35.8493 years in science communication
Amanda’s Blue, Polyommatus amandus
Great Banded Grayling, Brintesia circe
Heath Fritillary, Melitaea athalia
Scarce Swallowtail, Iphiclides podalirius
Southern White Admiral, Limenitis reducta
Painted Lady, Vanessa atalanta
Great Banded Grayling, Brintesia circe
Great Banded Grayling, Brintesia circe
Heath Fritillary, Melitaea athalia
Scarce Swallowtail, Iphiclides podalirius
Southern White Admiral, Limenitis reducta
Southern White Admiral, Limenitis reducta
Painted Lady, Vanessa atalanta
This is the rare, “helice” form of the female Clouded Yellow butterfly, Colias croceus f. helice. Not to be confused with the Pale and the Berger’s Clouded Yellow species. Spotted first on our trip Mrs Sciencebase. We get Clouded Yellow in rare irruption years in the UK, as I’ve mentioned before. Not seen this helice form before though.
Yellow-banded Skipper, Pyrgus sidae, looks a bit like Mallow Skipper from above, but has this lovely custard yellow banding on the underside of its forewings, visible in my photo.
Large Blue, Phengaris arion, quite rare in the UK and found only in specific pockets of habitat.
This skipper, the Large Skipper, Ochlodes sylvanus, is one of a handful of species we see in the UK.
We have a couple of fritillary-type butterflies in the UK, but there are a lot more species in Greece. This is one of them, the delightful Knapweed Fritillary, Melitaea phoebe.
Marbled White, Melanargia galathea, is a species we do see in the British summer. Funnily enough this mainly white-coloured species is not a “white” by family, but one of the browns, a Nymphalidae, more closely related to the Meadow Brown than the Large White, for instance.
I’ve mentioned White-letter Hairstreak, Satyrium w-album, several times on Sciencebase over the last few years, having identified a colony myself in Rampton in 2022. Very much present in the UK too. But, lovely to see the species in Greece too. The scientific name suggestive of the butterfly being a satyr, with a white (album) “w” on its wings. Also in the shot, what I believe is a Red Longhorned Beetle, Stictoleptura rubra, in flight.
Clouded Yellow, Colias croceus f. helice
Yellow-banded Skipper, Pyrgus sidae
Large Blue, Phengaris arion
Large Skipper, Ochlodes sylvanus
Knapweed Fritillary, Melitaea phoebe
Marbled White, Melanargia galathea
White-letter Hairstreak, Satyrium w-album
On our recent butterflying, birding, and mothing trip to Northern Greece, I was keen to catch sight of an Eastern Festoon, Allancastria cerisyi, and hopefully get some photographs of this amazing member of the Papillonidae. The Papillonidae family is the “swallowtails” featured elsewhere on our trip in the form of the Scarce Swallowtail and the Yellow Swallowtail.
Our intrepid guide Michael spotted the first of our Eastern Festoons in a little fallow field we were investigating that had a nice bramble border. The same field with our first European Green Lizard. Later I saw an Eastern Festoon in flight with its wings full displaying, but didn’t get a flight shot. So, these will have to do for my records of this species.
Butterflies of Greece Batch 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
It has taken quite some time to work through the 1000s of photos I took of butterflies, moths, and birds in Greece. I’m trying to just pull out the single best shot of each species, but it seems a shame to waste flight shots of beautiful species like the Clouded Yellow, The Cardinal, and others, so they will feature in the various batches at least a couple of times.
Clouded Yellow, Colias croceus
European Common Blue, Polyommatus icarus
Dingy Skipper, Erynnis tages
Eastern Bath White, Pontia edusa
Eastern Rock Grayling, Hipparchia syriaca
Green Hairstreak, Callophrys rubi
The Hermit, Chazara briseis
Iolas Blue, Iolana iolas
Large Tortoiseshell, Nymphalis polychloros
Little Tiger Blue, Tarucus balkanicus
Mallow Skipper, Carcharodus alceae
As regular readers will already know Mrs Sciencebase and myself went on an expertly guided trip to Northern Greece in June 2024. We were there to see the local butterflies and birds, as well as a few moths, and any other wildlife that came into view and to enjoy the local food and drink. This is batch 4 of the butterfly photos. I am yet to process the birds, but that will happen soon, so subscribe to the newsfeed to get the word when the word is out.
