Graham Hart has lived in Ariege since May 1998 and has known the area since 1991. He has a life-long interest in natural history, which started with butterflies and birds and now includes other insects (especially moths) and flowers. He leads butterfly watching holidays in the region and is writing a book on the butterflies of Ariège. When not out chasing butterflies Graham works as a vet in Ax-les-Thermes.
The weather has been very good this month with temperatures often above average and plenty of sun. The snow on the mountains has melted at an incredible rate and spring seems to be a good two weeks ahead of usual.
BUTTERFLIES
A very good month with lots of butterflies about. The most abundant species was the Orange Tip which was very widespread. In some areas, it was seen flying along with its exotic cousin the Moroccan Orange Tip. Occasionally with these was a Dappled White, which in flight is pretty much indistinguishable from the females of these two species and from the Bath White, which has also been spotted this month. Camberwell Beauties were common throughout the month as were Large Tortoiseshells. They have had good weather for egg laying, so hopefully we will see an equally good summer generation of these two large and enigmatic butterflies.
At the end of the month Tim Nash and I had an afternoon out near Mas d’Azil when we saw no less than 32 species: Swallowtail and Scarce Swallowtail, Small and Green Veined White, Orange Tip, Clouded and Berger’s Clouded Yellow, Brimstone, Wood White, Green Hairstreak, Small and Sooty Coppers, Holly, Provençal Short Tailed, Green Underside, Adonis and Common Blues, Brown Argus, Small and Large Tortoiseshells, Red Admiral, Comma, Violet or Weavers, Meadow, Marsh, and Knapweed Fritillaries, Small Heath, Speckled Wood and Wall Brown, Dingy Skipper and Oberthur’s Grizzled Skippers. Of the day flying moths, Common Heath and Burnet Companion were the most abundant.
One other insect of particular note that day was the Ascalaphid, which looks like a small dragonfly but with club shaped antennae like butterflies and with yellow and black colouration at the base of the wings extending to about half way along the wings. There were loads of these fascinating insects darting and skimming around, a wonderful sight.
FLOWERS
The spring flowers have really exploded, lots of colour everywhere. Cowslips gave a fantastic display and on dry limestone slopes there were the purple flowers of Globularia dotted all over the place. Twelve species of orchid were spotted flowering during the month and I saw ten of them near Mas d’Azil with Tim. The species were: Early Purple, Green Winged, Burnt Tip, Lady, Military, Man, Woodcock, Fly, Early Spider and Small Spider Orchids, Sword Leaved Helleborine and Tway Blade.
BIRDS
The Lammergeiers are feeding a baby. Most of the other couples being followed in the Ariège also have succeeded this year, which is great news. Swallows, House Martins and Swifts had all arrived by the end of the month. As I come out of work, I love listening to the screams of the swifts and looking at them do their death defying flybys along and in-between the tops of the houses. Absolute magic.