Pyrenees Day 2 Final Stop at Chèze

Our final stop on Sunday was at Chève, an impressive canyon with impressive rock formations and quite a few butterflies including Red Admiral, White Admiral and Dark Green Fritillary. I have included an wonderfully camouflaged Shield Bug although the photo isn't quite sharp. 

 

Pyrenees Day 2 Afternoon Babbling Brooks and Hot River beds

We stopped a few times on the way down from Haut de Camp by streams and added a few dragons to the list - Beautiful Demoiselle, Sombre Golden Ringed and Golden Ringed. Also shown astriking Large Chequered Skipper and amazing coloured spider. In the river bed area (Gabe de Pau), a beautiful Fiery Clearwing and a very agile Bee Fly with striped body.

 

Pyrenees Day 2 Morning Haut de Camp

We stopped first to explore a wonderful outcrop of rock covered in meadow flowers and home to dozens of Hummingbird Hawk Moths - just amazed by the way that they control the wings independently, flexing the wing angle and shape. Lots of other insects to investigate and record.

Pyrenees Day 1 Afternoon Pont de Saugue

Thunderstorms were forecast for the afternoon but the rain held off till around 4pm. We drove up to Pont de Saugue stopping en route to sample the insect life. I particularly liked the full frontal Bumblebee and Chafer. Many of the photos that I took for a particular insect turned out to have many more captured by the camera - the Shieldbug is in the web of a small spider together with a Leaf hopper. We were finally rained off and hurried back to the hotel before the downpour .

Pyrenees Day 1 Morning

In the morning in bright sunshine and not too hot temperatures, we visited Lac de Gloriettes and walked the circuit round the lake. Lots of butterflies but not many were still for long. However , did manage a few including Pearl Bordered Fritillary, Black-Veined White, Silver Studded Blue and Small Blue portraits. Beetles and Ants were the dominant families. Lots of flowers but limited time to do them justice. However, delighted to see large patch of Eidelweiss which attracted lots of ants.