Dordogne Butterflies - part 1
 

For the past two years we've spent our summer holidays camping in the Dordogne. This is very much a family holiday, with friends, and not a photographic trip by any imagination. The fortnight generally involves lots of eating, drinking and relaxing,  and playing with the kids in the pool and on the water slides. But, as always, I take my camera equipment just in case (and of course to photograph the kids!)
 

Last year's trip produced very little in the way of wildlife photography, apart from a few unsuccessful attempts to photograph Nuthatches and Treecreepers around our tent. On the very last morning though, I got up early and decided to wander down to the fishing lake to see what I could find. 
 

It was a beautiful still morning as I strolled around the wildflower meadow at the end of the lake. As the sun came up I suddenly discovered I was surrounded by butterflies - but not just butterflies, three species of fritillary that I hadn't even seen before, let alone photographed.
 

I ended up being slightly later back than I had promised............
 

One of the first butterflies I photographed was the Knapweed Fritillary - a striking butterfly both with its wings closed and with them open. 
 

Knapweed FritillaryMelitaea phoebe


Private Location, nr Le Bugue, Dordogne, France
 

Knapweed FritillaryMelitaea phoebe



Private Location, nr Le Bugue, Dordogne, France
 

Knapweed FritillaryMelitaea phoebe



Private Location, nr Le Bugue, Dordogne, France Knapweed FritillaryMelitaea phoebe



Private Location, nr Le Bugue, Dordogne, France
 

Knapweed FritillaryMelitaea phoebe



Private Location, nr Le Bugue, Dordogne, France
 

The Meadow Fritillary is slightly smaller butterfly, with less variability in colour on its upper wings. 
 

Meadow FritillaryMelitaea parthenoides



Private Location, nr Le Bugue, Dordogne, France
 

Meadow FritillaryMelitaea parthenoides



Private Location, nr Le Bugue, Dordogne, France
 

But the butterfly that made me late back was the Spotted Fritillary. I took a couple of images of Spotted Fritillaries with their wings open (see gallery using the link below) but unfortunately one had an antennae missing and another a damaged wing.
 

But my favourite images of the session were of a Spotted Fritillary sitting on top of a flower head. It sat perfectly still, allowing a close approach and different compositions - and made me a very happy photographer!
 

Spotted FritillaryMelitaea didyma



Private Location, nr Le Bugue, Dordogne, France Spotted FritillaryMelitaea didyma



Private Location, nr Le Bugue, Dordogne, France
 

Spotted FritillaryMelitaea didyma



Private Location, nr Le Bugue, Dordogne, France
 

I had a great time that morning, and vowed that if we returned to the campsite, I wouldn't leave it until the last morning before I visited this area again!
 

For more images from this session please go to the Fritillary gallery here.