Butterflies of the Dolomites

Butterflies of the Dolomites Naturetrek Tour Report 2 - 9 July 2014 Amanda's Blue - P. Harmes Alder Moth - I. Tulloch Dusky Grizzled Skipper - P. Harmes Mountain Clouded yellow - P. Harmes Report by Paul Harmes Images courtesy of Ian Tulloch and Paul Harmes Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire SO24 0NG England T: +44 (0)1962 733051 F: +44 (0)1962 736426 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report Butterflies of the Dolomites Tour Leader: Paul Harmes Participants: Janet Benoy Matthew Limbrick Penny Raynor Ted Raynor Fiona Tulloch Ian Tulloch Day 1 Wednesday 2nd July Weather: Cloudy at first, with heavy rain later, clearing by late evening. Six group members met with Paul at North Terminal, Gatwick Airport, for the 2.05pm British Airways flight, BA2584, to Venice Marco Polo Airport, which arrived at 5.15pm local time. Inside the terminal we cleared immigration in good time and then collected our minibus. Once the vehicle was loaded, we left the airport heading north along the A27 Autostrada. As we went we spotted a few birds including Magpie and Barn Swallow. Leaving the motorway at Ponte Nelle Alpi, we drove on through Belluno and into the National Park of the Bellunesi Dolomites. After about an hour and a half, we stopped for a coffee break in Agordo. Whilst here, we recorded Common House Martin, Common Swift and Grey Heron. Continuing the journey, our route took us through Cencenighe and over the San Pellegrino Pass at 1,919 metres, before dropping into the Fassa Valley and the delightful hamlet of Tamion, near Vigo di Fassa. We were greeted at the family-run Hotel Gran Mugon by Stefano, and soon settled into our rooms. We met in the restaurant for a light dinner, and were introduced to two more members of the family, Genio and Katia. Paul then gave a brief outline of the next twenty-four hours before we retired to bed. Day 2 Thursday 3rd July Weather: Fine, warm and sunny. From 6.30am members of the group came and went as the collection of moths attracted to the moth trap was examined. The previous night had been quite cold so there were only a few specimens for us to identify. Five species were present including Great Brocade, Peppered Moth and Broom Moth. After breakfast Paul made a trip to the supermarket for the picnic ingredients and then, at 9.15am, we met outside the hotel and set off on foot to explore the meadows and woodland above Tamion. It wasn't long before we were seeing butterflies including Mazarine Blue, Small Heath and Amanda’s Blue. We also found the 'hippomedusa' subspecies of Woodland Ringlet and well as the type species. Day-flying moths were very much in evidence, with Chimney Sweeper, Transparent Burnet, Burnet Companion and Small Purple-barred among them. Along our path we found lots of Gymnadenia conopsea (Fragrant Orchid), Traunsteinera globosa (Round-headed Orchid), Salvia pratensis (Meadow Clary), Horminum pyrenaicum (Dragonmouth) and Moneses uniflora © Naturetrek January 15 1 Butterflies of the Dolomites Tour Report (One-flowered Wintergreen). Bird song was all around us, and we were accompanied by the song of Coal Tit, Western Bonelli’s Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Tree Pipit, Robin, Chaffinch, Crested Tit and Siskin. On the return journey we followed the road for a short way before re-joining the path we had taken earlier. This was so we could check on a stand of Cypripedium calceolus (Lady’s Slipper Orchid), which had one or two of its flowers remaining. We returned to the hotel by 12.45pm. After a quick comfort break, we collected our vehicle and drove the short distance to Val di Monzoni. After an enjoyable picnic lunch in a lovely meadow setting with fabulous views, we began to explore. New butterfly sightings included Mountain Green-veined White, Alpine Blue and Dusky Grizzled Skipper. New moths included Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Silver-ground Carpet and the Crambid grass moth, Crambus perlella. Alpine Swift and Common Swift were seen and Spotted Nutcracker was heard. We found a wide range of flora including Corallorhiza trifida (Coralroot Orchid), Astragalus alpinus (Alpine Milk-vetch), Bartsia alpina (Alpine Bartsia) and Trollius europaeus (Globeflower). We arrived back at Tamion at 5pm having enjoyed our first full day in this beautiful area. We met at 6.45pm to talk through our day and start our first ‘lists’ session, before going to dinner. Following the meal, Paul again set the moth trap. Day 3 Friday 4th July Weather: Fine, warm and sunny, becoming hazy with cloud later. Due to a much warmer night the moth catch was considerably increased, with in excess of 50 species being recorded. New moths included Pine Hawk-moth, Pine-tree Lappet, Small Chocolate-tip, Fern and Beautiful Arches. Birds