How green was our valley

To the Valais in southern Switzerland with Steve and Mike in early August for a couple of days butterfly hunting. First stop, the Lötschental.

A rainy evening stroll along the valley floor, which was covered in Rosebay Willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium).

Feeding on this we saw at least a dozen caterpillars of the Bedstraw Hawkmoth (Hyles gallii). Cool or what?

Lighting up the gloom, almost iridescent male Scare Coppers (Lycaena virgaureae)...

...overshadowing the duller females.

Other Blues (for the 'Copper' is in the 'Blues' family): The Idas Blue (Plebejus idas)...

...Chalk-Hill Blue (Lysandra cotidon)...

...and Brown Argus (Aricia agestis).

Ringlets are dark brown butterflies with black spots in orange patches. Over twenty species can be found in Switzerland. The Almond-eyed Ringlet (Erebia alberganus) is restricted to alpine regions above 1000 metres, where it lays its eggs on grasses. It is unusual for a Ringlet in having the spot pattern also on the underside of the hindwing.

And a Large Ringlet (Erebia euryale). It is the adyte form, restricted to southern Switzerland, which differs from the forms in other regions by having obvious white spots inside the black ones. It is also associated with grasses.

Early morning, and Bee Beetles (Trichius fasciatus) were found clustered around a thistle heart.

In the grass, a Wart-Biter (Decticus verrucivorus) - great for the removal of warts before the days of the NHS.

During a pit-stop in the Rhone Valley we found over a dozen Jersey Tigers (Euplagia quadripunctaria) feeding on a bush. Previously, I'd only seen one or two specimens in my light trap.

On the path besides, an Italian Locust (Calliptamus italicus).

The summer storms drove us west - up the Trient Valley from Matigny, to the border with France. Here we investigated the tracks and clearings in the woods near Finhaut, under Lac d'Emosson.

Alpine Autumn Crocuses (Colchicum alpinum) were already in bloom.

By the road, a Large Wall Brown (Lasiommata maera).

A Heath Fritillary (Mellicta athalia) shares a flower with a Meadow Brown.

Other Fritillaries seen were two that are associated with Violets; the High Brown (Argynnis adippe)...

...and the Silver-washed (Argynnis paphia).

And in a small clearing under a telegraph pole, a real prize: the Apollo (Parnassius apollo) - a magical alpine creature, which lays its eggs on Sedums and has a languid flight on tracing paper wings.

The grasshoppers on the rocky slopes included the 'little green jobs', the Large Mountain Grasshopper (Stauroderus scalaris)...

...and the Black-spotted Toothed Grasshopper (Stenobothrus nigromaculatus).

As we walked across the rocks, there were flashes of red around our feet. These were made by the Red-winged Grasshopper (Oedipoda germanica), which is barely visible when settled....

...but when disturbed, spreads its bright red wings - difficult to photograph, so Steve manhandled one to show what lies beneath.

This looks to me like the gall of a Gall Wasp - but I know not which.

I've started to really appreciate Rowan / Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia). Its berries create bright red spots of colour against a woodland backdrop.

In the last clearing before the car park, and the journey home, we had a brush with royalty. Thanks to the keen eyesight and patience of Steve we watched a magnificent Purple Emperor (Apatura iris) feeding on thistles. When it was disturbed it flew up into the trees, only to return to feed when the coast was clear - like a small bird.