
Jardin Botanique Le Maurier
Jardin Botanique Le Maurier

Papillons Butterflies and moths
These are my own photographs or taken by my husband (RvdH) and all taken in Le Maurier garden in various years.
Ce sont toutes nos propres photos prises dans le jardin botanique.
Je peux très bien me tromper de nomenclature : je ne suis pas spécialiste !
Merci de vos commentaires et rectifications !
Papillons Butterflies and moths
These are my own photographs or taken by my husband (RvdH) and all taken in Le Maurier garden in various years.
Ce sont toutes nos propres photos prises dans le jardin botanique.
Je peux très bien me tromper de nomenclature : je ne suis pas spécialiste !
Merci de vos commentaires et rectifications !

Hesperia comma Silver spotted skipper, female
Hesperia comma Silver spotted skipper, female
Sort très tôt, en février. Le premier papillion à être apperçu dans ce jardin, d'habitude dans la véranda. Ici - le 9 février 2022 - il est à l'extérieur, devant la grange.
This tiny butterfly 15 mm is the first to come out, when winter is still around. I usually spot it in the veranda but this one was on the top lawn in front of the barn 9 February 2022. Seen here in a typical basking position with its forewings slightly raised. Its range is given as "most of Europe" but in Britain it is one of the rarest butterflies, restricted to a few chalk and limestone hillsides in the south.

Provencal Blue, female
Provencal Blue, female


Brown Argus
Brown Argus

Satyre marbré Marbled Ringlet
Erebia montana
Satyre marbré Marbled Ringlet
Erebia montana
Une seule volée : juillet – septembre en colonies
Nourriture de la chenille : graminées en particulier Festuca et Nardus stricta
Dans ce jardin l’imago butine surtout la marjolaine
Seen here on marjoram, its favourite food plant in this garden
One single flight July-Sept in colonies
Caterpillar feeds on grasses

Small Skipper
Small Skipper
Likes to rest with its wings half-open, as here. Photographed on drying knapweed, July 2021

Thècle (?) Hairstreak on Marjoram
Satyrhum ???
(To be identified)
Thècle (?) Hairstreak on Marjoram
Satyrhum ???
(To be identified)

Weaver's Fritillary
Clossiana dia
Weaver's Fritillary
Clossiana dia

Petit nacré
Queen of Spain Fritillary on buddleia
Issoria lathonia
Nouriture de la chenille : les violettes
L'imago butine une grande gamme de fleurs
Petit nacré
Queen of Spain Fritillary on buddleia
Issoria lathonia
Nouriture de la chenille : les violettes
L'imago butine une grande gamme de fleurs


Sylvain azuré Southern White Admiral
Limenitis reducta
Nouriture de la chenille : chèvrefeuilles. Ici l'imago se pose sur la marjolaine.
The caterpillar feeds on honeysuckle. Here the imago is feeding on marjoram.
Sylvain azuré Southern White Admiral
Limenitis reducta
Nouriture de la chenille : chèvrefeuilles. Ici l'imago se pose sur la marjolaine.
The caterpillar feeds on honeysuckle. Here the imago is feeding on marjoram.





Le Flambé Scarce Swallowtail
Iphiclides podalirius
Nourriture de la chenille : prunelliers, arbres fruitiers
The caterpillar feeds on the leaves of trees in the prunus family
Le Flambé Scarce Swallowtail
Iphiclides podalirius
Nourriture de la chenille : prunelliers, arbres fruitiers
The caterpillar feeds on the leaves of trees in the prunus family

Machaon Swallowtail
Papilio machaon
This photo by RvdH 5-7-2022
Machaon Swallowtail
Papilio machaon
This photo by RvdH 5-7-2022
Nourriture de la chenille : Ombellifers
The caterpillar is first black and white and later green with orange and black rings. It feeds exclusively on the leaves of Umbelllifers.
Chenille de machaon
Chenille de machaon





Green-veined White
Green-veined White

Semi-apollon Clouded Apollo
Parnassius mnemosyne
Semi-apollon Clouded Apollo
Parnassius mnemosyne

Le Demi-deuil Western Marbled White
Melanargia occitanica (galathiae ?)
Le Demi-deuil Western Marbled White
Melanargia occitanica (galathiae ?)
Native to North Africa and S-W Europe

Western Marbled White with crab spider
Western Marbled White with crab spider
The Crab Spider has started to turn blue to match the scabious flower it is hiding in. I think with the Western Marbled White it has bitten off more than it can handle! July 2021

Petite tortue Small Tortoiseshell
Aglais urticae
Petite tortue Small Tortoiseshell
Aglais urticae

La Lucine Duke of Burgundy
Hamearis lucina
La Lucine Duke of Burgundy
Hamearis lucina
Seen here on a buddleia, August 2021.
This butterfly is imported from S. America and is the only representative of its family in Europe.

