top of page
Callophrys rubi Green Hairstreak

PTKButterflies

My butterfly photographs
 A European and Mediterranean and now World perspective

Lycaena virgaureae Scarce Copper
Erebia aethiops Scotch Argus
Colias alfacariensis Bergers Clouded Yel
Limenitis camilla White Admiral
Nymphalis polychloros Large Tortoiseshell

European Species depicted = 245 ( of 496 species)

On this site you can see my photographs of many European, and now, Worldwide butterfly species, all taken in the wild. It is not complete, but is a work in progress, I make additions every year. Whether you are a passionate butterfly enthusiast, or simply a lover of nature, there will be something in these pages for you. 

   Navigate by the Species image List button above to find any of my photographs, by species.    

What's new

2024 arrived. At home it has proved to be a poor year for butterflies at home. However, my home colony of Satyrium w-album has done well, and I have added some new shots.  I've been branching out and photographing butterflies in far flung places. I have added some species pages for US, Australian, Far Eastern and Central American species. Unfortunately they are never going to be exhaustive, and will contain only a representative bunch of pics. There are however some real beauties and I hope you like any that appear. All pages I can provide photos for are now complete. Even if your interest does not lay there, just have a look at some, for example, my favourites... Hamadryas laodamia and Dynamine artemisia from Honduras, Zizeeria maha from Vietnam, Ogyris amaryllis from Australia and Glaucopsyche piasus from the US. 

 

2023 started in May with one new species for me, Melanargia occitanica - seen near Marseilles. Then on to Croatia in July which again bought one new species, Polyommatus admetus, along with new images to add to the pages for Polyommatus amanda, Everes argiades, Pyrgus carthami, Hipparchia senthes, Polyommatus semiargus, Satyrium ilicis, acaciae and spiniLycaena virgaureae, Brethnis daphne, Melitaea diamina and Melitaea didyma. Quite a bunch!

2022 produced more opportunities for me to add to my European species images, adding Erebia pronoe and Hyponephele lycaon to my slowly expanding encounters. Improved images of Everes argiades and Polyommatus damon, and Lycaena virgaurae  with females of that species and Everes alcetas have filled in gaps. Aricia artaxerxes, Leptidea sinapisErebia aethiops and Erebia tyndarus  pages have more photos added

I2021 was much the same as 2020 in terms of butterfly adventures, but new images of Coenonympha tullia ( ssp. scotica), Aphantopus hyperantusCupido minimusHamearis lucina and Satyrium w-album have been added, again within relatively easy travelling distance of home.

In 2020 the world was a victim to Covid and my photography was limited to my home patch. So only the occasional addition.

 

In 2019 despite limited opportunities, five definite new species, the first two from Southern Spain, Pseudophilotes abencerragus, and Gegenes nostradamuswere added to this site. Another, likely but not entirely certain, Polyommatus celina, recently split from icarus, was photographed, and is represented until more definite images have been obtained. Further new images of  Euchloe crameri, Thymelicus acteonPyronia bathseba and Melitaea deione were added. The other three new species were Muschampia protoHipparchia statilinus and Charaxes jasius, added after a September visit to Southern Italy. Further images of Lampides boeticusPieris manniiLeptotes pirithous and Pontia edusa have been added.  I have chosen to also add a provisional further new species, Hipparchia neapolitana, even though I cannot be absolutely certain of the accuracy of identification, and this completes 2019.

 

In 2018 I ventured North into Finnmark, in the region of Alta, Norway.

It is a testing region to visit, as species emergences  vary by year according to the changeable and unpredictable weather. I was fortunate to find and photograph several new species, and local forms of others with Southern ranges, such as Colias palaenoBoloria aquilonarisBoloria thore borealis, Lycaeana phlaeas polarisPolyommatus icarusPlebejus idas and Plebejus opilete . The new species were Colias heclaBoloria polaris, Erebia polaris, Erebia disa,

Oeneis bore and Agriades aquilo. 

In 2017 I visited the Haute-Savoie once again. During my time there in early June, I travelled south to the Drome for Hairstreaks, new images of esculi and spini, and east to Switzerland and Italy, where I saw my only new species for the year, Neptis rivularis Otherwise there are new images of several species, most notably ilia,  achine

trappi and escheri.

In 2016 I visited the Haute Savoie again, and later the Midi Pyrenees, venturing down into Northern Spain. During the latter visit I encountered six new species to me: Erebia rondouiPolyommatus ripartiiPolyommatus ripartii agenjoi, Polyommatus fulgens, Carcharodus lavatherae and Aricia crameraThere are new pages dedicated to these sightings. The Erebia manto page has been updated to include my encounters with the Pyrennean form constans. and additionally there are new images of Aricia eumedon from the Alps, Polyommatus dorylas and Coenonympha dorus from the Pyrenees, and a few others.

bottom of page