In Search of Scottish Butterflies and Moths.
Mar 15, 2015 9:53:08 GMT
deliasfanatic, cabintom, and 6 more like this
Post by nomad on Mar 15, 2015 9:53:08 GMT
I have shown some of my butterfly images from Scotland in another thread, so those that appear in this article are those that I have not yet shown.
The Chequered Skipper ( Carterocephalus palaemon ) is by far the most attractive of the British Hesperiidae. The English race of C. palaemon occurred in the Midland counties of England where by the late 1970s it became extinct due previous changes in woodland practices. To my regret I never got a chance to see this skipper in its English haunts.
It was a big surprise to the entomological community in Britain when C. palaemon was discovered in Western Scotland as late as 1945. It has been observed that the England race was larger and lighter than its Scottish counterparts. Finally a couple of years ago I decided to travel to Western Scotland to see and photograph this lovely little skipper. Another hope was to see the Scottish subspecies of the Marsh Fritillary- Euphydryas aurina scotica { Robinson 1880) that is scarce in damp grassland and moorland. I was also hoping to see the uncommon day-flying Bee Hawk, Hermaris tityus that occurs in the same habitat.
Oban, gateway to the Isles.
I was based at Oban in Argyllshire, now a ferry port, which is the gateway to the Hebridean Islands. Scotland's weather can be very fickle but I was blessed with sunny periods during most of the days during my stay. C. palaemon frequents open places in damp hilly oak and birch woods where the little butterfly delights to bask on bracken or to visit flowers. It has a very fast flight and is difficult to follow with the eye.
Glen Creran.
I jumped off the bus for a walk up a scenic Glen Creran along side a large loch ( Lake) of the same name. I was visiting Glasdrum Wood National Nature Reserve, which I had read, held a good population of C. palaemon. Before reaching the reserve I spotted a likely open area in the woods on a slope and made my way up to investigate. The grassland here was very boggy but sure enough I saw my first male C. palaemon that were very active in the sunshine, only very occasionally basking on the bracken or young birch. The males here seemed to be very territorial and would fly up to investigate any other butterfly intruder that came into his domain. A few Boloria euphrosyne glided with ease in and out of the scrub and bracken, only when the sun hid behind the clouds was I able to get a few images of them. There was however a downside to these hillwoods. Sitting or photographing one observed a virtual army of deer ticks marching up your trousers, my protection being limited, I spent a long time back at my hotel, trying to get many of these loathsome insects from my person, some being very tiny.
C. palaemon. The bottom female is a very pale aberration.
Boloria euphrosyne.
Entering the reserve I found the best area for C. palaemon was at the bottom of the wood where areas had been kept clear under electricity power lines, here the skippers which were not numerous were joined by Boloria selene, which were very bright, this race has been named subspecies insularum. Finally I found two female C.palaemon, one of which was a very pale individual and certainly an aberration. I was soon distracted in my quest for skippers by one of the most beautiful moths I have ever seen. This day-flying moth was tiny, a microlepdoptera , Anania funebris, in Britain, a rarity of Northern England and Scotland. Surprisingly this lovely moth also occurs in North America.
Glasdrum Wood.
.
The next day I returned to the reserve, walking around the clearings, better clothed, I saw a flash of gold, a Lycaena phlaeas, I instantly knew this was a very unusual butterfly being much paler than is usual for this species and then it was gone. After much searching I found the L. phlaeas again and later looking in my books it turned out I believe to be a specimen of ab cuprinus + ab careuleo- puctata. The added name because of the presence of blue hindwing spots. Quity a rarity. There were a few male Pieris napi ssp thomsoni which is the race that occurs in Scotland. The females of this subspecies are very dark.
Anania funebris of the Crambidae family.
Lycaena phlaeas ab cuprinus + ab careulo punctata.
Pieris napi thomsoni
Butterflies were not the only insects of note in the woods and I found a beautiful Carrion Sexton Beetle ( Nicrophorus vespilloides) complete with its host of harmless Gamasid Mites with a " ticket to ride " to their next food source Carrion fly eggs and maggots. There were a few of the armoured Dor Beetles (Geotrupes stercorarius ) moving across the mossy woodland floor. These very beautiful Scottish Oak woodland with scattered Birches are very rich in insect life.
Boloria selene insularum.
Nicrophorus vespilloides carrying a party of Gamasid Mites.
Geotrupes stercorarius.
