The Great Apollo Hunt Last Verse

by James Mann

You will remember my last words of wanting to

find Apollos in our valley, the Vallespir. My wife

Anne has often said that you don't have to go

cha.sing butterflies they will come to you. I have

had to accept that sometimes this is the case.

I had given up looking for Apollos in 2001 but on Monday 20 August the Rafal went on its usual walk somewhere in the mountains. That week we went up to Le Tech to see one of my favourite places in France (Argus 23 Summer 2001). We turned off to the right and after parking at La Uau we walked up the valley of the river Coumalade, with the river on our left. Near co the source at some 1800 metres we crossed over co return on the other side of the valley. We had lunch and soon after starting back Yvon brought my attention to a scruffy white butterfly. Its wings lacked most of their scales but the almost transparent insect was certainly an Apollo and it was still busy feeding. So we do have them in the Vallespir. After our wet April and May 2002 I had no idea when to Apollo hunt and made no plans. Our Monday walk on 24 June was to be to the source of the river Tech, the same walk as we did on 25 June the previous year. At about 1400mecres I saw a couple of white butterflies in the distance and assumed Marbled Whites but as we came closer I saw a total of four very fresh Apollos, they were very active and did not settle, but were unmistakeable. At Source de l'Ouillac, a fresh water source, we stopped at the refuge, dated 1889, for coffee before tackling the very steep grassy and flowery slope of some 200 metres to the top of the ridge. My hard climb was rewarded

Marbled White

by Beryl Johnson

when near the top I sighted another six Apollos, again very active, but in the ideal habitat as described in all the books. As I reseed and waited one of them settled long enough for a photograph so my day was made even before we saw 46 Lizards, a Marmot and two Eagles. I was now satisfied that we had our own Apollos. Our walk on I July again took us down the valley of the Coumalade so I started looking for Apollos again. I had nearly given up hope after many false sightings of Large Whites and Marbled Whites when a single specimen flew over to show me chat they still existed here. After lunch I spotted a couple of "Graylings" that had not read the book as they were both seeding with open wings. I have now confirmed that they were actually Large Walls but at least another first. My walking group are now showing a greater interest in butterflies and were intrigued when I explained that the little white butterfly with the orange tips to it's wings and the white one with the black tipped wings were male and female of the same species. But it was difficult to get them co accept that the little red and black butterflies, Burnet Moths, were Papillion de Noir. They could not believe chat there are day flying moths. When asked about the little yellow ones I did not say chat the Speckled Yellow was also a moth. Having seen more Apollos in the valley the other side of Col de l'Ouillat I am beginning co believe the expert who cold me that Apollos are not that rare in this area you just have co be in the right place at the right time, but that is the hard part.