9 August. Madonna di Campiglio.
Shifted a little further south this day to the slopes above Madonna di Campiglio, the dramatic dolomite peaks at their most magnificent here. As for searching for butterflies, decided on a relatively gentle hike of about six hours from Patascoss at 1640 metres to Rifugio Laghi at 2060 metres. Now familiar species to kick the day off - Lesser Mountain Ringlets, abundant Dark Green Fritillaries, quite a few Silver-spotted Skippers, etc. Sweltering hot on the ascent, temperatures above 30 C even at mid-altitudes, but plenty of good butterflies all the way up, including relatively fresh Darwin's Heaths, my first Commas of the trip and many Silver-washed Fritillaries and Niobe Fritillaries. Very friendly cows too!
From Rifugio Laghi, I took a narrow path to Lago Ritort - not ideal for photographing along this path due to the steep slope, but big numbers of butterflies, especially browns and ringlets – Scotch Argus, Silky Ringlet, Common Brassy Ringlet, Marbled Ringlet and Large Wall Brown all noted along the path. Most pleasant. From Lago Ritort, it was then a long meander down to lower altitudes, largely through forest, not too good for butterflies, though I did add more Marbled Ringlets and my only Arran Browns of the trip here. Lots of nice stuff lower down, mostly usual lower altitude species, but also including a Large Tortoiseshell, also my only one of the trip.
With desires to try and find some lowland species, I then departed the mountains and drove towards Trento, stopping at a couple of localities on route that looked good. And splendid they turned out! First stop was a wooded gorge aside a stream at an altitude of just 460 metres, a broad path zigzagging down to the water. White Admirals and Silver-washed Fritillaries floating past, a couple of Brimstones, several Wood Whites. But even better were the butterflies I found on open ground aside the stream - not only a Purple Hairstreak and several Holly Blues on a buddleia, but just adjacent also three Provinçal Short-tailed Blues (a new species for me) and, even better, a small colony of Chequered Blues, a very nice butterfly and another new species for me. Common Blue and a Chalkhill Blue completed the set.
More rewards some kilometres further, this time in arid roadside grassland near Lago di Cavedine, altitude 240 metres. Excellent selection here, including several new for the trip – a cracking Geranium Bronze (one of my favourite butterflies), four Bath Whites, a Tree Grayling and a Woodland Grayling. Also plenty of Small Whites, Small Heaths, etc.
And that was just about it for the day, I continued another few kilometres and stayed in a hotel near Arco, a splendid 43 species of butterfly this day, the highest day total of the trip.
Shifted a little further south this day to the slopes above Madonna di Campiglio, the dramatic dolomite peaks at their most magnificent here. As for searching for butterflies, decided on a relatively gentle hike of about six hours from Patascoss at 1640 metres to Rifugio Laghi at 2060 metres. Now familiar species to kick the day off - Lesser Mountain Ringlets, abundant Dark Green Fritillaries, quite a few Silver-spotted Skippers, etc. Sweltering hot on the ascent, temperatures above 30 C even at mid-altitudes, but plenty of good butterflies all the way up, including relatively fresh Darwin's Heaths, my first Commas of the trip and many Silver-washed Fritillaries and Niobe Fritillaries. Very friendly cows too!
From Rifugio Laghi, I took a narrow path to Lago Ritort - not ideal for photographing along this path due to the steep slope, but big numbers of butterflies, especially browns and ringlets – Scotch Argus, Silky Ringlet, Common Brassy Ringlet, Marbled Ringlet and Large Wall Brown all noted along the path. Most pleasant. From Lago Ritort, it was then a long meander down to lower altitudes, largely through forest, not too good for butterflies, though I did add more Marbled Ringlets and my only Arran Browns of the trip here. Lots of nice stuff lower down, mostly usual lower altitude species, but also including a Large Tortoiseshell, also my only one of the trip.
With desires to try and find some lowland species, I then departed the mountains and drove towards Trento, stopping at a couple of localities on route that looked good. And splendid they turned out! First stop was a wooded gorge aside a stream at an altitude of just 460 metres, a broad path zigzagging down to the water. White Admirals and Silver-washed Fritillaries floating past, a couple of Brimstones, several Wood Whites. But even better were the butterflies I found on open ground aside the stream - not only a Purple Hairstreak and several Holly Blues on a buddleia, but just adjacent also three Provinçal Short-tailed Blues (a new species for me) and, even better, a small colony of Chequered Blues, a very nice butterfly and another new species for me. Common Blue and a Chalkhill Blue completed the set.
More rewards some kilometres further, this time in arid roadside grassland near Lago di Cavedine, altitude 240 metres. Excellent selection here, including several new for the trip – a cracking Geranium Bronze (one of my favourite butterflies), four Bath Whites, a Tree Grayling and a Woodland Grayling. Also plenty of Small Whites, Small Heaths, etc.
And that was just about it for the day, I continued another few kilometres and stayed in a hotel near Arco, a splendid 43 species of butterfly this day, the highest day total of the trip.
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