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Field Notes

Middle Atlas, Morocco, September 2001

Subspecies taghzefti - Female

High Atlas, Morocco, September 2001

Subspecies abdelkader - Female

Middle Atlas, Morocco, September 2001

Subspecies taghzefti - Male

High Atlas, Morocco, September 2001

Subspecies abdelkader - Male

Middle Atlas, Morocco, September 2001

Subspecies taghzefti

High Atlas, Morocco, September 2001

Subspecies abdelkader

A spectacular species of northern Africa. It flies in very dry rocky places with grass. It ranges widely drifting with the wind or sailing into the wind with its huge wings held in a V-shape. We first found them on a shallow pass, over 50 or so were seen during the morning almost exclusively sailing up the pass with the wind, funneling to our position before dispersing down the other side. In the leeward side of the pass, a few would settle on the low cushion plants to feed - see 2 photos above. These plants were almost the only nectar source and by far the most abundant - it's tiny yellow flowers providing vital fuel for these large butterflies.

There are 3 subspecies in the western end of northern Africa. Two of them are shown above. I'm not entirely certain I would be able to distinguish them without knowing where they were filmed. Subspecies taghzefti is found in the Middle Atlas, abdelkader is found in the High Atlas. I think taghzefti has, generally, a boarder and fuller pale band on the upperside forewings and, looking at these photographs, the females are more heavily marked on the underside. However, the species is highly variable in most respects and there may well be some overlap in some places.

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