wires, their flutely calls filling the air, [B]Red-backed Shrikes[/B] spied from straggly bushes, I parked up and began to wander the meadows. Almost immediately realized I was probably a week too early - precious few blue butterflies of any description were flying at this locality and an hour later, I was still drawing a blank on the main target. I did however find two [B]Large Coppers [/B]and a [B]Northern Brown Argus[/B], both new species for the year, plus my first [B]Small Copper[/B] since May. Zigzagged for another hour, hoping for an early [B]Scarce Large Blue[/B] or even a[B] Swallowtail[/B], the latter seeming to elude me everywhere this year, then decided to give it up and travel further west to search for Marbled Fritillaries. Flower meadows in forest clearings, broad rides through deciduous stands, the habitats I was seeking. And soon I found a likely site, a walk producing a nice variety of butterflies, including numerous [B]Silver-washed Fritillaries[/B] and even several [B]Lesser Marbled Fritillaries[/B]. Many dozens of [B]Ringlets[/B] and [B]Brimstones[/B] also present, [B]Scarce Coppers[/B], [B]Holly Blues[/B] and a couple of[B] Purple Emperors [/B]too. At one stage, a very probable [B]Marbled Fritillary[/B] came flitting through, but failed to settle and eventually rose high above trees and vanished. Over 25 species in this clearing, but eventually decided to move on, no confirmed [B]Marbled Fritillary[/B] to add to the list. A few kilometres on, through a maze of forest tracks, I came to another excellent looking clearing - several flower-rich meadows, good mixed forest alongside. Had to stop for a bunch of butterflies taking salt from the track - [B]Wood Whites[/B] mostly, but also several [B]Holly Blues[/B] and a few [B]Silver-washed Fritillaries[/B]. Glanced to the left and saw a medium-sized fritillary atop a flower. Hmm, thought I, quickly nipping over with my camera ...and indeed it was, one [B]Marbled Fritillary[/B], my first ever in Lithuania! I soon lost this individual, but in my good fortune I had actually stumbled across a colony of [B]Marbled Fritillaries[/B] - the meadows to my immediate rear supporting at least six more, plus a [B]Pallas's Fritillary[/B] thrown in for good measure. So, a good day - no [B]Scarce Large Blue[/B], but four new for the year. BALTIC YEAR LIST 79. Large Blue 80. Large Copper 81. Northern Brown Argus 82. Pallas's Fritillary 83. Marbled Fritillary [/QUOTE]
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