Montenegro: Butterflies

Much to my astonishment, this is my 1,000th blog post since I started this blog in 2007! I started with a focus on the countryside and nature, but there have been three main developments since then: at some point I extended my scope to include walks in towns and cities, rather than just the country; secondly, I decided to include walks done abroad  rather than just in the UK; and thirdly, I have become ever more interested in butterflies (to the extent this year of going on my first Greenwings butterflying holiday this year).

It feels very appropriate therefore that this post should be dedicated to selected pictures of butterflies spotted on a recent holiday in Montenegro. The first three are all, as I have learned to say, "lifers" i.e.never previously seen) - my total stands in the 230s, so there is a long way to go, even in Europe!

Lesser Spotted Fritillary (Melitaea trivia)

Eastern Wood White (Leptidea duponcheli)

Southern Comma (Polygonia egea)

Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)

Several other species were seen which had been spotted on our Greenwings tour to Northern Greeceand elsewhere: Short-tailed Blue, Oriental Meadow Brown, Clouded Yellow, Small Heath, Spotted Fritillary, Mallow Skipper. And this butterfly which is clearly a Grizzled Skipper, but which?