Just got back from Madeira where high up (above 3000 feet) we saw a lot of
largish, yellow with orange markings, Butterflies, there seemed to be two
sorts one larger than the other but similarly coloured. the larger a bit
bigger than a red admiral.
I do not recall any black markings just orange (they were not very
cooperative as each time they settled on the Agapanthus flowers they closed
their wings!) and I was being hassled to be careful as we were next to a 600
foot drop!

If no one is able to point me at a suggestion from this rubbish description
I should have pictures later but had a slide film in which I have not yet
finished.

Also saw a lot of Milkweed Butterflies which at first thought to be Monarchs
but they were lower down

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collections of Clematis viticella (cvs) and
Lapageria rosea

On 11/10/06 18:27, in article , "Charlie
Pridham" wrote:

Just got back from Madeira where high up (above 3000 feet) we saw a lot of
largish, yellow with orange markings, Butterflies, there seemed to be two
sorts one larger than the other but similarly coloured. the larger a bit
bigger than a red admiral.

The only truly yellow one I can find is on a same-sex holidays site from the
Madeiran tourism board.
http://www.madeira-tourist.com/pages...x/samesex.html

Unfortunately, it doesn't give its name.

I do not recall any black markings just orange (they were not very
cooperative as each time they settled on the Agapanthus flowers they closed
their wings!) and I was being hassled to be careful as we were next to a 600
foot drop!

Not surprising!

If no one is able to point me at a suggestion from this rubbish description
I should have pictures later but had a slide film in which I have not yet
finished.

Also saw a lot of Milkweed Butterflies which at first thought to be Monarchs
but they were lower down

Did you have a lovely holiday and did you go to the Blandy garden this time?
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 11/10/06 18:27, in article , "Charlie
Pridham" wrote:

Just got back from Madeira where high up (above 3000 feet) we saw a lot
of
largish, yellow with orange markings, Butterflies, there seemed to be
two
sorts one larger than the other but similarly coloured. the larger a bit
bigger than a red admiral.

The only truly yellow one I can find is on a same-sex holidays site from
the
Madeiran tourism board.
http://www.madeira-tourist.com/pages...x/samesex.html

Unfortunately, it doesn't give its name.

I do not recall any black markings just orange (they were not very
cooperative as each time they settled on the Agapanthus flowers they
closed
their wings!) and I was being hassled to be careful as we were next to a
600
foot drop!

Not surprising!

If no one is able to point me at a suggestion from this rubbish
description
I should have pictures later but had a slide film in which I have not
yet
finished.

Also saw a lot of Milkweed Butterflies which at first thought to be
Monarchs
but they were lower down

Did you have a lovely holiday and did you go to the Blandy garden this
time?
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

Yes we had a lovely time, it had rain between your visit and ours so forest
fires were under control, but our week was sunny throughout.
Yes the Blandy garden was due for a repeat visit and you are quite right the
opening times have been extended and they are doing a lot of work in the
garden with several previously run down parts looking a lot better, we
walked back toward Funchal in the afternoon along the levada that runs just
above the garden. But the star for me was the high levada we came through a
tunnel from sunshine, agapanthus and hydrangea and were in what almost
seemed a wild garden, just stuffed with the Native madeiran plants, dripping
ferns and cool atmosphere, sadly we chickened out after the next tunnels as
the path became very narrow at less than 6" and the drops were a lot worse
than 600 feet!
The picture of the butterflies is what they looked like with their wings
closed

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collections of Clematis viticella (cvs) and
Lapageria rosea

Monarch and Milkweed is same thing. See http://www.butterfly-conservation.or...a/monarch.html

"Charlie Pridham" wrote in message
...

snip
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

Yes we had a lovely time, it had rain between your visit and ours so
forest
fires were under control, but our week was sunny throughout.
Yes the Blandy garden was due for a repeat visit and you are quite right
the
opening times have been extended and they are doing a lot of work in the
garden with several previously run down parts looking a lot better, we
walked back toward Funchal in the afternoon along the levada that runs
just
above the garden. But the star for me was the high levada we came through
a
tunnel from sunshine, agapanthus and hydrangea and were in what almost
seemed a wild garden, just stuffed with the Native madeiran plants,
dripping
ferns and cool atmosphere, sadly we chickened out after the next tunnels
as
the path became very narrow at less than 6" and the drops were a lot worse
than 600 feet!
The picture of the butterflies is what they looked like with their wings
closed


google for images of
"brimstone butterfly"
In Ireland (and UK) you get just one species: "the" brimstone.
No idea how many species you get elsewhere.

