Butterflies & Moths

There are at least 240 butterfly species in France including Corsica, of which about 98 occur in the Brenne and 99 in the Vienne.
The best butterfly months are usually June and July, although May is always interesting as it is the first month a large selection of species can normally be seen. In particularly wet years, this can vary considerably, with August and even early September being very productive. As with birds, I have found the best sites for butterflies by walking the local footpaths, sentiers, using IGN maps available at the local supermarket, the blue series Carte de randonnee, scale 1:25000 (1cm = 250m), generally covering about 200-250 square kilometres. Secondly, check out the local Mairie and ask for information on the local sentiers. There is an extensive network of well-signposted public rights of way throughout the country, most are well maintained even though they are under-used. Departments/regions produce walking maps, one per sentier, usually a long loop or connected loops, and they are available free from the Mairie and tourist offices. Route signs also carry the name of the sentier

Any calcareous areas are always worth checking, e.g. chalk downland and limestone outcrops, although sometimes the greatest variety of species can be found on neutral flower-rich meadows

BUTTERFLIES GALLERY

All species were photographed in the wild, mainly using a variety of compact-zoom (bridge) cameras, although more recently I have used a DSLR + 100mm macro. The shots here and in the Butterflies gallery simply record what I see in the field, and the compact-zooms lend themselves well to mobility
We netted one species locally in our first year here, Berger’s Clouded Yellow. We use a butterfly net as a last resort, and individuals are returned to the wild within a few minutes. Personally I find photography a far more effective and enjoyable aid to butterfly identification

For what it's worth, my own obs blog is here Latest sightings including images

Main sources of reference;

Butterflies of Europe. Tristan Lafranchis, published by Diatheo, France, 2004. Absolutely indispensable, and the main source of reference
The order of butterfly species follows this guide

Field Guide to Butterflies of Britain and Europe. Tolman/Lewington, published by Collins, London, 1997. Also essential, not as user-friendly as Lafanchis but the two guides together can work well

The Mitchell Beazley pocket guide to Butterflies. Paul Whalley, published by Mitchell Beazley, London, 1981.

Butterflies of France Roger Gibbons' excellent photographic identification website

Vienne Nature Species present in the Vienne (with status)

Thanks to Samuel Ducept (Vienne Nature) for help with identification and correcting some of my original errors. Samuel Ducept (Facebook)

List of butterfly species observed in the southern Vienne/Brenne since our arrival in January 2006. The abundance guide may help if you live or are staying in the general area. It is based only on my observations since January 2006, and may or may not reflect the true status within the area

1 = Very common
2 = Fairly common
3 = Scarce
4 = Rare or localised


Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius) - Hesperie des Sanguisorbes ------4
Chequered Skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon) - Hesperie du brome ------4
Large Chequered Skipper (Heteropterus morpheus) - Miroir ------3
Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages) - Point de Hongrie ------1
Large Skipper (Ochlodes venatus) - Sylvaine ------1
Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon) - Hesperie du chiendent ------3
Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineolus) - Hesperie du dactyle ------2
Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) - Hesperie de la houque ------2
Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae) - Grisette ------3
Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvae) - Hesperie de la mauve ------3
Oberthur's (Grizzled) Skipper (Pyrgus armoricanus) - Hesperie des potentilles ------3

Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) - Machaon ------1
Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius) - Flambé ------1

Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) - Citron ------1
Clouded Yellow (Colias crocea) - Souci ------1
Berger's Clouded Yellow (Colias alfacariensis) - Fluoré ------2

Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi) - Gazé ------2
Large White (Pieris brassicae) - Pieride du chou ------1
Green-veined White (Pieris napi) - Pieride du navet ------1
Small White (Pieris rapae) - Pieride de la rave ------1
Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines) - Aurore ------1
Wood White (Leptidea sinapis) - Pieride de la moutarde ------1



