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2017 Diary, Butterflies
Baltic Butterfly Challenge, 2017 PDF Print E-mail
Written by Jos   

Marsh Fritillary

 

 

 

Following on from a successful 2016 in Lithuania and Latvia, my goal for 2017 is simply to have another cracking year, hopefully exceeding the 100 species barrier again and tracking down a few species that have so far eluded me in Lithuania and/or the Baltic States.

Last Updated ( Friday, 27 October 2017 )
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First Flights. March 2017. PDF Print E-mail
Written by Jos   

20-28 March. First Flights.

 

A full week earlier than the previous year, relative warm conditions brought the first butterflies onto the wing, so opening the 2017 season.

 

Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell

 

 

Ice on forest pools, temperatures hardly amazing at 7 C, but with a pleasant sun, the year kicked off in style with the first species noted being a Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell at Labanoras on the 20th! Added a Brimstone minutes later. Over subsequent days, temperatures sat at 10-11 C, I found another Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell, plus about ten Small Tortoiseshells, a Comma (on the 28th) and a handful of Brimstones.

 

 

 

So, spring was finally here, birds were pouring in, the first flowers of the season appearing in the meadows, plus a few frogs braving the cold waters.

 

YEAR LIST

  • 1. Brimstone.
  • 2. Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell.
  • 3. Small Tortoiseshell.
  • 4. Comma.

 

Last Updated ( Sunday, 14 May 2017 )
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April 2017. One Day Wonder. PDF Print E-mail
Written by Jos   

Camberwell Beauty

 

 

 

All about a day! April started off with a real punch - a spectacular day of high temperatures and superb butterfly action (Camberwell Beauties, Large Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, etc). Then it came to a grinding halt with temperatures dipping for the rest of the month and even a few days of snow!

Last Updated ( Sunday, 14 May 2017 )
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May 2017. Sun and Season. PDF Print E-mail
Written by Jos   

Holly Blue

 

 

 

An amazing transformation from the preceding month, sun taking over and an immediate surge of butterflies - twenty species in the first half of the month, including Dingy Skipper, Camberwell Beauties and Swallowtails, then a superb selection thereafter, not least Scarce Swallowtail, Baltic Grayling and Violet Copper.

Last Updated ( Monday, 09 October 2017 )
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June 2017. Time of the Specials. PDF Print E-mail
Written by Jos   

Marsh Fritillary

 

 

June is a superb month in Lithuania, some of the country's most special butterflies appearing on the wing. Though I was out of the country for much of the month, highlights did include Clouded Apollo, Marsh Fritillary, Bog Fritillary, Green-underside Blue and Scarce Heath in the first few days of the month, with Alcon Blue, Knapweed Fritillary and Large Copper at the other end.

Last Updated ( Monday, 09 October 2017 )
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