ValThorensGuide.com

An independent guide to Val Thorens

View of Mt Blanc from Val Thorens

Butterflies & other insects in the Alps

Queen of Spain fritillary

Queen of Spain fritillary, Vallée des Belleville, French Alps

Butterflies and other insects in the Alps.

Butterflies & other insects in the Alps: Alpine Heath butterfly

Alpine Heath butterfly

Alpine Heath butterfly, La Gittaz, Vallée des Belleville

The Alpine Heath butterfly.

Butterflies & other insects in the Alps: Apollo butterfly

Apollo butterfly

Apollo butterfly, La Gittaz, Vallée des Belleville

The Apollo butterfly is of the Papilionidae family. It lives in Alpine meadows, on the wing from May to September. They mate, then the females lay eggs, which over-winter, and hatch in the spring. The caterpillar is velvety blue-black, with small orange spots. The caterpillars feed on a Sedum species called stonecrop. When the caterpillar is fully grown, it pupates on the ground in a loose cocoon, and the adult butterfly then emerges.

The Apollo butterfly produces a repulsive taste to a predator - a taste which comes from a bitter tasting cyanoglucoside called sarmentonsin in its host plant. The concentration of sarmentonsin is higher in the wings than the body. A successful predator of the Apollo, the water pipit, removes the wings of the butterfly before eating the body.

The Apollo is on the IUCN red list of threatened species. Threats include acid rain, habitat destruction, air pollution affecting the butterflies' food plants, collectors, motor vehicles, and sheep grazing at the wrong time of year so the caterpillars are trampled.

Butterfies & other insects in the Alps: black-veined white

Black-veined white butterfly

Black-veined white butterfly, La Gittaz, Vallée des Belleville

The black-veined white butterfly has the Latin name Aporia crataegi, and belongs to the Pieridae family. Sir Winston Churchill tried to reintroduce it to England by releasing butterflies in the grounds of his home at Chartwell in Kent, but they didn't survive.

They fly from April to July. Eggs are laid on plants of the rose family, and other trees and bushes. They hatch within 3 weeks, then the caterpillars overwinter communally in a webbing tent with entwined leaves.

The pupal stage lasts 3 weeks, before a new butterfly emerges.

Butterflies & other insects in the Alps: Cabbage white

Cabbage white

Cabbage white, Vallée des Belleville, French Alps

Butterflies & other insects in the Alps: Queen of Spain fritillary

Queen of Spain fritillary

Queen of Spain fritillary

The Queen of Spain fritillary is a butterfly that belongs to the Nymphalidae family. It can live at altitudes up to 2,700m.

Eggs are laid on the underside of wild pansy plants. The caterpillars feed, then quickly pupate in low vegetation. There are 3 or 4 generations per year.

Butterflies & other insects in the Alps: scarce copper

Scarce copper

Scarce copper butterfly

Butterflies & other insects in the Alps: small tortoiseshell

Small tortoiseshell

Small tortoiseshell butterfly

Small tortoiseshell butterfly

Butterflies & other insects in the Alps: swallowtail

Swallowtail butterfly

Swallowtail butterfly, Val Thorens

Butterflies & other insects in the Alps: split-eyed owl-fly

Yellow & black flying insect

Split-eyed owl fly

This insect belongs to the Ascalaphidae family, and is a close relative of the antlion.

The long antennae are a distinguishing feature of this insect. It is a predator of other insects.

It lays eggs on twigs or under stones. The larvae are ambush predators. Pupation occurs in a silk cocoon in leaf litter or soil.

Butterflies & other insects in the Alps: lackey moth caterpillar

Lackey moth caterpillar

Lackey moth caterpillar, Val Thorens

All photos © ValThorensGuide

Snow finches

Snow finch on Mont de la Chambre

Snow finches are amongst the most attractive of Alpine birds, familiar to skiers who frequent mountain restaurants. In French, they are called niverolles. They are not true finches, but actually members of the sparrow family.

Snow finches are usually found between 2,000 and 3,000m altitude, in the Alps, in other mountain ranges in Europe and Turkey, and in the Himalayas.

Read about snow finches.

Alpine animals & birds

Marmotte

There are many beautiful animals and birds living in the Alps, including mountain hares, marmots, and snow finches.

Read about Alpine animals and birds.

Mountain hareMarmotte, Val ThorensPtarmigan near Pralognan

© 2017-18 ValThorensGuide
Template design by Andreas Viklund