Send a postcard to Your friend and do a favour to an endangered butterfly!

The one and only known habitat of an endangered butterfly species Scythris penicillata in the whole World is located in Kogula, Saaremaa island. Thereby the destiny of this tiny creature is commended to our hands. We speak here about a really petty bronze-brown butterfly with its wingspan of 9 mm. This extremely rare species was discovered by Finnish lepidopterologists in 1994 in Kogula, Saaremaa. They had a hard time of identifying the species, until given a hand by Swedish scientist Bengt Bengtsson, one of the best specialists of this family in the world. Scythris penicillata was first escribed  in 1900 in French Alps. In after years the habitat was so severely altered by human that the species was never spotted again.

Buying and sending the donation postcard, published in cooperation between Estonian Fund for Nature (ELF) and lepidopterologists as a gift, one can contribute to protecting the endangered butterfly species  Scythris penicillata and its habitat. The donation postcard was published with the help of volunteers. Illustrations and layout of the postcard are by Maria Karolin. Printing was supported by the print shop Kroonpress. The postcards are printed with vegetable oil printing inks on small carbon footprint paper, using only precipitation water and renewable electricity

Donation postcards are available in the ELF office for subscription by mail. There are five, ten and twenty Euros donation amount postcards to choose among. First make the money transfer and then send your subscription together with the postal address to elf@elfond.ee or make a call: +372 742 8443.

Payment details:

Receiver: Eestimaa Looduse Fond
Receiver address : Lai 29, Tartu, ESTONIA
IBAN: EE282200221005100292
Bank name: Swedbank      
Bank address: Liivalaia 8, 15040 Tallinn, ESTONIA
Bank BIC/SWIFT code: HABAEE2X

Video clip (90 sec, in Estonian) feturing Urmas Jürivete (specialist of petty butterflies, Estonian Lepidopterologists Society) introducing Scythris penicillata:

We have still places on our Butterflies & Dragonflies Holidays 2015:

Wild Flowers & Butterflies                    

Sun 7th Jun - Sun 14th Jun         

An 8-day fully-inclusive holiday in search of wild flowers and other wildlife of Estonia, amongst them a fine selection of orchids and rare butterfly species such as Baltic Grayling, Scarce Heath, Scarce Fritillary, Frigga's Fritillary, Bog Fritillary, Cranberry Blue, Clouded Apollo, Northern Chequered Skipper, Poplar Admiral etc.

BOOK HERE...

Scarce Fritillary (Euphydryas maturna) / Wilfred Powell

 

Dragonfly Holiday                                

Wed 10th Jun - Sun 14th Jun       

An 8-day wildlife holiday in search of the dragonflies (and butterflies) of Estonia, amongst them a fine selection of rare species as Siberian Winter Damsel, Azure Hawker, Green Hawker, Bog Hawker, Baltic Hawker, Dark Whiteface, Spearhead Bluet, Yellow-Spotted Emerald as well as Baltic Grayling, Scarce Heath, Scarce Fritillary, Frigga's Fritillary, Bog Fritillary, Cranberry Blue, Clouded Apollo, Northern Chequered Skipper, Poplar Admiral etc.

BOOK HERE...

Woodland Brown (Lopinga achine) / Wilfred Powell

 Siberian Winter Damselfly (Sympecma paedisca) / Peeter Vissak

Clouded Apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne) / Mike Williams

Yellow-Winged Darter (Sympetrum flaveolum) / Peeter Vissak

Northern Chequered Skipper ( carterocephal silvicolus) / Wilfred Powell

For futher information on Butterfly trips we have on offer, plus booking details, terms and conditions please phone or e-mail us:
Tel:  +372 5349 6695 / E-mail: info@naturetours.ee

Ilmunud on uus raamat "Eesti päevaliblikad"

Ilmunud on Erki Õunap´i ja Urmas Tartese raamat "Eesti päevaliblikad". Erki Õunap on ühtlasi ka Estonian Nature Tours´i liblika- ja kiilireiside giid.

Raamatu eesmärk on tutvustada meil elavaid päevaliblikaid, nende elukäiku, elupaiku ja olla teejuhiks nende kaunite loomade elu tundmaõppimisel. Raamatust leiab ka juhised liblikate vaatlemiseks ja kogumiseks. Raamatu üldosa on illustreeritud Eestis pildistatud fotodega.
Olulise osa raamatust moodustavad fototahvlid ja liigikirjeldused Eesti ja meie lähialade päevaliblikatest. Nendes on toodud kõik Eesti alal leitud päevaliblikate liigid. Lisatud on ka liike, kes esinevad meie naaberaladel ja võivad samuti meile sattuda. Fototahvlitel kujutatud liblikad on pildistatud teaduslike kogude eksemplaridest. Vaid nii on võimalik näidata kõiki olulisi määramistunnuseid ja saada mõistliku aja jooksul pilte kõikidest liikidest. Nende abil peaks igaüks suutma Eesti looduses kohatud päevaliblika ära määrata.
Loodame, et käesolev raamat annab oma panuse meie looduse paremale tundmaõppimisele ja seeläbi ka selle paremale hoidmisele.

