Some days ago we visited one of Slovenia's butterfly hotspots, the southern edge of Trnovski gozd (the Trnovo forest). This is an area of dry mountain meadows at an altitude between 1000-1200 meters above the sea, bordered by the mixed Dinaric forests of the Trnovo plateau. The area is so rich with butterflies (but also floristically diverse) because it lays right along the Dinaric ridge, which represents a meeting point of different biogeographical regions. Here plants and animals typical of the Mediterranean mix with those from the continent, the Alps and the Balkans.
During our visit we observed 35 species of butterflies, many of which were interesting, scarce or locally rare species. We were mostly excited by the find of several
Apollos Parnassius apollo, one of Slovenia's rarest and most endangered butterflies (see
last year's post), but also other local specialities like
Styrian Ringlet Erebia stirius,
Great Sooty Satyr Satyrus ferula and
Clouded Apollo Parnassius mnemosyne. This time we were so excited that we even wrote a complete butterfly check-list of the trip - you can find it at the end of the post.
Apart from butterflies we enjoyed in the carpets of flowering mountain plants, including many rare ones like
White Sainfoin Onobrychis alba,
Grass-leaved Scabious Scabiosa graminifiolia, the endemic
Hladnikia Hladnikia pastinacifolia (only found in Trnovski gozd and nowhere else),
Carniolan Lily Lilium carniolicum,
Spiked Bellflower Campanula spicata,
Carniolan Vetch Astragalus carniolicus and many many others. Among birds the most interesting sights were all from the road: 3
Short-toed Eagles Circaetus gallicus (2 near Sežana and 1 near Vipava) and a fly-by
Hoopoe Upupa epops in the Vipava valley. In the dry mountain meadows
Rock Buntings Emberiza cia were most prominent.
 |
| Mountain meadows above the Vipava valley. |
 |
Apollo Parnassius apollo. We observed at least 4 different.
|
 |
| Some say the "eye" markings on the Apollo's wings were the main inspiration for the colour signs that are used in Slovenia for marking mountain paths. |
 |
Great Sooty Satyr Satyrus ferula.
A localised species of dry rocky places along karstic ridges in western Slovenia. |
 |
Styrian Ringlet Erebia stirius.
An alpine species with isolated populations in the Dinaric mountains
(Trnovski gozd, Nanos and Kočevsko).
|
 |
| Arran Brown Erebia ligea |
 |
| Queen of Spain Fritillary Issoria lathonia |
 |
| Great Banded Grayling Brintesia circe |
 |
| Lesser Spotted Fritillary Melitaea trivia |
 |
| Assman's/Nickerl's Fritillary Melitaea britomartis/aurelia |
 |
| Marbled White Melanargia galathea |
 |
| High Brown Fritillary Argynnis adippe |
 |
| Pearly Heath Coenonympha arcania |
 |
| Black-veined White Aporia crataegi |
 |
| Grayling Hipparchia semele |
 |
Silver-washed Fritillary Argynnis paphia (dark form valesina)
|
 |
| Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni |
 |
| Spiked Bellflower Campanula spicata |
 |
| Rock Bunting Emberiza cia |
Complete butterfly check-list of the day (not in systematic order) - tot. 35 species:
| Blue-spot Hairstreak |
Satyrium spini |
| Marbled White |
Melanargia galathea |
| Pearly Heath |
Coenonympha arcania |
| Small White |
Pieris rapae |
| Silver-washed Fritillary |
Argynnis paphia |
| Styrian Ringlet |
Erebia stirius |
| Heath Fritillary |
Melitaea athalia |
| Chestnut Heath |
Coenonympha glycerion |
| Scarce Swallowtail |
Iphiclides podalirius |
| Common Swallowtail |
Papilio machaon |
| Queen of Spain Fritillary |
Issoria lathonia |
| Brimstone |
Gonepteryx rhamni |
| Lesser Spotted Fritillary |
Melitaea trivia |
| High Brown Fritillary |
Argynnis adippe |
| Large Wall Brown |
Lasiommata maera |
| Painted Lady |
Vanessa cardui |
| Spotted Fritillary |
Melitaea didyma |
| Large Skipper |
Ochlodes sylvanus (venatus) |
| Peacock |
Aglais io |
| Great Banded Grayling |
Brintesia circe |
| Clouded Apollo |
Parnassius mnemosyne |
| Grayling |
Hipparchia semele |
| Mazarine Blue |
Cyaniris semiargus |
| Common Blue |
Polyommatus icarus |
| Arran Brown |
Erebia ligea |
| Meadow Brown |
Maniola jurtina |
| Assman’s/Nickerl’s Fritillary |
Melitaea britomartis/aurelia |
| Black-veined White |
Aporia crataegi |
| Small Blue |
Cupido minimus |
| Large White |
Pieris brassicae |
| Apollo |
Parnassius apollo |
| Large Chequered Skipper |
Heteropterus morpheus |
| Duke of Burgundy |
Hamearis lucina |
| Great Sooty Satyr |
Satyrus ferula |
| Scotch Argus |
Erebia aethiops |
Read more about Slovenian butterflies and their diversity on our website:
Butterflies of Slovenia.
