Cevennes NP - Butterflies in late May

This is the first of three posts relating to my recent trip to the Cevennes NP with my Dad. The main focus originally were the Butterflies where in good springs we could have notched up around 50-60 species. But the spring as far has been cooler and therefore a reduced number of species were seen. However, a total of 32 species were identified, of which 12 were new for me. On our last day in the Cevennes, we were treated to superb conditions that allowed a good variety to be seen, and by late afternoon Dad thought to re-visit a meadow (located earlier in the day that hosted a few Fritillaries and Coppers) and found a roosting Weaver's Fritillary, and sure enough we made the most of photographing it and proved to be the highlight. Though not quite the Butterfly spectacle we had hoped for, the last day made it worth it.

Species seen are as follows:

Weaver's Fritillary                                     Chequered Blue

Queen of Spain Fritillary                           Green Underside Blue

Duke of Burgundy Fritillary                         Meadow Brown

Swallowtail                                                   Common Blue

Scarce Swallowtail                                      Brown Argus

Red Admiral                                                 Southern White Admiral

Large Tortoiseshell                                    Comma

Brimstone                                                     Wood White

Large White                                                  Painted Lady

Orange-Tip                                                   Green Hairstreak

Provencal Orange-Tip                               Sooty Copper

Red Underside Skipper                              Small Copper

Grizzled Skipper                                           Small Heath

Speckled Wood                                            Clouded Yellow

Wall Brown                                                  Dingy Skipper

Holly Blue                                                   

Black-eyed Blue - 3 possibles seen

Provencal Orange-Tip - this egg-laying female was a surprise. This species used to be Moroccan Orange-Tip but has recently been split, with the latter logically enough flying in Morocco, whist this Butterfly is spread around Spain and South France.

Red Underside Skipper on a Man Orchid (no human interference here whatsoever)

Orange-Tips mating above Pont de Montvert

Green Underside Blue

 probable Black-eyed Blue in lowlands - still not 100% with this but the underwing markings is the closest fit

 Large Tortoiseshell in Pont de Montvert

 Scarce Swallowtail in Pont de Montvert

 Chequered Blue in a low altitude meadow

 Queen of Spain Fritillary above Pont de Montvert

 Sooty Copper above Pont de Montvert

Duke of Burgundy Fritillary above Pont de Montvert

Swallowtail

the stunning Weaver's Fritillary above Pont de Montvert