Bug Year 2023

My interest in bugs remains focused on butter, dragon, and damselflies although any large day flying moth will also be noted. I do however remain committed to not getting a light trap and getting any more into moths 😉

2023 was a good year for butterflies. I noted 61 species with 4 being new and taking my Norway list to 71, of, I believe, 100 possible species. The new species were Northern Wall Brown (bergringvinge), Northern Grizzled Skipper (moltesmyger), Frigga’s Fritillary (friggs perlemorvinge) and Northern Grizzled Skipper (moltesmyger). In addition I finally saw Poplar Admiral (ospesommerfugl) well enough to take pictures meaning I now have photos of all the species I have seen in Norway.  I have now seen pretty much everything I could expect to just bump into so will need to make more specific butterfly trips. I still have plenty of northern species to get and at least three of these are still possible in day tips from the cabin in Bodø and there are at least five species which I should be able to get easily enough less than an hour’s drive from Oslo: Essex Skipper (timoteismyger), Scarce Heath (heroringvinge), False Heath Fritillary (mørk rutevinge), Meadow Brown (rappringvinge) and Chequered Skipper (gulflekksmyger).

I must admit that my interest in odonata wained during the year. I think this is because damselflies at least can be quite hard work and that I have also seen pretty much all I can expect around Oslo without making specific trips. I did add three species though taking my Norway list to 33 species of a possible 52 - Subarctic Darner (torvmoselibelle) gave itself up when I checked a suitable bog in Maridalen (and was able to get good enough pictures), White-legged Damselfly (fjærbeinvannymfe) when we walked along a suitable river near the cabin at Hulvik and Lilypad Whiteface (vannliljetorvlibelle) which required a specific trip to the only known site in Oslo.

My first butterfly in 2023 was on 8 April so only 12 weeks or so until my next blog post that includes a bug.

Pictures of my new species first and then some other random shots that I like

Frigga’s Fritillary (friggs perlemorvinge) 

Northern Grizzled Skipper (moltesmyger)

Northern Grizzled Skipper (moltesmyger)

Northern Wall Brown (bergringvinge)

Poplar Admiral (ospesommerfugl)

and one of those large moths that I notice - my first ever Green Forester (grønn metallsvermer)

difficult to get tired of Swallowtails (svalestjert)

or Northern Chequered Skippers (svartflekksmyger)

Subarctic Darner (torvmoselibelle)

White-legged Damselfly (fjærbeinvannymfe)

Lilypad Whiteface (vannliljetorvlibelle)