Estonia butterfly tour 6-13 June, 2012

By Mike Williams – Vice-chair, Butterfly Conservation “European Interests Group"

The first butterfly tour in Estonia organised by Estonian Nature Tours for UK butterfly enthusiasts took place in early June this year and proved a great success. The tour was led by Mike Williams, a long standing member of Butterfly Conservation UK, and Erki Õunap, a butterfly specialist based at the University of Tartu. The combination of northern species with those more often found in the more eastern part of Europe means that Estonia has a lot to offer the butterfly enthusiast and participants on this tour were certainly not disappointed with what they found. Visits to a number of bog and forest habitats in south-eastern Estonia together with a couple of days on Saaremaa Island produced a wealth of fabulous butterflies and other wildlife. Stand out species included many sightings of Northern Chequered Skipper (Carterocephalus silvicola), Clouded Apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne) and Bog Fritillary (Boloria eunomia) together with Baltic Grayling (Oeneis jutta) and Scarce Heath (Coenonympha hero).

Northern Chequered Skipper, Carterocephalus silvicola / Wilfred Powell

Clouded Apollo, Parnassius mnemosyne / Mike Williams

Bog Fritillary, Boloria eunomia / Mike Williams

The generally sunny conditions enjoyed throughout the trip meant some excellent opportunities for the keen photographers in the group and many quality images were taken of butterflies and other wildlife seen. The fact that it has been a late Spring in Estonia meant that many of the butterflies were freshly emerged and an added bonus was to find species that would normally have disappeared by this time of the year like Camberwell Beauty (Nymphalis antiope) still on the wing.

Amanda's Blue, Polyommatus amandus / Wilfred Powell

Good quality food and accommodation was provided by Mooste Guesthouse and Pilguse Manor, as well as the privately run establishments where a welcome lunch was provided on some days. Altogether 52 species of butterflies were recorded during the 7 day tour which was an impressive total for early June and this, combined with Estonia’s fantastic scenery and friendly hospitality, meant that participants returned home with fond memories of their visit.

Accommodation at Pilguse Manor / Julia Powell


 Butterfly rich meadow at Vana-Vastseliina / Julia Powell


Photographing Woodland Brown on Saaremaa / Julia Powell

Client comments:

„This is just to add my personal thanks for a tremendous week in your beautiful homeland. Erki was very generous with his time and efforts to show us as many species as possible. We saw a lot of wonderful stuff – most of it in prime condition. I enjoyed it hugely and would love to come back before long – maybe when the big Nymphalids are flying! With very best wishes to you both.“ David Dennis – National Chair, Butterfly Conservation / UK, June 2012

Read also Ode to ESTONIA...

„Personally, it was a great pleasure to visit Estonia again and to meet Peeter and Marika again. I very much enjoyed the trip, as did my wife Julia, and I saw 7 butterfly species that I had never seen before. Everyone else on the trip also gave me very positive feedback and said they had an excellent holiday." Wilfred Powell – Butterfly Conservation (member), Wildlife Trust (member), Bedfordshire Natural History Society (member of Counsil) / UK, June-July 2012

Species list (27 June to 4 July, in all 56 species):

1. Northern Chequered Skipper / Carterocephalus silvicolus

2. Chequered Skipper / Carterocephalus palaemon

3. Large Chequered / Skipper Heteropterus morpheus

4. Dingy Skipper / Erynnis tages

5. Large Skipper / Ochlodes sylvanus

6. Essex Skipper / Thymelicus lineolus

7. Small Skipper / Thymelicus sylvestris

8. Grizzled Skipper / Pyrgus malvae

9. Olive Skipper / Pyrgus serratulae

10. Clouded Apollo / Parnassius mnemosyne

11. Swallowtail / Papilio machaon

12. Brimstone / Gonepteryx rhamni

13. Black-veined / White Aporia crataegi

14. Green-veined / White Pieris napi

15. Wood White / Leptidea sinapis

16. Black Hairstreak / Satyrium pruni

17. Large Copper / Lycaena dispar

18. Purple-edged Copper / Lycaena hippothoe

19. Purple-shot Copper / Lycaena alciphron

20. Sooty Copper / Lycaena tityrus

21. Geranium Argus / Eumedonia eumedon

22. Small Blue / Cupido minimus

23. Large Blue / Maculinea arion

24. Mazarine Blue / Cyaniris semiargus

25. Common Blue / Polyommatus icarus

26. Amanda's Blue /  Polyommatus amandus

27. Cranberry Blue / Plebejus optilete

28. Silver-studded Blue / Plebejus argus

29. Poplar Admiral / Limenitis populi

30. White Admiral / Limenitis camilla

31. Painted Lady / Vanessa cardui

32. Red Admiral / Vanessa atalanta

33. Peacock / Inachis io

34. Small Tortoiseshell / Aglais urticae

35. Dark Green Fritillary / Argynnis aglaja

36. High Brown Fritillary / Argynnis adippe

37. Queen of Spain Fritillary / Issoria lathonia

38. Lesser Marbled Fritillary / Brenthis ino

39. Pearl-bordered Fritillary / Boloria euphrosyne

40. Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary / Boloria selene

41. Glanville Fritillary / Melitaea cinxia

42. Knapweed Fritillary / Melitaea phoebe

43. False Heath Fritillary / Melitaea diamina

44. Nickerl's Fritillary / Mellicta aurelia

45. Heath Fritillary / Mellicta athalia

46. Scarce Fritillary / Euphydryas maturna

47. Woodland Brown / Lopinga achine

48. Ringlet / Aphantopus hyperantus

49. Speckled Wood / Pararge aegeria

50. Large Wall Brown / Lasiommata maera

51. Meadow Brown / Maniola jurtina

52. Scarce Heath / Coenonympha hero

53. Pearly Heath / Coenonympha arcania

54. Chestnut Heath / Coenonympha glycerion

55. Large Heath / Coenonympha tullia

56. Small Heath / Coenonympha pamphilus