The Black-veined White is the species that keeps getting mentioned in the British media when people illicitly raise them from imported eggs and release them into the wild. It used to be on the British list, but no longer. With climate change and the right wind direction it may re-appear hear naturally. It doesn’t need fake introductions into inappropriate habitat that do nothing but distort the scientific data.
I think I was the last of our group to spot this species, Lattice Brown (Kirinia roxelana), Michael, Martine, and Tricia having seen it on the second day. I didn’t get this shot until the last day of the tour.
Large Tortoiseshell, Nymphalis polychloros, used to be an extant (the opposite of extinct) species in the UK, but no longer. That said, there have been occasional sightings, these are usually captive-bred specimens. There are hints that some are vagrants that have made it across The Channel. Of course, they are very much extant in Greece and elsewhere in mainland Europe. We were unable to see this one’s legs to check whether it was the yellow-legged species, N. xanthomelas.
You might think The Cardinal, Argynnis pandora, is one of those fritillaries, it certainly looks like one, but that cardinal-red margin, marks it out as a bit different and so while it is certainly one of the Nymphalidae like the fritillaries it stands ecclesiastically apart
Black-veined White, Aporia crataeg
Lattice Brown, Kirinia roxelana
Large Tortoiseshell, Nymphalis polychloros, aka Blackleg Tortoiseshell
Lesser Fiery Copper, Lycaena thersamon
Little Tiger Blue, Tarucus balkanicus, aka the Balkan Pierrot
Blue-spot Hairstreak, Satyrium spini
The Cardinal, Argynnis Pandora
Clouded Apollo, Parnassius mnemosyne
Large Blue, Phengaris arion
I’ve occasionally seen new butterfly species abroad – Scarce and Yellow Swallowtail, various blues, Cleopatra, and one or two others. But, we took a trip to northern Greece in June 2024 that was all about butterflies and birds and my world “tick list” expanded by quite a bit. Here’s the gallery of butterfly species we saw and of which I got photographs. There were several other species we saw between us that I don’t think I got photos, including Dark Green Fritillary, Essex and Small Skippers, possibly Anomolous Blue, and one or two others.
Working my way through far too many photos from our Greenwings trip to Greece in June 2024. The first two batches are here and here. My moth photos from the tour are here. I had a couple of good years with finding butterfly species in the UK that I’d not seen before. But, that dried up a little in 2023 because of acute mobility issues. So, in 2024, we headed to Greece and saw around 40+ species we’d never seen in the UK, 30 or so more that are of varied rarity in the UK but also present across Europe.
Wood White, Leptidea sinapis
Woodland Ringlet, Erebia medusa
Eastern Bath White, Pontia edusa (gen det needed vs P. daplidice)
Common Yellow Swallowtail, Papilio machaon
Eastern Rock Grayling, Hipparchia syriaca
Grizzled Skipper, Pyrgus malvae
Large Wall Brown, Lasiommata maera
Wall Brown, Lasiommata megera
Spotted Fritillary, Melitaea didyma
A black squirrel just trotted through our front garden, first time in many years. So, inevitably, we were chatting about writing a pastiche of Watership Down and Animal Farm. It would be about the American Grey Squirrel being introduced into the UK centuries ago and how its presence decimated the native UK red squirrel population. There is now a melanic form of the grey squirrel in the UK, the black squirrel strain we had in the garden. So, it’s all a bit weird, if one were to attempt to write an allegory about racism, colonialism, first nation peoples, payback etc…
For my sins, I asked ChatGPT to write a plot summary to encompass this and all the confusion it brings. This is what it came up with, although its title was “Squirrel Kingdom” I thought “Oakleaf Glen” had more of the Watership Down vibe about it…
Anyway, surely, this is a good starting point for expanding into a complete story, probably with a jukebox musical to follow and six seasons on Netflix, plus all the stuffed toy merchandise – red, grey, black, and pride rainbow plushie squirrels! We’ll make a fortune!!! This time next year, Rodney, we’ll be millionaires.
Oakleaf Glen
In the tranquil woodland of Oakleaf Glen, a harmonious community of red squirrels lives peacefully under the benevolent leadership of their wise elder, Elder Rowan. The red squirrels, native to this land for generations, thrive in their home, respecting the delicate balance of nature and living in harmony with other woodland creatures.
One fateful day, a new and unfamiliar presence arrives in Oakleaf Glen: a band of American grey squirrels, led by the ambitious and cunning General Ash. The greys are larger, more aggressive, and carry with them strange new ways that disrupt the established order. Initially welcomed by the red squirrels, the greys quickly start to outcompete their red counterparts for resources and space.
