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Baltic Butterfly Challenge, 2016
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<blockquote data-quote="Jos Stratford" data-source="post: 3432309" data-attributes="member: 12449"><p><strong><u>24 July. Marbled White, Red Letter Day!</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong>Marbled White</strong> is not a species to be expected in Lithuania - according to published literature, the only records date from the 1920s (three specimens in Panevezys) and 2001 (one in Viesville). Edging towards my 100th species for the year, Marbled White was not in my thoughts! <strong>Chalkhill Blue </strong>however was very much in my thoughts, a rare localised species that occurs in a few localities near the southern borders of the country.</p><p></p><p>Overcast skies again early morning, but with a forecast perhaps offering better, I set off for my destination, the Belarus border zone near Druskininkai. Still cloudy when I arrived, but considerably brighter and quite warm. Spent a while finding a locality that looked promising, then began my exploration, Belarus a mere hundred metres distant at times.</p><p></p><p>A limited number of butterflies already flying, <strong>Wood Whites</strong>, <strong>Scarce Coppers</strong>, <strong>Meadow Browns</strong> and the like, but most species were still inactive. Started walking around, lots of Peacocks and a few Red Admirals seen ... then a butterfly fluttered past, distinctive white and brown chequering immediately leaving no doubts, <strong>Marbled White</strong>! A very mobile <strong>Marbled White</strong> however - after zigzagging around the meadow for quite some minutes, finally it settled and so I got the crucial photographs. Excellent thought I, congratulating myself on my luck.</p><p></p><p>And then I found another! Only a hundred metres from the first, I initially thought it had to be the same one, but whilst the first had wing damage, the second was pristine. Much to my surprise, I added a third a little while later! Also continued my search for <strong>Chalkhill Blues</strong>, which ultimately proved unsuccessful (perhaps still a week or so early in the season), but did find several other blues in the process - <strong>Short-tailed Blue</strong>, <strong>Holly Blue</strong>, <strong>Common Blue</strong> and, new for the year, <strong>Reverdin's Blue</strong>. Also two <strong>Swallowtails </strong>and a <strong>Pale Clouded Yellow</strong>.</p><p></p><p>Did have plans to check another locality for <strong>Chalkhill Blue</strong>, but two little incidents disrupted my plans, one was the border police catching me in the border zone without passport and thus politely evicting me, while the second was entirely better - a chance happening upon a meadow, a meadow full of yet more <strong>Marbled Whites</strong>! I truly could not believe it, amongst numerous <strong>Scarce Coppers</strong>, <strong>Map Butterflies</strong>, <strong>Commas</strong> and mixed fritillaries, there were Marbled Whites everywhere, rarely settling, but visiting flower tops, pursuing each other and several appearing to be egg laying. Difficult to count, but I would say there were at least 35 present at this second locality, the site about 4 km from the first. Truly a good day!</p><p></p><p>Unable to visit my second planned destination, I then decided to drive to a site near Marcinkonys for another attempt on <strong>Safflower Skipper</strong>, probably too late in the season now, but a good locality anyhow. Didn't find the desired one, but amongst the rich selection I did see were at least 30 <strong>Dusky Meadow Browns</strong>, two<strong> Queen of Spain Fritillaries</strong>, a couple of <strong>Nickerl's Fritillaries</strong>, two slightly tatty <strong>Large Blue</strong> and one equally tatty <strong>Large Copper</strong>. Over 30 km north-east of the earlier sites, I also found one more <strong>Marbled White</strong>!!!</p><p></p><p>Clearly some sort of influx had occurred, a total of four <strong>Marbled Whites </strong>had been recorded in the entire country in the previous century, I had seen probably over 40 in the single day!!!</p><p></p><p> </p><p></p><p>BALTIC YEAR LIST</p><p></p><p> 98. Marbled White</p><p> 99. Reverdin's Blue</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Jos Stratford, post: 3432309, member: 12449"] [B][U]24 July. Marbled White, Red Letter Day![/U][/B] [B]Marbled White[/B] is not a species to be expected in Lithuania - according to published literature, the only records date from the 1920s (three specimens in Panevezys) and 2001 (one in Viesville). Edging towards my 100th species for the year, Marbled White was not in my thoughts! [B]Chalkhill Blue [/B]however was very much in my thoughts, a rare localised species that occurs in a few localities near the southern borders of the country. Overcast skies again early morning, but with a forecast perhaps offering better, I set off for my destination, the Belarus border zone near Druskininkai. Still cloudy when I arrived, but considerably brighter and quite warm. Spent a while finding a locality that looked promising, then began my exploration, Belarus a mere hundred metres distant at times. A limited number of butterflies already flying, [B]Wood Whites[/B], [B]Scarce Coppers[/B], [B]Meadow Browns[/B] and the like, but most species were still inactive. Started walking around, lots of Peacocks and a few Red Admirals seen ... then a butterfly fluttered past, distinctive white and brown chequering immediately leaving no doubts, [B]Marbled White[/B]! A very mobile [B]Marbled White[/B] however - after zigzagging around the meadow for quite some minutes, finally it settled and so I got the crucial photographs. Excellent thought I, congratulating myself on my luck. And then I found another! Only a hundred metres from the first, I initially thought it had to be the same one, but whilst the first had wing damage, the second was pristine. Much to my surprise, I added a third a little while later! Also continued my search for [B]Chalkhill Blues[/B], which ultimately proved unsuccessful (perhaps still a week or so early in the season), but did find several other blues in the process - [B]Short-tailed Blue[/B], [B]Holly Blue[/B], [B]Common Blue[/B] and, new for the year, [B]Reverdin's Blue[/B]. Also two [B]Swallowtails [/B]and a [B]Pale Clouded Yellow[/B]. Did have plans to check another locality for [B]Chalkhill Blue[/B], but two little incidents disrupted my plans, one was the border police catching me in the border zone without passport and thus politely evicting me, while the second was entirely better - a chance happening upon a meadow, a meadow full of yet more [B]Marbled Whites[/B]! I truly could not believe it, amongst numerous [B]Scarce Coppers[/B], [B]Map Butterflies[/B], [B]Commas[/B] and mixed fritillaries, there were Marbled Whites everywhere, rarely settling, but visiting flower tops, pursuing each other and several appearing to be egg laying. Difficult to count, but I would say there were at least 35 present at this second locality, the site about 4 km from the first. Truly a good day! Unable to visit my second planned destination, I then decided to drive to a site near Marcinkonys for another attempt on [B]Safflower Skipper[/B], probably too late in the season now, but a good locality anyhow. Didn't find the desired one, but amongst the rich selection I did see were at least 30 [B]Dusky Meadow Browns[/B], two[B] Queen of Spain Fritillaries[/B], a couple of [B]Nickerl's Fritillaries[/B], two slightly tatty [B]Large Blue[/B] and one equally tatty [B]Large Copper[/B]. Over 30 km north-east of the earlier sites, I also found one more [B]Marbled White[/B]!!! Clearly some sort of influx had occurred, a total of four [B]Marbled Whites [/B]had been recorded in the entire country in the previous century, I had seen probably over 40 in the single day!!! BALTIC YEAR LIST 98. Marbled White 99. Reverdin's Blue [/QUOTE]
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