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collections of Clematis viticella (cvs) and
Lapageria rosea

On 12/10/06 09:10, in article , "Charlie
Pridham" wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
snip

Did you have a lovely holiday and did you go to the Blandy garden this
time?
--

Yes we had a lovely time, it had rain between your visit and ours so forest
fires were under control, but our week was sunny throughout.

Yes, we had only one day of rain but unfortunately, it was the day we 'did
the tour', so the views and panoramas were a closed book to us!

Yes the Blandy garden was due for a repeat visit and you are quite right the
opening times have been extended and they are doing a lot of work in the
garden with several previously run down parts looking a lot better, we
walked back toward Funchal in the afternoon along the levada that runs just
above the garden. But the star for me was the high levada we came through a
tunnel from sunshine, agapanthus and hydrangea and were in what almost
seemed a wild garden, just stuffed with the Native madeiran plants, dripping
ferns and cool atmosphere, sadly we chickened out after the next tunnels as
the path became very narrow at less than 6" and the drops were a lot worse
than 600 feet!

You hearty people! I just looked at a couple of the higher levada paths and
felt faint. ;-) It was amazing how much was still flowering right up high,
compared to what had given up down in Funchal. Glad you got to Blandy
again, though I can't imagine you wouldn't have!
The picture of the butterflies is what they looked like with their wings
closed

Sad there's no name for it. There's a book on Madeiran wildlife and I think
I'll send for it.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

"Des Higgins" wrote in message
. ie...

"Charlie Pridham" wrote in message
...

snip
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/


google for images of
"brimstone butterfly"
In Ireland (and UK) you get just one species: "the" brimstone.
No idea how many species you get elsewhere.


Thanks for that, but Brimstones we get here abouts occasionally so I know
what that looks like, so unless there are different sorts on Madeira I do
not think its that. I had wondered about the Clouded Yellows which seem to
be migratory but as I have never seen one am not sure of the size and the
also seem to be described with more black markings than those we saw.

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collections of Clematis viticella (cvs) and
Lapageria rosea

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 12/10/06 09:10, in article , "Charlie
Pridham" wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
snip

Did you have a lovely holiday and did you go to the Blandy garden this
time?
--

Yes we had a lovely time, it had rain between your visit and ours so
forest
fires were under control, but our week was sunny throughout.

Yes, we had only one day of rain but unfortunately, it was the day we 'did
the tour', so the views and panoramas were a closed book to us!

we
walked back toward Funchal in the afternoon along the levada that runs
just
above the garden. But the star for me was the high levada we came
through a
tunnel from sunshine, agapanthus and hydrangea and were in what almost
seemed a wild garden, just stuffed with the Native madeiran plants,
dripping
ferns and cool atmosphere, sadly we chickened out after the next tunnels
as
the path became very narrow at less than 6" and the drops were a lot
worse
than 600 feet!

You hearty people! I just looked at a couple of the higher levada paths
and
felt faint. ;-) It was amazing how much was still flowering right up
high,
compared to what had given up down in Funchal. Glad you got to Blandy
again, though I can't imagine you wouldn't have!
The picture of the butterflies is what they looked like with their wings
closed

Sad there's no name for it. There's a book on Madeiran wildlife and I
think
I'll send for it.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

One of their few large native bits of wildlife is the blue pigeon which we
have now seen twice to the irritation of one of the hotel managers who
though both a local and a walker has never seen one! there are apparently
only a few left. Then there are their eagles which look suspiciously like
buzzards to me but I have always been too polite to say so!
If its a small light weight book I would be interested what you think of it.

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collections of Clematis viticella (cvs) and
Lapageria rosea

"Charlie Pridham" wrote in message
...
Just got back from Madeira where high up (above 3000 feet) we saw a lot of
largish, yellow with orange markings, Butterflies, there seemed to be two
sorts one larger than the other but similarly coloured. the larger a bit
bigger than a red admiral.
I do not recall any black markings just orange (they were not very
cooperative as each time they settled on the Agapanthus flowers they
closed
their wings!) and I was being hassled to be careful as we were next to a
600
foot drop!

If no one is able to point me at a suggestion from this rubbish
description
I should have pictures later but had a slide film in which I have not yet
finished.

African Migrant (Catopsilia florella) or Clouded yellow (Colias crocea)

Also saw a lot of Milkweed Butterflies which at first thought to be
Monarchs
but they were lower down

"milkweed butterfly" is another name for the Monarch butterfly (Danaus
plexippus) which is resident on the Madeira Archipelago.