Vanessa Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui
Photo: RvdH 24-7-2022
Vanessa Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui
Photo: RvdH 24-7-2022
Un migrateur du Magreb, des fois en grand nombre. Se trouve dans le monde entier, même observé en Icelande !
Migrates from N.Africa, sometimes in large numbers.
Food plant: Thistles
The adult feeds on almost any flower

Citron de Provence Male and female Cleopatra
Gonepteryx cleopatra
Citron de Provence Male and female Cleopatra
Gonepteryx cleopatra
Male upperside is brilliant yellow with a large orange patch on the forewing. The female is very pale green.
d'autres vues du Gonepteryx cleopatra
d'autres vues du Gonepteryx cleopatra





Grand paon de nuit Giant Peacock Moth, male and female
Saturnia pyri
Grand paon de nuit Giant Peacock Moth, male and female
Saturnia pyri
Very rare. The largest European moth (wingspan 15-20 cm) Only lives for one day, during which time it does not feed. On the garden gatepost, this male (top) was joined briefly by his mate. One sighting in this garden in 2016; another (male only) in 2022 on the veranda door.





Giant Peacock Moth caterpillar
Giant Peacock Moth caterpillar
Spotted in a lane leading from the village of Turriers, July 2021. The spiny "buttons" are actually bright blue!

Sphynx colibri Hummingbird hawk moth
Macroglossum stellatarum
Sphynx colibri Hummingbird hawk moth
Macroglossum stellatarum

Zeuzère du poirier Leopard moth
Zeuzera pyrina
Zeuzère du poirier Leopard moth
Zeuzera pyrina
Seen only once in Le Maurier garden, sadly in the throes of dying.

Sylvandre sp. Woodland greyling
Hipparchia fagi
Sylvandre sp. Woodland greyling
Hipparchia fagi
Sur un cynorrhodon Seen here on a wild rose

Écaille chinée Jersey Tiger Moth
Euplagia quadipunctaria
fam. Arctiidae
Écaille chinée Jersey Tiger Moth
Euplagia quadipunctaria
fam. Arctiidae
Seen here emerging on a geranium (2020). The underwings are the same colour as the flower.

Tiger Moth, open
Tiger Moth, open

Spurge Hawk Moth caterpillar
Hyles euphorbiae
Spurge Hawk Moth caterpillar
Hyles euphorbiae

Sphynx du tilleul Lime Hawkmoth, male
Mimas tiliae
Fam. Sphingidae
25-5-2023 on Cyprus tree, Hot Garden
Sphynx du tilleul Lime Hawkmoth, male
Mimas tiliae
Fam. Sphingidae
25-5-2023 on Cyprus tree, Hot Garden
The caterpillar is pale green (not yet spotted in this garden!). In Southern Europe there are 2 generations, May and August. The caterpillars feed on lime, birch elm and alder. The nearest lime trees to this garden are in the field opposite the front of the house. Overwinters as a pupa in the soil.

Death's Head Hawk Moth
Acherontia atropos
Death's Head Hawk Moth
Acherontia atropos
Named for the skull-like marking on its thorax (just visible in this image). A migrant from Africa! Does not visit flowers, but is known to enter beehives to take honey. Feeds on potatoes, nightshades and related plants. Common in S. Europe, rare in Britain. Photographed May 2021 on the veranda wall (there are tomatoes nearby!)

(any help?)
(any help?)

Pimprinelle à six points Six-spot burnet
Zygaenia filipendula​
(a day-flying moth)
Pimprinelle à six points Six-spot burnet
Zygaenia filipendula​
(a day-flying moth)

Acidalie ornée Lace Border moth
Scopula ornata
Acidalie ornée Lace Border moth
Scopula ornata
Foodplant: Thyme and marjoram