Cyprus butterflies

April 29-May 5, 2014:

Not having had any rain during he winter everywhere was very dry and the dragonflies and orthoptera had especially suffered with numbers very low. Butterflies were reasonably frequent and several species were seen.

 

Brown Argus at Smygies

 

 Clouded Yellow - Polis

 

Cyprus Meadow Brown - Polis

 

Eastern Dappled White - Kensigton Cliffs

 

 

Grass Jewel, the smallest European butterfly at Kedares

 

Hermit - near Anarita

 

 

Long-tailed Blue - Smygies and Aspro dam

 

Lulworth Skipper - Kouklea

 

Millet Skipper near Kouklea

 

Swallowtail near Kouklea

 



Chalk grassland butterflies at Aston Rowant

[Chalk-hill Blue male]

August 15, 2011:
It being almost one year to the day, another visit to the Chilterns to the butterfly-rich grassland at Aston Rowant was now due. Conditions were reasonable but still less than ideal with a very strong breeze and intermittent sunshine. Flying here were many Chalk-hill Blues which especially favoured patches of Marjoram for nectaring. At the same place there were also several Brown Argus similarly attracted to the flowers.




[Chalk-hill Blue male, both above]




[Brown Argus, both above]


[Chalk-hill Blue male and Brown Argus female]

Above the short turf, very fast-flying Silver-spotted Skippers would appear during bursts of sunshine but quickly settled to perch on the bare gravelly rabbit scrapes when the sun disappered. This enabled them to benefit from the heat radiated by the stony surface.




[Silver-spotted Skipper male, both above]

On one occasion a brief glipse was gained of a very bright light blue butterfly, very likely to be an Adonis Blue, but it disappeared before it could definitely be confirmed. Adonis's are known to occur at this site although in very low numbers. There were also many Meadow Browns and Small Heaths as well as a few Small Coppers.

BUTTERFLY: Chalk-hill Blues (Lysandra coridon) at Aston Rowant, Oxfordshire

[Chalk-hill Blue male]

August 11, 2010:
Other than the Silver-spotted Skippers mentioned earlier (see below) there were also many Chalk-hill Blues (Lysandra coridon) flying today. Again, they remained mostly hidden when the sun was obscured but once it returned they were soon in motion and nectaring, especially on the Wild Marjoram (Origanum vulgare) which was in full flower. The males were bright silvery-blue on the upper surface of the wings which contrasted noticeably with the duller brown wings of the females. This butterfly, although restricted to southern Englnd, is much more common than the Silver-spotted Skipper and was very numerous at the site.



[Chalk-hill Blue female, above]


[Chalk-hill Blue male, above]


[Aston Rowant: the short grazed grassland habitat of the butterflies]

The Brown Argus (Aricia agestis), another of the 'blues', was also very frequent here. Both sexes are a rich brown on the upper side of the wings with prominent orange spots towards the outer margin. They also were attracted to the strongly scented Marjoram.

[Brown Argus, below]




Common Blues, Meadow Browns, Small Coppers and Small Heaths were also frequent.

For Silver-spotted Skippers at Aston Rowant today, please see below.