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Post by wollastoni on Jan 24, 2015 14:36:34 GMT
Lycaena virgaureae is a wonderful Lycaenidae that can be met in the Alps above 1400 m and which is often localised. It is a fast flyer and not so easy to picture.
On the 31st of July 2014, I was collecting in Monte Lema, 1500m, in Switzerland above the Lago Maggiore and Lago di Lugano. Monte Lema is a wonderful place for the sight and for the nature. 
Summit of Monte Lema
View from Monte Lema
It was a sunny but windy day and except Erebia and moutaineous Nymphalidae, there weren't so many butterflies. After one hour, I found a place with less wind where butterflies were abundant. Among them, one splendid Lycaenidae, sending orange flashes when flying : Lycaena virgaureae !
Males were flying rapidly from flower to flower. I noticed about 20 males in this spot ... but no female though. With some patience, I achieved to take some pictures.
Male of Lycaena virgaureae
Male of Lycaena virgaureae
Male of Lycaena virgaureae who met a bird before me
I will have to come back to Monte Lema to try and picture the female ! Hope you like these pictures.
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Post by Paul K on Jan 24, 2015 15:46:11 GMT
Live butterflies pictures are always amazing. The flowers and surrounding nature make a difference between those and pictures of dry butterflies from collection. With great patience and a bit of luck they will pose for you. The contrast between red Lycaena and white flower is beautiful pic. ( I like the one with the fly  ? ) |
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Post by wollastoni on Jan 24, 2015 17:24:54 GMT
Indeed macrophotography is a great way to observe insects. I always have my Canon with me now when I am in the nature.
I also like a lot my picture with the Lycaena and the fly sharing a flower.
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Post by cabintom on Jan 25, 2015 0:22:21 GMT
Wow, that's a brilliant orange! I wish we had these in Congo...  |
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Post by Paul K on Jan 25, 2015 6:05:44 GMT
We have in Canada Lycaena phlaeas but it is not as vivid Orange as Lycaena virgaureae. I was lucky to collect female and male back in 1983 in Poland . They were not very common but you could find them flying at the forest edges on very sunny spots. They leave also at low elevations that's were I collected them close to Wroclaw city at 150 m el.. Very beautiful butterfly even of the small size (would look fantastic if could be the size of morpho ! ).
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Post by wollastoni on Jan 25, 2015 8:42:28 GMT
I have never met the female personnaly. I will try next summer !
In W. Europe, I have met them only above 1000m.
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Post by Paul K on Jan 25, 2015 12:07:14 GMT
In Central Europe it is more common species in higher elevation. In lowlands this Lycaena is rare . I collected in Poland between 1983-1990 and I have encountered this butterfly one or two times. Since then perhaps it disappeared from many lowland localities due to the lost of habitat and use of pesticides for agriculture.  |
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Post by xavm (Xavier) on Jan 25, 2015 13:56:13 GMT
In Bulgaria, July 2013 the area of the Rila National Park :
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Post by xavm (Xavier) on Jan 25, 2015 14:12:26 GMT
In Central Europe it is more common species in higher elevation. In lowlands this Lycaena is rare . I collected in Poland between 1983-1990 and I have encountered this butterfly one or two times. Since then perhaps it disappeared from many lowland localities due to the lost of habitat and use of pesticides for agriculture. POLAND:
I found Heodes virgauraeae rather common on the wings with H. alciphron and Lycaena dispar in the area of Wyszków and very common with Coenonympha glycerion in the grasslands along the road A77 from Warsaw to Radom and South around Skarzysko to Starachowice during the first week of July 2014.
FRANCE:
Of course, in France, where I do live, this species is not rare at low altitude, but very common in grassland in the Jura, Vosges, Alps, Massif Central, Pyrénées... from 800-1500 m a.s.l.
ITALY:
Rather abondant in the Alps (as above).
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Post by bartekgoldyn on Feb 20, 2015 19:19:29 GMT
L. dispar, L. alciphron, L. virgaureae and L. tityrus are really common in Poland. You can find them nearly everywhere.
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Post by wollastoni on Feb 21, 2015 8:28:17 GMT
Lucky you !!!
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Post by plebejus on Mar 22, 2015 17:49:47 GMT
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Post by nomad on Mar 23, 2015 21:01:06 GMT
An old photo taken quite a while ago high up in the Dolomites. At least I can join the virgaureae club. Recorded by the early British Aurelians and thought to have become extinct here in the early part of the 19th century.  |
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? )
