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Butterfly ID Challenge!

NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
in Wildlife gardening
Well this is a shot in the dark as I have no photo. A roadside pink Silk Tree was covered in large white butterflies (the size of a swallowtail but ‘normal’ butterfly shape) with nearly translucent wings and a darker buff/grey edging and kind of struts that made it look like one of those very early aeroplanes/winged man contraptions. It had quite a large body too. Have tried various search terms but no joy yet. Nearly translucent white butterfly with aeroplane-like struts just didn’t cut it.

Any suggestions?  I would love to get to the bottom of what they were!
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.

Posts

  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    Well, without any photos and spotted in a country where most forum members don't live,this is indeed a challenge. ;)
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Maybe Black veined white.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    Looks like a good guess, @punkdoc.
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Ah, sadly not, but yes a good guess punkdoc. This one had thicker banding around all the wing edges and less ‘struts’ - it may well have just been banding around the four wings. I will just have to get the ladder out and try and take a pic if they are still there tomorrow.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • Alan Clark2 in LiverpoolAlan Clark2 in Liverpool Posts: 2,190
    edited July 2018
    Spanish Chalk-hill blue?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyommatus_albicans#/media/File:Lysandra_albicans_M_2.jpg

    Edit. The size seems to be wrong - this is small.
  • floraliesfloralies Posts: 2,718
    I would say black veined white also as this has translucent fore wings.
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Not a sign of them today. Oh well, they may have to be my imaginary friends - OH had an imaginary greenfinch friend, until finally I spotted it too  :)
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Well my fluttering friends were back on the silk tree today, and I owe you all a big apology - I got the scale totally wrong (I blame my new powerful binoculars!) ‘cos I saw one up close with the naked eye and it’s not that big and it’s not a butterfly:


    Box Tree Moth - not my photo.

    Fortunately I don’t have any box, but I do have euonymus, which I believe they are also fond of. Hmm, not so much of a friend, perhaps.

    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    ah, Box Moth


    In the sticks near Peterborough
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