The Butterflies of Centre Val de Loire

Five départements comprise Centre Val de Loire, namely Eure-et-Loir, Loiret, Loir-et-Cher, Cher, Indre and Indre-et-Loire.

Parc Naturel Regional de La Brenne - 24/26-06-02

This "Land of a Thousand Lakes" is a very large area with woodland, heathland, farmland, scrub etc. as well as water.

Species:

Brimstone White admiral Clouded yellow Heath frit'y + common British sps. Black hairstreak @ La Creuse river bridge between the villages of Scoury & Gors, west of St. Gaultier. Purple emperor Lesser purple emperor Black-veined white False heath fritillary Map, all @ 1k east along D21 from D11 where road crosses a small river (about 16k north of St. Gaultier) 1.5k away from here nr. la Chappelle de St. Sulpice add Marbled frtillary & Large chequered skipper.

1.5k south-east fron the village of Lureil (7k east of Tournon connected by D6) add Berger's clouded yellow.

Great banded grayling was also seen at a couple of spots in la Brenne.

info: Stuart Burnet

Le Grand Canal de la Sauldre 27/06/2002

Along the canal banks 2/3k upstream & downstream from road bridge on D24E, 0.5k north from the D923. This is about 6k west of Brinon sur Sauldre.

Species:

Clouded yellow Wall Marbled white Brimstone Ringlet Small copper Gatekeeper + common British sps.

Also Marbled fritillary Map and in adjacent woodland White admiral & Ilex hairstreak.

info: Stuart Burnet

la Reserve Naturelle des Vallées de Grand Pierre et Vitain - 30/06/2002

Situated about 10k north north-west of Blois and accessed from the village of Marolles, south of the reserve. Marked but poorly on the Michelin 1: 200,000 map but well shown onthe IGN 1: 100,000. (Sheet 26).

The part of the site I explored included woodland, light woodland, small river & marsh, ponds and a (butterfly) meadow. Here, at last, I had butterflies in numbers.

Species:

Ringlet Small pearl-bordered frit Silver-washed frit Painted lady Brimstone Common blue + several other common British sps.

Also Weaver's frit Queen of Spain frit Great banded grayling Map Pale clouded yellow Pearly heath

Also known from the site Grand-Pierre is the False ringlet.

info: Stuart Burnet

Location "Berry/Loiret" - 40 miles NE of Bourges 1st 2 weeks of July

Recent holiday: Species seen in garden of gite and bank alongside:-

Whites: Large, Small, Green Veined, Wood, Brimstone

Vanessids: Small Tort, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Peacock, Comma, Lesser Purple Emperor, Map, Niobe Frit (1 only), High Brown Frit (1 only), Southern White Admiral, Poplar Admiral (1 only)

Lycaenids: Common Blue, Sooty Copper, Holly Blue, Mazarine Blue (?), Small Copper, Purple Hairstreak, Small blue

Browns: Marbled White (1 only), Gatekeeper, Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Wall, Speckled Wood

Skippers: Dingy, Small, Large, Lulworth

Others:Swallowtail, Scarce Swallowtail

Other local sites (within 15 miles)

Clouded yellow (1 only), Black veined white (1 only)

Seen in previous years, extra to the above list:-

20 miles NE of above site (house with woodland and lake)

Silver washed frit, Dark green frit, Purple emperor, Pearl bordered frit, Marsh frit, Glanville frit, Heath frit, Brown argus

info: Chris Pickford

Foret d'Arpheuilles

Large Oak forest.

Scarce fritillary, Woodland brown, Purple emperor and Lesser purple emperor, Poplar admiral.

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