were active around the large conifers located behind us with Great Spotted Woodpecker, Willow Tit and European Green Woodpecker all heard, and European Crested Tit, Chaffinch, and Carrion Crow seen. Following breakfast we called at the supermarket to shop for our picnic. Outside the supermarket Black Redstart, Common Swift and Common House Martin were seen. From here we made our way to the cable-car in Vigo di Fassa just before 10am. We were soon ascending to the Ciampedie plateau, enjoying beautiful views from 1,997 metres over the Fassa Valley below. Before moving off through the Rosengarten we explored the meadows near the cable car station. We found Alpine Heath, Alpine Blue, Mazarine Blue, Clouded Yellow and Little Blue, but the star was a splendid Marsh Fritillary of the ‘debilis’ subspecies which occurs in the Alps and Pyrenees, usually above 1,800 metres. The meadow also had good numbers of Coeloglossum viride (Frog Orchid) and Gymnadenia albida (Small White Orchid). After enjoying these meadows we set off to follow Track 540 towards Gardeccia. We had only gone a few yards when we heard Spotted Nutcracker and European Robin. Our path took us past good stands of Rhododendron ferrugineum (Alpenrose) and there were some fabulous mountain views. Along the path we found Small Argent and Sable moth and Mountain Green-veined White. Next we stopped for lunch by a ski ride. After eating we began to explore, and added Geranium Argus, Dingy Skipper and Large White butterflies, and Grass Rivulet, Pretty Pinion and Small Argent and Sable moths. Whilst searching the ride we saw several Spotted Nutcrackers. We continued to Gardeccia where we indulged in afternoon refreshments before making a circuit of the surrounding meadows. Butterflies were in short supply but 2 © Naturetrek January 15 Butterflies of the Dolomites Tour Report we did see Mountain Green-veined White, Titania’s Fritillary and Dingy Skipper. We also added a lovely little European moth, Yellow Banded, to our moth list. A large boulder had a fine show of Veronica bonarota (Bluish Paederota). With the shortage of insects we decided to return to the cable car station, with some group members also stopping at the Rifugio Negritella for a second round of refreshments. We caught the 4.40pm cable car from Ciampedie back down to Vigo di Fassa, getting quite good views of Alpine Chamois. Day 4 Saturday 5th July Weather: Overnight rain with early low cloud, clearing to cloudy with sunny periods. The overnight temperature was a little warmer again. The number of moths on the hotel wall was increased and there was an exciting haul in the trap. New moths included ‘Alpine’ Y, Small Angle-shades, Alder Moth and the European noctuid Xestia viridescens. At 9am we left the hotel and headed, via the supermarket, towards our highest location, the Sella Pass. At Canazei we turned west and, in a few kilometres, climbed over 750 metres up 23 marked ‘tornanti’ (hairpin bends) to the Sella Pass at 2,244 metres, parking just over the summit near Rifugio Passo Sella. From our vantage point the scenery was stunning, in excellent light. Just after leaving the vehicles, the botanists in the group were pleased with the array of alpine flowers as we were now above the tree line, in the sub-montane belt. We found Salix reticulata (Net-leaved Willow), Silene acaulis (Moss Campion), Pulsatilla alpina subsp. apiifolia (Yellow Alpine Pasque-flower) and Myosotis alpestris (Alpine Wood Forget-me-Not). We worked our way up the hillside, which had scattered large boulders and rocky outcrops, and it was not long before we found Yellow Banded moth and, a little further on, a good number of Dewy Ringlets. Birds included a flock of Alpine Chough, Northern Wheatear, White-winged Snowfinch, Common Linnet and a good number of the alpine race of Ring Ouzel (subsp. alpestris). We also heard, and saw, several Alpine Marmots which, obligingly, allowed the photographers to get quite close. There was a gentle but chilly breeze, and the insects were keeping a low profile, so we decided to make our way down to an area where it was more sheltered. Here we added Little Blue and Mazarine Blue, before setting up our picnic among the rocks. During the meal, Water Pipit was heard and seen, singing from a vantage point on the chair-lift cable. After lunch, we set off up the track behind Rifugio Passo Sella in an area known as the City of Stone. Here it was rockier with a few smaller pine trees. We found Potentilla nitida (Pink Potentilla), Leontopodium alpinum (Edelweiss) and Daphne striata (a Daphne). A new micro-moth was added to the tour list, Pyrausta nigrata (a Crambid), and we had some good photo opportunities of butterflies we had already seen including Woodland Ringlet and Alpine Heath.

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