As the grey squirrels’ numbers grow, a schism forms within the red squirrel community. Some, led by the fiery and defiant Scarlet, advocate for resistance and reclaiming their territory, while others, under the cautious and pragmatic Acorn, believe in finding a way to coexist with the new arrivals. This division weakens the red squirrels, making it easier for the greys to assert dominance.
Amidst this turmoil, a mysterious and powerful melanic (black) form of the grey squirrel, known as Nightshade, emerges. Nightshade’s appearance adds another layer of complexity to the already fraught dynamics within Oakleaf Glen. Seen by some as a harbinger of change and by others as an ominous presence, Nightshade’s influence spreads, further complicating relationships and loyalties.
As the greys establish their rule, they begin to impose their own laws and customs, often at the expense of the native red squirrels. This new regime, dubbed “Squirrel Kingdom,” is marked by exploitation and a strict hierarchy, with the greys at the top and the reds relegated to second-class status. The woodland becomes a battleground of ideologies and survival, where the reds struggle to maintain their identity and way of life.
Parallel to the squirrels’ story, the woodland’s other inhabitants, including hedgehogs, birds, and foxes, observe these changes with growing concern. They, too, must navigate this new world order, often finding themselves caught in the crossfire of the squirrels’ conflict.
The plot reaches its climax as Scarlet and Acorn, despite their differences, realize that the survival of the red squirrels hinges on unity. They form a reluctant alliance, rallying the reds and sympathetic woodland creatures to resist General Ash’s oppressive rule. In a final, dramatic confrontation, the diverse coalition challenges the greys, seeking not only to reclaim their territory but to restore the balance and harmony that once defined Oakleaf Glen.
In the end, the narrative explores themes of colonialism, resistance, identity, and the impact of invasive species, both literal and metaphorical. “Squirrel Kingdom” serves as an allegory for the complex and often painful interactions between different cultures and species, highlighting the resilience and adaptability of those who strive to protect their heritage in the face of overwhelming change.
We went on an expertly guided trip to Northern Greece in June 2024. To see the local butterflies and birds, as well as a few moths, and any other wildlife that came into view. Of my far-too-many photos, I selected out the best and have sorted and processed into birds, butterflies, and moths. We saw more than 70 species of butterfly on the trip. Only a handful of those are seen in the UK. Although in this batch of photos Large Skipper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Green Hairstreak, and Brown Argus are on the British List, so the majority were knew to us with one or two exceptions.
Black-veined White, Aporia crataegi
Brown Argus, Aricia agestis
Cardinal, Argynnis Pandora
Clouded Yellow, Colias croceus
Green Hairstreak, Callophrys rubi
Large Skipper, Ochlodes sylvanus
Lesser Spotted Fritillary, Melitaea trivia
Meadow Brown, Maniola jurtina
Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui
Queen of Spain Fritillary, Issoria lathonia
Scarce Swallowtail, Iphiclides podalirius, aka Sail Swallowtail
Spotted Fritillary, Melitaea didyma (in copulo)
Butterflies of Greece Batch 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
We took a guided trip to Northern Greece in June 2024. It was a butterflying and birding holiday, although there were also plenty of moths, the odd lizard and a jackal. I took a lot of photos but have finally sorted and processed the butterflies. It was too hot and dry much of the time, but we still managed to see at least 70 species of the possible 120 or so that are present in the region. Compare this to the mere 60 we have in the UK, many of which are rarely seen.
Some of the butterflies we saw in Greece. Of this small collection, only the Wall Brown and the Clouded Yellow are seen in the UK. The latter usually only as a rare migrant or occasionally in larger numbers in a so-called irruption year.
Balkan Copper, Lycaena candens
Balkan Marbled White, Melanargia larissa
Clouded Yellow, Colias croceus
Eastern Baton Blue, Pseudophilotes vicrama
Ilex Hairstreak, Satyrium ilicis
Lang’s Short-tailed Blue, Leptotes pirithous
Little Tiger Blue, Tarucus balkanicus, aka Balkan Pierrot
Mallow Skipper, Carcharodus alceae
Queen of Spain Fritillary, Issoria lathonia
Scarce Swallowtail, Iphiclides podalirius, aka Sail Swallowtail
Sooty Copper, Lycaena tityrus
Wall Brown, Lasiommata megera
Nettle-tree Butterfly, Libythea celtis, aka European Beak