HTH

Liz



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

On 12/10/06 10:57, in article , "Charlie
Pridham" wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
snip

Sad there's no name for it. There's a book on Madeiran wildlife and I
think
I'll send for it.
--


One of their few large native bits of wildlife is the blue pigeon which we
have now seen twice to the irritation of one of the hotel managers who
though both a local and a walker has never seen one! there are apparently
only a few left. Then there are their eagles which look suspiciously like
buzzards to me but I have always been too polite to say so!

Saw the 'eagles' and agree on your ID. They look very like what we see here
every day!

If its a small light weight book I would be interested what you think of it.

I'll get it and then you can have a look at it when one of us goes in the
direction of the others.
BTW, thinking of your butterfly, would it be migratory? How far would it
have to migrate from/to and would that be possible for a butterfly?

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 12/10/06 10:57, in article , "Charlie
Pridham" wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
snip

Sad there's no name for it. There's a book on Madeiran wildlife and I
think
I'll send for it.
--


One of their few large native bits of wildlife is the blue pigeon which
we
have now seen twice to the irritation of one of the hotel managers who
though both a local and a walker has never seen one! there are
apparently
only a few left. Then there are their eagles which look suspiciously
like
buzzards to me but I have always been too polite to say so!

Saw the 'eagles' and agree on your ID. They look very like what we see
here
every day!

If its a small light weight book I would be interested what you think of
it.

I'll get it and then you can have a look at it when one of us goes in the
direction of the others.
BTW, thinking of your butterfly, would it be migratory? How far would it
have to migrate from/to and would that be possible for a butterfly?

I posted already that it would have been either an African Migrant
(Catopsilia florella) or Clouded Yellow (Colias crocea).

Liz




--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Charlie Pridham wrote:


"Des Higgins" wrote in message
. ie...

"Charlie Pridham" wrote in message
...

snip
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/


google for images of
"brimstone butterfly"
In Ireland (and UK) you get just one species: "the" brimstone.
No idea how many species you get elsewhere.

THe Irish Brimstones are actually slightly different.



Thanks for that, but Brimstones we get here abouts occasionally so I know
what that looks like, so unless there are different sorts on Madeira I do
not think its that. I had wondered about the Clouded Yellows which seem to
be migratory but as I have never seen one am not sure of the size and the
also seem to be described with more black markings than those we saw.


There is a different kind of Brimstone that is found on Madeira
It is the Madeiran Cleopatra.


Gonepteryx cleopatra maderensis

The Brimstone is Gonepteryx rhamni


Neil Jones
http://www.butterflyguy.com/

"echinosum" wrote in message
...

Charlie Pridham Wrote:
Also saw a lot of Milkweed Butterflies which at first thought to be
Monarchs but they were lower down
Monarch and Milkweed is same thing. See http://tinyurl.com/yk7kc4

--
echinosum

Thanks! that's obviously why they looked like monarchs, do you know why they
are called milkweeds instead in the uk?

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collections of Clematis viticella (cvs) and
Lapageria rosea

Charlie Pridham wrote:


"echinosum" wrote in message
...

Charlie Pridham Wrote:
Also saw a lot of Milkweed Butterflies which at first thought to be
Monarchs but they were lower down
Monarch and Milkweed is same thing. See http://tinyurl.com/yk7kc4

--
echinosum

Thanks! that's obviously why they looked like monarchs, do you know why
they are called milkweeds instead in the uk?


Generally they aren't. Usually we lepidopterists ( butterfly and moth
people) call them Monarchs.

Neil Jones
http://www.butterflyguy.com/

"Neil Jones" wrote in message
...
Charlie Pridham wrote:


"Des Higgins" wrote in message
. ie...

"Charlie Pridham" wrote in message
...

snip
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/


google for images of
"brimstone butterfly"
In Ireland (and UK) you get just one species: "the" brimstone.
No idea how many species you get elsewhere.

THe Irish Brimstones are actually slightly different.



Thanks for that, but Brimstones we get here abouts occasionally so I
know
what that looks like, so unless there are different sorts on Madeira I
do
not think its that. I had wondered about the Clouded Yellows which seem
to
be migratory but as I have never seen one am not sure of the size and
the
also seem to be described with more black markings than those we saw.


There is a different kind of Brimstone that is found on Madeira
It is the Madeiran Cleopatra.


Gonepteryx cleopatra maderensis

The Brimstone is Gonepteryx rhamni


Neil Jones
http://www.butterflyguy.com/

I think that's it, I couldn't get a decent picture from google images but
the description and location sounds spot on, many thanks, and Des my
apologies for doubting it being a brimstone!

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collections of Clematis viticella (cvs) and
Lapageria rosea