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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jos Stratford" data-source="post: 3594076" data-attributes="member: 12449">Here's the bombastic bit, or at least bombastic for me ...20-23 July. March of the Colonists.Amongst my highlights back in 2016 were the findings of a couple of Meleager's Blues and a population of at least 65 Marbled Whites in Lithuania, the first species having never been recorded in the Baltic States before, while records of the latter were limited to three individuals in the 1920s and a single in 2001.As for 2017, simply amazing! From pretty good numbers on 9 July, numbers then mushroomed! Clouds of Marbled Whites drifting across the meadows on 20 June – a staggering sight, an absolute minimum of 260 at a single locality, the flower meadows chock-a-block with the chequered wings, dozens clustering around thistle heads, dozens more floating across the sunny slopes. Adding nearby localities, the total was in excess of 325, truly impressive. In reality, the numbers could have been far higher, yet more Marbled Whites disappearing off into the distance. Numbers had dropped a little by the 23rd, the total across the sites being about 240, but still most impressive, truly a massive population expansion and clear signs of a successful colonisation of the country by this attractive species.No less impressive Meleager's Blue – I was very happy to relocate this butterfly this year, finding first a male and female on 20 July in the same general area as the previous year, then a very welcome four males and a female on the 23rd. Not in a single cluster, but scattered across flower-rich habitat, it would appear that Meleager's Blues have indeed established themselves at this locality, the total of nine individuals (2016 and 2017) covering an area about 1.5 km across. More remarkable, I also found three males and a female on flowers at a completely new locality, meadows located over 40 kilometres north! So there we have it, the march of the colonists, both species strengthening their footholds in Lithuania, becoming part of the country's butterfly fauna. However these days were not only about Marbled Whites and Meleager's Blues, it was truly a phenomenal little period, almost 50 species recorded and some in fabulous numbers. Following on from their good numbers in spring, the second generation of Swallowtails is doing even better, 51 individuals logged in just three days, including a very nice 24 at one site, my personal best ever single locality count in Lithuania. Many hundreds of Brimstones emerging, so too Small Whites and Green-veined Whites, Scarce Coppers and Map Butterflies still in their hundreds, Ringlets and both Chestnut and Pearly Heaths still abundant. Though numbers significantly down, still nine species of fritillary on the wing, one Queen of Spain Fritillary and Niobe Fritillary amongst them, as well as a couple of Spotted Fritillaries.And in with this lot, plenty of top class butterflies amongst the supporting cast – 22 Blue-spot Hairstreaks logged (again including a personal best locality count – 14 at one site), eight Large Coppers, a bunch of Short-tailed Blues, two Little Blues, three Geranium Arguses, one Camberwell Beauty, a huge numbers of Dusky Meadow Browns (another personal best, 60+ at a single locality) and, particularly nice, five Silver-spotted Skippers.And final highlight, my 100th species of the year in Lithuania, the first three Chalkhill Blues of the year. Finale to an excellent few days! BALTIC YEAR LIST    98. Silver-spotted Skipper    99. Meleager's Blue    100. Chalkhill Blue</blockquote>

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