Butterflies of Monte Crocione, Lombardy, Italy - August 2017

[wollastoni]

Two days ago, I was back in Italy and wanted to see some butterflies before the end of the season. I decided to go to the Monti di Breglia but I got lost... and went to Monte Crocione instead. 
It was a great back-up at the end, I saw more than 1.000 butterflies and one day, including some species I never met before. Our European butterflies may be endangered near our cities or in our plains, they are still plentiful in the mountains where the habitat is still pristine and no pesticides around !

Here is a small summary of what I've met to give you an idea.

THE PLACE :

Monte Crocione is a 1614m high mountain above the famous Como Lake. The top is made of alpages above some woods until 1000m

IMG_0265 by opequin, sur Flickr

This is the view from the top (not my picture) :

IMG_0254 by opequin, sur Flickr

NYMPHALIDAE :

Many wood species have been seen + some classic Italian ones

Argynnis paphia was very common in the woods, a very large species

IMG_0401 by opequin, sur Flickr

including some form valesina females, I saw at least 4 of them, so common there

IMG_0259 by opequin, sur Flickr

Melitaea didyma, splendid !

IMG_0251 by opequin, sur Flickr

Melitaea athalia

IMG_0262 by opequin, sur Flickr

Not sure about the ID of this Melitaea :

IMG_0349 by opequin, sur Flickr

same sp verso :

IMG_0328 by opequin, sur Flickr

Must have been other orange Nymphalidae I have missed.

SATYRIDAE :
Satyridae were plentiful, both wood and alpine species.

A new species for me Mynois dryas, huge with 2 pairs of beautiful blue ocella :

IMG_0378 by opequin, sur Flickr

IMG_0377 by opequin, sur Flickr

IMG_0324 by opequin, sur Flickr

The big Brintesia circe :

IMG_0323 by opequin, sur Flickr

And the close-looking Hipparchia fagi :

IMG_0219 by opequin, sur Flickr

Lassiomata megera :

IMG_0320 by opequin, sur Flickr

IMG_0306 by opequin, sur Flickr

Lassiomata maera :

IMG_0303 by opequin, sur Flickr

Maniolia jurtina :

IMG_0301 by opequin, sur Flickr

Erebia were plentiful :

IMG_0368 by opequin, sur Flickr

But I saw only 2 species I think :

Erebia sp1 :

IMG_0274 by opequin, sur Flickr

Erebia sp2 :

IMG_0310 by opequin, sur Flickr

An old Melanargia galathea :

IMG_0279 by opequin, sur Flickr

I saw also Pararge aegeria and Coenonympha pamphilus. A LOT of Satyrs there !

LYCAENIDAE :

Polyommatus bellargus in the meadows

IMG_0226 by opequin, sur Flickr

Polyommatus coridon in the summit :

IMG_0316 by opequin, sur Flickr

Aricia agestis :

IMG_0382 by opequin, sur Flickr

Celastrina argiolus in the wood :

IMG_0373 by opequin, sur Flickr

no "Theclas" seen.

PIERIDAE :

Very few
Colias crocea female form helice :

IMG_0263 by opequin, sur Flickr

I saw also Pieris rapae and Leptidea sinapis

HESPERIDAE :

I will let you ID them as I have no book with me today.

Sp 1 :

IMG_0247 by opequin, sur Flickr

Sp 2 :

IMG_0194 by opequin, sur Flickr

PAPILIONIDAE :

I saw few Iphiclides podalirius.

CATERPILLARS :
I saw that nice moth species, if anyone can ID it too :

IMG_0201 by opequin, sur Flickr

IMG_0203 by opequin, sur Flickr

That's all for the Lepidoptera, it gives you a good idea of my discovery of Monte Crocione butterflies.

I will do another post with the other insect families I've met, plenty of nice other bugs !

I hope you liked this report of my nice walk in Monte Crocione. 4 hours of tiring trekking but it was worth it !

[nomad]

I think the Fritillary is also Melitaea athalia. The second skipper is I believe a male and female Hesperia comma. Erebia species two looks like Erebia aethiops. Some very nice butterflies in a splendid locality, for the other Erebia and Skipper ID i would have to check my books. I look forward to seeing what other insects you found.  

[wollastoni]

Thank you for your comments and ID, Peter. I'm glad, you've liked this report.

Here is the part on diptera.

DIPTERA :

- the star encounter of this day was this huge and powerful Asilidae, about 3/4 cm. Hard to approach but I finally achieved to do some close shots, notes the red mites on its legs :

IMG_0292 by opequin, sur Flickr

IMG_0293 by opequin, sur Flickr

IMG_0284 by opequin, sur Flickr

- there was also this hornet mimic Milesia crabroniformis, which is an even better mimic than Volucella species.

IMG_0325 by opequin, sur Flickr

I don't remember if this is the same specimen :

IMG_0358 by opequin, sur Flickr

- finally this Syrphidae which could be a Villa sp. Sorry for the blurred picture, this fly wasn't cooperative !

IMG_0276 by opequin, sur Flickr

- unfortunately horseflies were plentiful on Monte Crocione, always one buzzing around my head and trying to bit my legs and arms. Different species, this was the biggest one, above 3 cm :

IMG_0205 by opequin, sur Flickr

If anyone can help with IDs, I'd be grateful !

[nomad]

That's a nice Robberfly. Image 4 & 5 is a species from the Conopidae family, not genus Conops because it has soft mouthparts. Image 6 is a bee-fly, genus Villa. The horse-fly looks to be genus Tabanus.  Your species from the Conopidae does not seem to occur in the UK.

[nomad]

Your impressive Robberfly does occur in the UK, it is the large Hornet robberfly
(Asilus crabroniformis). More information and pictures below. I have yet to see this impressive species.

 www.buglife.org.uk/sites/default/files/Hornet%20robberfly%20species%20management%20sheet.pdf

[wollastoni]

Aug 22, 2017 20:25:49 GMT nomad said:

Image 4 & 5 is a species from the Conopidae family, not genus Conops because it has soft mouthparts

Don't you think it is Milesia crabroniformis as I said ? It looks like it to me. The biggest Syrphidae sp in Europe if I'm not wrong.

Aug 23, 2017 7:49:00 GMT nomad said:

Your impressive Robberfly does occur in the UK, it is the large Hornet robberfly
(Asilus crabroniformis). More information and pictures below. I have yet to see this impressive species

Thanks a lot, I'm glad to have a name for this monster !

[nomad]

Aug 23, 2017 15:41:03 GMT wollastoni said:

Don't you think it is Milesia crabroniformis as I said ? It looks like it to me. The biggest Syrphidae sp in Europe if I'm not wrong.

Yes, I have enlarged the image and it is certainly a Syrphid, your ID was correct. I was wrong, sometimes its hard to gauge the size from an image. Great find indeed.