France 2: Assin

On my first full day in the Jura Mountains I felt like a child on Christmas morning, everywhere I looked there were new and exciting things to see.

Wall Lizards, living up to their name. 

Yellow-bellied Toad, Bombina variegata, in a temporary pool on a mountain track. These toads have heart shaped pupils and striking yellow bellies.

A Honey Buzzard, one of several that flew over.

Black Redstarts. These birds were everywhere.

Tentative identification of a Meadow Grasshopper.

A Paper Wasp.

I think this large wasp is a species of Potter Wasp.

Black Horse Fly, thankfully just drinking from a splash from the pool. 

I think this is a Grass-carrying Wasp.

A Knapweed Fritillary, Melitaea phoebe. 

Meadow Fritillary, Mellicta parthenoides. 

A Box Tree Moth, Cydalima perspectalis. This is an invasive southeast Asian species.

Rather surprisingly, this is a Chalkhill Blue, a species I associate with the South Downs.

Another Meadow Fritillary.

A rather battered Autumn Ringlet, Erebia neoridas.

A Convolvulus Hawkmoth, Agrius  convolvuli.