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Five départements comprise Centre Val de Loire, namely Eure-et-Loir, Loiret, Loir-et-Cher, Cher, Indre and Indre-et-Loire.
This "Land of a Thousand Lakes" is a very large area with woodland, heathland, farmland, scrub etc. as well as water.
Species:
Brimstone White admiral Clouded yellow Heath frit'y + common British sps. Black hairstreak @ La Creuse river bridge between the villages of Scoury & Gors, west of St. Gaultier. Purple emperor Lesser purple emperor Black-veined white False heath fritillary Map, all @ 1k east along D21 from D11 where road crosses a small river (about 16k north of St. Gaultier) 1.5k away from here nr. la Chappelle de St. Sulpice add Marbled frtillary & Large chequered skipper.
1.5k south-east fron the village of Lureil (7k east of Tournon connected by D6) add Berger's clouded yellow.
Great banded grayling was also seen at a couple of spots in la Brenne.
info: Stuart Burnet
Along the canal banks 2/3k upstream & downstream from road bridge on D24E, 0.5k north from the D923. This is about 6k west of Brinon sur Sauldre.
Species:
Clouded yellow Wall Marbled white Brimstone Ringlet Small copper Gatekeeper + common British sps.
Also Marbled fritillary Map and in adjacent woodland White admiral & Ilex hairstreak.
info: Stuart Burnet
Situated about 10k north north-west of Blois and accessed from the village of Marolles, south of the reserve. Marked but poorly on the Michelin 1: 200,000 map but well shown onthe IGN 1: 100,000. (Sheet 26).
The part of the site I explored included woodland, light woodland, small river & marsh, ponds and a (butterfly) meadow. Here, at last, I had butterflies in numbers.
Species:
Ringlet Small pearl-bordered frit Silver-washed frit Painted lady Brimstone Common blue + several other common British sps.
Also Weaver's frit Queen of Spain frit Great banded grayling Map Pale clouded yellow Pearly heath
Also known from the site Grand-Pierre is the False ringlet.
info: Stuart Burnet
Recent holiday: Species seen in garden of gite and bank alongside:-
Whites: Large, Small, Green Veined, Wood, Brimstone
Vanessids: Small Tort, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Peacock, Comma, Lesser Purple Emperor, Map, Niobe Frit (1 only), High Brown Frit (1 only), Southern White Admiral, Poplar Admiral (1 only)
Lycaenids: Common Blue, Sooty Copper, Holly Blue, Mazarine Blue (?), Small Copper, Purple Hairstreak, Small blue
Browns: Marbled White (1 only), Gatekeeper, Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Wall, Speckled Wood
Skippers: Dingy, Small, Large, Lulworth
Others:Swallowtail, Scarce Swallowtail
Other local sites (within 15 miles)
Clouded yellow (1 only), Black veined white (1 only)
Seen in previous years, extra to the above list:-
20 miles NE of above site (house with woodland and lake)
Silver washed frit, Dark green frit, Purple emperor, Pearl bordered frit, Marsh frit, Glanville frit, Heath frit, Brown argus
info: Chris Pickford
Large Oak forest.
Scarce fritillary, Woodland brown, Purple emperor and Lesser purple emperor, Poplar admiral.
© All pictures in these pages copyright to Simon Coombes. Permission must be sought and obtained for any use. |