The plant life was wonderful too. The Northern Marsh Orchid,Dactylorhiza purpurella on the island Of Lismore.
Next in search of a Hawk Moth and Euphydryas aurina scotica.
The Chequered Skipper ( Carterocephalus palaemon ) is by far the most attractive of the British Hesperiidae. The English race of C. palaemon occurred in the Midland counties of England where by the late 1970s it became extinct due previous changes in woodland practices. To my regret I never got a chance to see this skipper in its English haunts.
It was a big surprise to the entomological community in Britain when C. palaemon was discovered in Western Scotland as late as 1945. It has been observed that the England race was larger and lighter than its Scottish counterparts. Finally a couple of years ago I decided to travel to Western Scotland to see and photograph this lovely little skipper. Another hope was to see the Scottish subspecies of the Marsh Fritillary- Euphydryas aurina scotica { Robinson 1880) that is scarce in damp grassland and moorland. I was also hoping to see the uncommon day-flying Bee Hawk, Hermaris tityus that occurs in the same habitat.
Oban, gateway to the Isles.
I was based at Oban in Argyllshire, now a ferry port, which is the gateway to the Hebridean Islands. Scotland's weather can be very fickle but I was blessed with sunny periods during most of the days during my stay. C. palaemon frequents open places in damp hilly oak and birch woods where the little butterfly delights to bask on bracken or to visit flowers. It has a very fast flight and is difficult to follow with the eye.
Glen Creran.
I jumped off the bus for a walk up a scenic Glen Creran along side a large loch ( Lake) of the same name. I was visiting Glasdrum Wood National Nature Reserve, which I had read, held a good population of C. palaemon. Before reaching the reserve I spotted a likely open area in the woods on a slope and made my way up to investigate. The grassland here was very boggy but sure enough I saw my first male C. palaemon that were very active in the sunshine, only very occasionally basking on the bracken or young birch. The males here seemed to be very territorial and would fly up to investigate any other butterfly intruder that came into his domain. A few Boloria euphrosyne glided with ease in and out of the scrub and bracken, only when the sun hid behind the clouds was I able to get a few images of them. There was however a downside to these hillwoods. Sitting or photographing one observed a virtual army of deer ticks marching up your trousers, my protection being limited, I spent a long time back at my hotel, trying to get many of these loathsome insects from my person, some being very tiny.
C. palaemon. The bottom female is a very pale aberration.
Boloria euphrosyne.
Entering the reserve I found the best area for C. palaemon was at the bottom of the wood where areas had been kept clear under electricity power lines, here the skippers which were not numerous were joined by Boloria selene, which were very bright, this race has been named subspecies insularum. Finally I found two female C.palaemon, one of which was a very pale individual and certainly an aberration. I was soon distracted in my quest for skippers by one of the most beautiful moths I have ever seen. This day-flying moth was tiny, a microlepdoptera , Anania funebris, in Britain, a rarity of Northern England and Scotland. Surprisingly this lovely moth also occurs in North America.
Glasdrum Wood.
.
The next day I returned to the reserve, walking around the clearings, better clothed, I saw a flash of gold, a Lycaena phlaeas, I instantly knew this was a very unusual butterfly being much paler than is usual for this species and then it was gone. After much searching I found the L. phlaeas again and later looking in my books it turned out I believe to be a specimen of ab cuprinus + ab careuleo- puctata. The added name because of the presence of blue hindwing spots. Quity a rarity. There were a few male Pieris napi ssp thomsoni which is the race that occurs in Scotland. The females of this subspecies are very dark.
Anania funebris of the Crambidae family.
Lycaena phlaeas ab cuprinus + ab careulo punctata.
Pieris napi thomsoni
Butterflies were not the only insects of note in the woods and I found a beautiful Carrion Sexton Beetle ( Nicrophorus vespilloides) complete with its host of harmless Gamasid Mites with a " ticket to ride " to their next food source Carrion fly eggs and maggots. There were a few of the armoured Dor Beetles (Geotrupes stercorarius ) moving across the mossy woodland floor. These very beautiful Scottish Oak woodland with scattered Birches are very rich in insect life.
Boloria selene insularum.
Nicrophorus vespilloides carrying a party of Gamasid Mites.
Geotrupes stercorarius.
The plant life was wonderful too. The Northern Marsh Orchid,Dactylorhiza purpurella on the island Of Lismore.
Next in search of a Hawk Moth and Euphydryas aurina scotica.
