|
Post by jmg on Jul 2, 2020 18:00:28 GMT
"How local is alexanor in France ?" It is said that alexanor is very localized because in the entire area in question, I only know two places where this butterfly flies, each place measuring approximately 200 m x 100 m. It makes exist the nourishing plant: Psychotis sp. Certainly, other places of the same kind exist in the region, but we must find them. In the same region, the two species of Zerynthia (Papilionidae) fly, polyxena in April, rumina in May. Both are also extremely localized. You can pass within 100 m of the biotope without seeing one. But these butterflies are then numerous in their corner of scrubland provided that aristoloches grow (but this is not a sufficient condition). Here Zerynthia rumina, Montagne de Lure, May 2019. Here is a view of the place where I live at the moment. In the background, the Luberon Mountain. Just under the photographer, a slope where rumina flies but within a very limited perimeter. On the entablature in the middle of the photo, two other rumina spots, each with a reduced surface area and away from the paths, right in the garrigue! Fields with alignments are lavender fields. The previous photo dates from the beginning of June 2019, this one shows, a month later, the lavender in bloom. Of course, these lavenders attract many butterflies! Here flies rumina (in May or June beginning) : Zerynthia rumina from the biotope above (Saint-Martin-de-Castillon, Vaucluse, 550 m asl).
|
|
|
Post by jmg on Jul 1, 2020 21:00:52 GMT
Usually, P. machaon and I. podalirius are easily encountered on these two biotopes. This year, podalirius is less present and swallowtail machaon even less. As far as I was able to realize the situation correctly. I add that, in my experience (I come every year in June to this region), swallowtail is less and less frequent. I add this: where I live, in the Luberon (40 km south of the Montagne de Lure, 550 m asl), every year I observe one or two podalirius hill-toping over the pool every day ( located on the edge of a mesa). None this year. And, in a month, I did not see more than 5 pass through the garden. No swallowtail observed. It is true that I have a lot of work and that I do not survey butterflies every day. I finally saw much more alexanor (on a specific biotope) than podalirius or machaon. Overall, it's quite strange: some very common species less frequent this year and others incredibly abundant (like Brintesia circe).
|
|
|
Post by jmg on Jul 1, 2020 8:20:39 GMT
|
|
|
Post by jmg on Jun 29, 2020 9:08:09 GMT
In copula, Montagne de Lure (Northern face), June 1st, 2020 ; Contrary to the rules in use at this time of pandemic, these two critters do not respect sanitary distancing and have forgotten their masks! The buggers! By the way, there was a lot of P. apollo and P. mnemosyne flying at the same place the same day. Soon, I'll add some pictures and videos. Note that it is not usual to see P. apollo flying on this mountain so early in June. Usually, it is at least 15 to 20 days later in the month.
|
|
|
Post by jmg on Jun 28, 2020 8:50:58 GMT
Last March, we planned to invite an entomologist friend from Colombia to French Guiana. Looking for a Bogota / Cayenne flight, we only found very expensive routes via Miami and Guadeloupe. I thought you could certainly find it cheaper . Indeed, by proceeding in small jumps, we managed to divide by 3 or 4 the price of the trip. We have therefore booked the following flights (over two days!): Bogota to Leticia (colombian side) Leticia (Brazil side) to Manaus Manaus to Belem Belem in Cayenne We bought all the tickets from Paris. Unfortunately, the covid 19 came to destroy this beautiful program (unable to cross borders and Brazil, in this time of pandemic, was no longer a frequentable country!).
|
|
|
Post by jmg on May 19, 2020 22:13:45 GMT
I got the information! In fact, formerly and before 2004, two Fred (Frédéric) at ANL. One of them is still the owner and manager of the site. The other, the entomologist, now lives elsewhere in the same region.
|
|
|
Post by jmg on May 19, 2020 15:48:48 GMT
February is not the best time for butterflies in French Guyane. Better October / November and after March. As far as I know, Amazone Nature Lodge is still run by the same owners. As for Fred, if it is Frédéric (entomologist, specialist in Saturniidae and Castniidae), he no longer lives in ANL but not very far, around forty kilometers and I meet him every time I go to French Guyane. I myself stayed at ANL in November 2011.