Purple Hairstreak (Neozephyrus quercus) - Thecla du chene ------2
Brown Hairstreak (Thecla betulae) - Thecla du bouleau ------3
White-letter Hairstreak (Satyrium w-album) - Thecla de l'orme ------4
Black Hairstreak (Satyrium pruni) - Thecla du prunier ------4
Sloe Hairstreak (Satyrium acaciae) - Thécla de l'Amarel ------4
Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium ilicis) - Thecla de l'yeuse ------2
Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi) - Thecla de la ronce ------3

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) - Cuivré commun ------1
Large Copper (Lycaena dispar) - Cuivré des marais -----4
Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus) - Cuivré fuligineux ------1

Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli) - Brun des pélargoniums ------4
Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus) - Azuré porte-queue ------4
Brown Argus (Aricia agestis) - Collier de corail ------1
Short-tailed Blue (Everes argiades) - Azuré du trefle ------3
Provencal Short-tailed Blue (Everes alcetas) - Azuré de la faucille ------3
Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) - Azuré des nerpruns ------1
Little Blue (Cupido minimus) - Argus frêle ------4
Large Blue (Maculinea arion) - Azuré du serpolet ------4
Mazarine Blue (Cyaniris semiargus) - Demi-Argus ------3
Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) - Argus bleu ------1
Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus) - Bel Argus ------1
Chalk-hill Blue (Lysandra coridon) - Argus a bleu nacré ------2
Reverdin's Blue (Plebejus argyrognomon) - Azuré des coronilles -----4

Purple Emperor (Apatura iris) - Grand Mars changeant ------4
Lesser Purple Emperor (Apatura ilia) - Petit Mars changeant ------4
White Admiral (Limenitis camilla) - Petit Sylvain ------2
Southern White Admiral (Limenitis reducta) - Sylvain azuré ------1

Comma (Polygonia c-album) - Robert le diable ------1

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) - Belle Dame ------1
Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) - Vulcain ------1
Peacock (Inachis io) - Paon du jour ------1
Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) - Petite Tortue ------4
Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) - Grande Tortue ------2
Map Butterfly (Araschnia levana) - Carte geographique ------2
Camberwell Beauty (Nymphalis antiopa) - Morio ------2



Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia) - Tabac d'Espagne ------2
Dark Green Fritillary (Argynnis aglaja) - Grand Nacré ------4
Queen of Spain Fritillary (Issoria lathonia) - Petit Nacré ------3
Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis daphne) - Nacré de la ronce ------1
Weaver's Fritillary (Clossinia dia) - Petite Violette ------2
Glanville Fritillary (Melitaea cinxia) - Melitee du plantain ------2
Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe) - Melitee des centaurees------2
Spotted Fritillary (Melitaea didyma) - Melitee orangée ------3
Meadow Fritillary (Mellicta parthenoides) - Melitee des scabieuses ------3
Heath Fritillary (Mellicta athalia) - Melitee du melampyre ------1
Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) - Damier de la succise ------3

Woodland Brown (Lopinga achine) - Bacchante -----4
Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) - Tristan ------2
Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) - Tircis ------1
Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) - Mégère ------1

Marbled White (Melanargia galathea) - Demi-deuil ------1

Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe) - Silène ------2
False Grayling (Arethusana arethusa) - Petit agreste ------4
Woodland Grayling (Hipparchia fagi) - Sylvandre ------4
Dryad (Minois dryas) - Grand nègre des bois ------4

Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) - Amaryllis ------1
Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) - Myrtil -----1
Pearly Heath (Coenonympha arcania) - Céphale ------3
Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) - Fadet commun ------1



(81 species)

MOTHS

MOTHS GALLERY

Moths listed here are those I have found during the day, rather than using a moth trap

Main sources of reference;

Concise Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland. Martin Townsend/Paul Waring/Richard Lewington, published by British Wildlife Publishing Ltd, 2007

Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe. Michael Chinery, published by Collins, London, 1986

