Chazara prieuri kebira from Morocco

hello jonathan, beautiful specimen. status of this species, however, I have some doubts. many believe in the extinction (Tarrier in particular) but I honestly I found it in large numbers (hundreds) in different locations. the species did not seem picky (even flew on the edges of the road) and not at all uncommon. definitely the year was favorable (the species know to be subject to annual fluctuations) but to describe it as a species in trouble or even extinction seems a bit 'too much.

Tell me what you think, Alessandro

hello Nostrodamus, the previous post is not at all exaggerated. I've only collected about 20 specimens in only two sites and only because we focused also on other species (C. Stauderi, P. atlantis, H. Maroccana, C. Briseis Major, M. deserticola and more other .... ).
I certainly was lucky; my interpretation is that these butterflies emerge in large numbers and then once born moving, aided by the wind. Clearly if you do not hit the right time you can find only a few specimens are very distant from each other.
I do not know if this is a reliable interpretation but given the places of flight the thing is certainly possible and is still a behavior that helps the species to spread in a natural environment so difficult and extreme.

Hello Dear, I am attaching pictures of the specimens collected from morocco this year. The prieuri the you can easily recognize. There are 15 exemplars of such a female absolutely huge.
the trip was very "profitable", we saw as many as 52 species of rhopalocera and many eterocera species (catocalinae and geometriidae).

Nice selection of species and specimens Rumina ! And I would like to add that observations like those which you have made (and previously mentioned) have been seen by others in other places as well. I feel that with the right temperature, a certain humidity level, and a little moisture (rain) ---astounding things can happen in arid regions or difficult terrain. In 1990 I spent 2 weeks in the Dominican Republic catching mostly butterflies. A fellow collecting friend and I were located in an desert region in the southwest of the country near the border with Haiti (Pedernales province). We spent our first full week there without ever seeing a Papilio....until one afternoon midway through the trip we were caught in a brief 20 min. downpour in the desert. It actually rained hard enough to leave puddles ! ! We retired briefly to a small roadside cafe for a soda and a sandwich. Upon leaving my friend swore he had just seen a Papilio zonaria (similar to Zebra Swallowtail) flit on by ----FAST ON THE WING. Of coarse as luck would have it I was looking in the opposite direction at the time. I dismissed it as a little too much heat mixed with the desire to finally SEE a papilio on the trip ! Anyway, we got back in the van to head back to where we were staying (as we had already been out about 4 hours in the desert heat) when suddenly not 10 minutes drive from the cafe we happened upon a water puddle which had 3 Papilio zonaria flitting about it. All were ex-pupa (mint). Needless to say, we spent the rest of that day "Puddle jumping for Papilio's" and by day's end each had 20-25 Zonaria a piece with another 8-10 Papilio aristodemus thrown in.
The next day we struck out early in the hopes of making a FULL day of it only to find the puddles all gone --- evaporated. Throughout that whole day we only managed to SEE 6 ragged examples of Zonaria. Our remaining week came and went without any rain or any more Papilio sightings. This is my case in point Good fortune is a fleeting thing. It's like a whisper.

trehopr1 dear, your report is absolutely wonderful if we consider that in ten days I will have seen 20 butterflies in Santo Domingo and palìpilionidae even hold the shadow.
I fully agree with your reading, even in Morocco has been a particularly wet (M. Tarrier found snow on Toubkal in May and signaled a rather unpredictable weather pattern).
Sure, these species are difficult to read if relate to extreme places like the desert areas.
however, research in these areas is very exciting and full of surprises.
Surely you have to totally change perspective than in Europe, here everything is tied to the weather and periods of complete absence of butterflies can be followed by an explosion of species richness that is not imaginable.
next year we will return but not at that time (summer) but between March and April, in hopes of finding mainly cygaritis Allardi and Plebejus antiatlasicus.

Hello Jonathan, is a long time that I wanted to ask if the species you've photographed in your profile (Hipparchia Hellena)'ve collected about you?
Also this is a highly sought after and considered rare but, knowing the Hipparchia, I think it is common place in the flight. Unfortunately its range, limited to Algeria and Tunisia to the northwest is politically extremely dangerous to shoot at these times.
I guess I'll have to wait a few more years before trying this capture.

I saw that the insect has corllector P. Janiroides in availability. I was wondering why it is not able to find this other species surely even more sought after.

hello Alessandro

Hello Jonathan, I know two safe sites of Hellena and in fact are near the border Tunisia-Algeria. the places are fantastic, forests of oak trees suitable for a Hipparchia. pity that the area is so problematic.
alternatively you could ask your friend to go for you along the border ...........................