Raamat on saadaval ka internetis:

Varrak

Apollo

Rahva Raamat

Butterfly holidays 2013

One of the tours is already fully booked, another runs from the Tue 02nd July – Tue 09th July. It is an 8-day wildlife holiday in search of the butterflies and moths of Estonia, amongst them a fine selection of rare species such as Baltic Grayling, Scarce Heath, Scarce Fritillary, Frigga's Fritillary, Bog Fritillary, Cranberry Blue, Clouded Apollo, Northern Chequered Skipper, Poplar Admiral etc.

Trip: Butterfly Holiday 2013
Period: Tue 02nd July- Tue 09th July
Group size: 6/10 pax
Grading: Day walks only, for all ages
Accommodation: Comfortable hotel with private facilities
Food: Restaurants and local farms
Leaders: Peeter Vissak & Wilfred Powell (UK)
Extensions: Cultural/sightseeing extensions available on request
Local oganizer / agent: Estonian Nature Tours

Price: 1125 EUR per person
Single suppl. 205 EUR

Includes:
English- Estonian speaking guide(s)  troughout the journey, Beaver safari (2-4 boats), 7 dinners and 6 lunches, ferry tickets, 14-seats bus with driver. Entrance fees to protected areas. Guided tour in Tallin Old Town, transfer to the airport on last day. Accommodation.

Excludes:
Beverages and sauna. International tickets. Lunch in Tallinn on last day (everyone can walk and eat by theirselves before the transfer to the Airport).

For Tour itinerary, plus booking details, terms and conditions please phone or e-mail us:
Tel: +372 5349 6695 / E-mail: info@naturetours.ee

Woodland Brown (Lopinga achine) / Wilfred Powell

The latest newsletter of the Bedfordshire Natural History Society has an article on our Butterfly trip to Estonia last year. You can view the article by searching for "Wild about Beds" No.165 (the article "Butterflies in Estonia" is on p.8). 

 Amanda´s Blue (Polyommatus amandus) / Wilfred Powell

The first two butterfly tours in Estonia organised by Estonian Nature Tours for UK butterfly enthusiasts took place in early June and July last year and proved a great success. Both group leaders plan to revisit Estonia in 2013 with more butterfly lovers. Read more...

Poplar Admiral (Liminitis populi) / Wilfred Powell

Musical slaidshow - Estonia in July 2011

Photos: Andrea Broughton & John Bridges

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

Ode to Estonia

By David Dennis – National Chair, Butterfly Conservation UK

When Mike said ‘We’re off to Estonia,

Where there’s lots of new species to snap.’

I said ‘I’ve always wanted to go there’

But then had to check on the map!

We found it was pleasantly rural

Full of insects and birdlife and frogs

You can wander around at your leisure

But you need to watch out for the bogs!

A bog was our first destination

At first we all thought it a breeze

But you mustn’t stand still for a moment

Or the water comes up to your knees.

Now the butterflies are quite amazing

With strange adaptations, we hear.

The adults are fitted with snorkels

And the larvae have full scuba gear.

We were nine, seven blokes and two ladies

Mike had hoped they would keep us in check

And inhibit our drinking and swearing.

Do you reckon it worked? Did it heck!!

Now our Ron was in charge of moth trapping

And we saw what a fine job he did

Up until he cross-wired the electrics

And buggered the National Grid.

But Mike saw the whole situation

And sorted it all without fuss.

He made sure that no one was injured

Then went back to sleep on the bus.

One night we went looking for beavers

And it felt quite relaxing and calm.

The beavers were not very active

So we thought ‘We will come to no harm.’

But suddenly from a giant cruiser

A tsunami came at us at speed!

We said ‘Never mind metre-long beavers,

It’s a metre of loo roll we need!’

But the one who’s impressed us is Tony

With his knowledge of everything small.

He’s identified hundreds of micros

Which mostly you can’t see at all!

All in all it’s been truly amazing

There’s been butterflies, banter and beer.

And it’s all down to Mike and to Erki

So we hope they’ll invite us next year!

Estonia butterfly tour 6-13 June, 2012.

 Weaver's Fritillary, Boloria dia / David Dennis

 Poplar Admiral, Limenitis populi / Wilfred Powell

 Scarce Fritillary, Euphydryas maturna / Wilfred Powell

Woodland Brown, Lopinga achine / Wilfred Powell

Special New Year offer for Bird Watching Readers!

For more information, and to book click here and use the special code – 533 1KAH – to get your exclusive Bird Watching discount.

Estonian Nature Tours are making a special New Year offer to Bird Watching readers, with a spring birdwatching tour of the Baltic country, between May 11 and 18, available for just 995 Euros (about £830) per person.

A variety of other birdwatching, butterfly, botanical, mammal watching, wildlife photography and nature study trips in the unspoiled landscapes of Estonia are also available.

Visit one of the most beautiful countries in Europe!

We have a wonderful photo-gallery of Estonian nature. Share the gallery also with your friends.
Click here to see it...

Variety of our trips: Tour calendar 2012...

Fantastic New Year´s offer!