There seems to be little consensus concerning the taxonomic order of moths, ref. leps.it and the above books, for example. The order of moth species here is therefore alphabetical

Abraxas grossulariata (Magpie Moth)
Acontia lucida (Pale Shoulder)
Agrotis crassa (Great Dart)
Amphipyra pyramidea (Copper Underwing)
Amphipyra pyramidea/A. berbera (Copper Underwing/Svensson's Copper Underwing)
Anticlea derivata (Streamer)
Arctia villica (Cream-spot Tiger)
Autographa gamma (Silver Y)

Bembecia chrysidiformis (Fiery Clearwing)
(?)Bembecia ichneumoniformis (Six-belted Clearwing) - Unlikely to be B. albanensis/scopigera (neither recorded in the Indre)

Cabera exanthemata (Common Wave)
Callistege mi (Mother Shipton)
Catocala nupta (Red Underwing)
Coscinia striata (Feathered Footman)

Diachrysia chrysitis (Burnished Brass)
Diasrisia sannio (Clouded Buff)
Drymonia dodonaea form trimacula (Marbled Brown)
Drymonia velitaris (Notodontidae)

Elophila nymphaeata (Brown China Mark)
Ematurga atomaria (Common Heath)
Epirrhoe alternata (Common Carpet)
Euclidia glyphica (Burnet Companion)
Euplagia quadripunctaria (Jersey Tiger)
Eurrhypis pollinalis (Crambidae)

Hedya nubiferana (Marbled Orchard Tortrix)
Heliothis viriplaca (Marbled Clover)
Hemaris fuciformis (Broad-bordered Bee Hawkmoth)
Hemaris tityus (Narrow-bordered Bee Hawkmoth)
Hypomecis punctinalis (Pale Oak Beauty)

Idaea ochrata (Bright Wave)

Korscheltellus lupulina (Common Swift)



Lasiocampa quercus (Oak Eggar)

Macdunnoughia confusa (Dewick's Plusia)
Macroglossum stellatarum (Hummingbird Hawkmoth)
Macrothylacia rubi (Fox Moth)
Mimas tiliae (Lime hawk-moth) - 1 Bernier 30/7/25

Nemophora degeerella (Longhorn Moth)
Nemophora metallica (Brassy Longhorn)
Nematopogon (Fairy long-horn moth) sp.
Noctua comes (Lesser Yellow Underwing)

Opisthograptis luteolata (Brimstone Moth)

Peribatodes rhomboidaria (Willow Beauty)
Procridinae (Zygaenidae) sp. (Forester sp.)
Proserpinus proserpina (Willowherb Hawkmoth)
Pseudopanthera macularia (Speckled Yellow)
Pterophorus pentadactyla (White Plume Moth)
Pterophoridae sp. (Plume moth sp.)
Pyrausta aurata (Mint Moth)
Pyrausta purpuralis (Crambidae)

Rhodostrophia calabra (Narrow Rose-banded Wave)

Saturnia pavonia (Emperor Moth)
Saturnia pyri (Giant Peacock Moth)
Semiothisa clathrata (Latticed Heath)
Sesia apiformis (Hornet Clearwing)
Siona lineata (Black-veined Moth)
Spilosoma lubricipeda (White Ermine)
Synanthedon myopaeformis (Red-belted Clearwing) - 1 Oulches 19/6/25

Tortrix viridana (Green Oak Tortrix)
Tortricidae (Olethreutinae) sp.
Tyria jacobaeae (Cinnabar)

Xestia c-nigrum (Setaceous Hebrew Character)

Yponomeuta padella (Orchard Ermine)

Zeuzera pyrina (Leopard Moth)
Zygaena filipendulae (Six-spot Burnet)
Zygaena trifolii (Five-spot Burnet)
Zygaenidae fausta (Burnet sp.)
Zygaenidae osterodensis (Burnet sp.)