|
|
|
Post by jmg on May 19, 2020 10:04:47 GMT
Amazone Nature Lodge is located on Kaw Mountain in French Guyane between two other lodges, Camp Caïmans and Relais Patawa, all in the middle of the forest. Near these three sites, many trails allow the privacy of the forest and many animal and lepidopteric encounters. Amazone Nature Lodge and Relais Patawa are mainly dedicated to entomology. But we often meet other naturalists (especially ornithologists and herpetologists) or botanists and animal photographers there. On the page "Memories of containment in Guyane", the photo of the fer de lance ( Bothrops atrox) was taken near a path of Amazon Nature Lodge. Likewise, in the video, the sequences devoted to the pond and small fish come from the same place. collector-secret.proboards.com/thread/3323/containment-journal-french-guyane collector-secret.proboards.com/thread/3314/memories-containment-guyane
|
|
|
Post by jmg on May 16, 2020 17:31:03 GMT
|
|
|
Post by jmg on May 16, 2020 1:02:00 GMT
|
|
|
Post by jmg on May 7, 2020 8:58:29 GMT
Totally agree with Adam! They are termites engaged in a nuptial flight. In French Guiana, the phenomenon is common and I experienced it recently around March 20. Thousands arrived in the bungalow at dusk and at dinner time. To the point that it was necessary to cover dishes and plates so as not to swallow a surplus of proteins. Generally, the invasion only lasts a night or two. Here is a bad photo of an evening flight of termites over our dinner in Saul (central French Guiana) in November 2016:
|
|
|
Post by jmg on May 5, 2020 16:37:23 GMT
|
|
|
Post by jmg on Apr 29, 2020 14:11:51 GMT
Thank you! I first thought it was salkhei, then when visiting BOA, I opted for claudina claudina. Admittedly, salkhei is reputed to be much rarer than ssp. nominal. That said, I don't know much about the Agrias. The problem for a photographer is that Agrias, like Panacaea bleuzeni, are canopy butterflies. Difficult to take good photos in natura. They are trapped and photographs of dead animals. Which is much less satisfactory! In Colombia, the Agrias come pretty well and fairly quickly to the bait of rotten fish juice dropped on leaves (see : collector-secret.proboards.com/thread/3214/agrias-claudina-lugens ). This allows them to be photographed or filmed. In Guyane, they come to plantain traps. But when ? We cannot stay for hours waiting for the happy event !!
|
|
|
Post by jmg on Apr 28, 2020 23:25:45 GMT
Faced with covid-19, confinement in the Guyanese forest has great advantages: isolated, we are far from the virus and, above all, we meet butterflies. In March and April 2020, lepidoptera were numerous on the Montagne de Kaw (French Guyane). Besides interesting Papilionidae ( Battus crassus crassus, Parides sps.), superb different forms of H. erato, beautiful Nymphalidae ( Agrias narcissus and A. claudina, Panacaea bleuzeni - endemic to Kaw Mountain), Morphos were very abundant. Of the nine species in French Guyane, only telemachus was absent (it emerges at the end of April and flies in May). The eight other species very abundant : M. eugenia, M. marcus, M. rhetenor, M. menelaus, M. helenor, M. achilles, M. deidamia and M. hecuba. My confinement bungalow (with kitchen) at Relais Patawa on Kaw Mountain, in the middle of the forest. Complete isolation! Here are some memories of the Guyanese forest. Others will follow! The videos were made with an iPhone using the "slow motion" mode. 1. Morpho marcus marcus 2. Morpho helenor helenor. It seems that the butterfly in the second video is a female. 3. Morpho achilles achilles
4. Morpho deidamia deidamia 5. Morpho menelaus menelaus
6. Morpho rhetenor rhetenor
7. Morpho hecuba hecuba 8. Other butterflies Among Papilionidae, Battus crassus crassus: Heraclides garleppi lecerfi Agrias claudina claudina Agrias narcissus narcissus Panacaea bleuzeni Archaeoprepona demophon
Video: <a href="https://imgur.com/PejcNzA"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/PejcNzA.mp4" title="source: imgur.com" /></a> 9. Other meetingsBothrops atrox (large female) ; sorry about the photo poor quality: it was in the shade and I didn't want to get too close to this animal. Spilotes sulphureus Finally, a glimpse of the soundscape at the end of the day in Patawa (Kaw Mountain) with these very noisy parrots.
|
|
|
Post by jmg on Mar 15, 2020 15:30:06 GMT
"I hope your flights are still running, and you can get to FG without any problems.
Adam. "
Today, and for the moment, the flight is confirmed!
|
|