See also some videos of Estonian nature here...

For the latest news and best travel offers:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EstonianNature
Twitter: http://twitter.com/EstonianNature
Blog: http://estoniannature.blogspot.com/

Visit one of the most beautiful countries in Europe!

We have a wonderful photo-gallery of Estonian nature. Share the gallery also with your friends.
Click here to see it...

Estonia is a wonderful place to see wildlife at any time of year with fantastic birdwatching including Steller’s Eiders, Ural Owl, Pygmy Owl, Great Snipe, Nutcracker, Citrine Wagtail, Lesser Spotted Eagle, 8 species of Woodpeckers, sea ducks, Hazel Grouse and massive numbers of birds on migration. Butterflies, dragonflies and flowers are equally exciting and the country is renowned for its large number of mammals – over 150 Wolves, 500-600 Brown Bears and almost 20 000 Beavers plus Flying Squirrels and an incredible 700-800 Lynx, one of the strongest populations in Europe!

Variety of our trips: Tour calendar 2012...

See also some videos of Estonian nature here...

Copyright: Tuuli Mann

Click here if you can not see the text of the add...

Butterflies & Dragonflies Promotional tour in Estonia

Representatives of Butterfly Conservation and British Dragonfly Society visited Estonia!

At the beginning of August, Estonian Nature Tours (ENT) was joined by representatives from Butterfly Conservation, BC “European Interests Group” and British Dragonfly Society for an invitational visit to Estonia. The main aim of the tour was to introduce to the world, with the help of motivated specialists and future partners, butterfly and dragonfly watching opportunities that our unique wildlife has to offer in the middle of Summer, but also to promote the Estonian Nature Conservation and the principles of sustainable tourism offered by Estonian Nature Tours. Participants of the tour were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the well-maintained hiking trails, semi-natural meadows, excellent roads, Estonian cooking and the comfortable accomodation. Descriptions of this positive tour experience will be appearing in articles, reports and nature films in various websites, newsletters and magazines during the coming months. Estonia as an attractive butterfly and dragonfly destination will be showcased to over a 30 000 nature enthusiast around Europe. ENT will start selling the new tours in European markets by late autumn 2011. This Promotional tour was donated by Estonian Nature Tours with co-operation to NGO Lääne-Eesti Tourism. Many thanks to Erki Õunap, Wilf Powell, Peeter Vissak, Urmas Tartes, Tarvo Valker, Agu Leivits, Rita Miller, Mike Williams, Roger Wasley and Dave Smallshire!

Common Blue, Polyommatus icarus / Peeter Vissak

Butterfly Conservation was formed in 1968 and have more than 16,000 members in the UK and 31 volunteer Branches throughout the British Isles.

The European Interests Group of Butterfly Conservation was established on 2006 and aims to promote the enjoyment, conservation and study of butterflies, moths and their habitats in Europe.

The British Dragonfly Society (BDS) was founded in 1983 and the current membership of about 1,500 is spread the length and breadth of the country, as well as into Europe and beyond.

Yellow–winged Darter, Sympetrum flaveolum / Peeter Vissak

Despite its small size and northern position Estonia is a wonderful place to see butterflies and dragonflies. Because of its history, large parts of the country have remained completely wild, while farming methods in many areas are unintensive resulting in a mosaic of excellent habitats such as numerous flowery meadows, natural forests and massive bog areas. As a result we have many insect species which are rare elsewhere in Europe, such as Clouded Apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne), Moorland Clouded Yellow (Colias palaeno), Large Copper (Lucaena dispar), Siberian Winter Damsel (Sympecma paedisca) and Lilypad Whiteface (Leucorrhinia caudalis).

Common Hawker male, Aeshna juncaea / Peeter Vissak

There is a large overlap of southern and northern species here. Many species with a more northern distribution reach the southern part of their range including butterflies such as Baltic Grayling (Oeneis jutta), Lapland Ringlet (Erebia embla) and Northern Chequered Skipper (Carterocephal silvicolus) plus dragonflies like Bog Hawker (Aeshna subarctica) and Arctic Bluet (Coenagrion johanssoni). Weaver’s Fritillary (Clossiana dia), Woodland Brown (Lopinga achine) and many other species reach their furthest north, particulalry where limstone reaches the surtface. For other species this is the centre of their distribution in Europe including several of the delightful ’Whiteface’ dragonflies such as Ruby, Yellow-spotted and Dark Whitefaces (Leucorrhinia rubicunda, L. pectoralis and L. albifrons) as well as the coastal Baltic Hawker (Aeshna serrata) and butterflies such as Cranberry Blue (Plebejus optilete) Bog Fritillary (Proclossiana eunomia) and Cranberry Fritillary (Boloria aquilonaris).

See a video about the promotional tour...
Estonia Dragonflies and Butterflies checklist 2011

High Brown Fritillary, Argynnis adippe / Peeter Vissak

Yellow-winged Darter, Sympetrum / Urmas Tartes

Green Snaketail, Ophiogomphus cecilia / Urmas Tartes

Wasp Spider, Agriope bruennichi / Peeter Vissak