Holiday butterflies

Summer holidays have started and we are currently staying at a cabin near Hulvik south of Oslo (whilst waiting for an indication that the weather will change and make a visit to the cabin in Bodø a slightly summery experience). The weather has been hot and sunny (reaching 25C) but the variety of butterflies is a good indication of how much drier and hoter it was last year. This time last year there was a much greater variety and number (if one excludes Painted Ladies) of butterflies here. I have however seen three new species – Dingy Skipper which definitely lives up to its name, Grizzled Skipper which is tiny and Moorland Clouded Yellow. Also, after seeing my first Pearly Heaths last year Ihave now seen a number of them this year. I have not seen any Silver Washed or High Brown or Purple Hairstreaks which were numerous last year and only a couple of Dark Greens which were also numerous last year.

Red-backed Shrikes are present but not as numerous as last year with only 2 possible pairs compared to up to 7 last year.

I have had one nocturnal trip but it was a bit too windy and Tawny Owls were the only reward I had. Unusually I saw an adult hunting but it flew just as I tried to get a photo. Three begging youngsters were much more cooperative but at 10 to midnight in a wood my photo was never going to win any prizes…

Here is my Butterfly list from this time last year when we were also staying in the cabin with a comparison to this years sightings:

1.    Large Skipper /engsmyger (photo)

2.    Large White / stor kålsommerfugl

3.    Green-veined White/rapssommerfugl

4.    Brimstone / sitronsommerfugl

5.    Silver-studded Blue/argusblåvinge (photo) at least assumed this species and not Idas

6.    Scarce Copper/oransjegullvinge (photo)

7.    Purple hairstreak / eikestjertvinge

8.    Silver washed fritillary / keiserkåpe

9.    Dark Green Fritillary /aglajperlemorvinge (photo)

10. High Brown Fritillary /adippeperlemorvinge

11. Queen of Spain Fritillary / sølvkåpe (photo)

12. Lesser Marbled Fritillary/engperlemorvinge

13. Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary /brunflekket perlemorvinge (photo)

14. Red Admiral / admiral

15. Small Tortoiseshell / neslesommerfugl

16. Poplar Admiral/ospesommerfugl

17. Northern Wall Brown /Bergringvinge

18. Pearly Heath /perleringvinge (photo)

19. Small Heath / engringvinge

20. Ringlet /gullrinvinge

21. Arran Brown /fløyelsringvinge

22.    Grayling / kystringvinge

23.    Holly Blue / vårblåvinge

24.    Small White / liten kålsommerfugl

25.    Common Blue / tiriltungeblåvinge (photo) – lots of variation in underwing including one seemingly lacking spots on forewing close to root

26.    Small Copper / ildgullvinge (photo)

27.    Comma / hivt C

28.    Heath Fritillary /marimjellerutevinge (photo)

29.    Swallowtail/svalestjert

New in 2019

1.                   Cranberry Blue / Myrblåvinge (photo)

2.                   Pearl-bordered Fritillary / rødflekket perlemorvinge (photo)

3.                   Grizzled Skipper / bakkesmyger (photo)

4.                   Dingy Skipper / tiriltungesmyger (photo)

5.                   Moorland Clouded Yellow / myrgulvinge (photo)

6.                   Painted Lady / tistelsommerfugl (photo) – amazingly enough but the commonest butterfly in 2019 was not even seen in 2018!

Common Blue (tiriltungeblåvinge) - these poorly marked males often cause me problems

4 different Commn Blues showing the variety. Top left is a female and the rest are males I think. Bottom left shows no (visible) black spots at the front of the upperwing - these balck spots are supposed to be diagnostic of Common Blue

Dark Green Fritillary (aglajaperlemorvinge)

the same Dark Green

another Dark Green. I only saw these two but the species was numerous last year

Pearl bordered Fritillary (rødflekket perlemorvinge) I believe

Queen of Spain Fritillary (sølvkåpe) - the only one I saw

Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary (brunflekket perlemorvinge)

Small Pearl Bordered 

Heath Fritillary (marinjellerutevinge)

Heath Fritillary

Dingy Skipper (tiriltungesmyger)

another Dingy

Large Skippers (engsmyger)

large Skipper (engsymger)

Grizzled Skipper (bakkesmyge)

this years commonest butterfly: Painted Lady (tistelsommerfugl)

some have flown a long way and lived a long time and a barely recongnisable

Small Copper (ildgullvinge)

Scarce Copper (oransjegullvinge)

 

Pearly Heaths (perleringve) were common 

either Silver-studded Blue (argusblåvinge) or Idas but you need to see the front leg under a microscope to find out which

my first ever Moorland Clouded Yellow (myrgulvinge)  

Cranberry Blue (myrblåvinge)

 

young Tawny Owl (kattugle)