Hi Michael Yes I think that's the answer, the location right down by the Med. According to my 'Les Papillons du Jour' book by Lafranchis machaon can emerge exceptionally as early as late March in the extreme south (March is in brackets) though April is the main month there, and with up to 3 broods per year in the Med being the norm Swallowtails can be seen throughout the warmer months there (ie. the 3 peaks almost run into one another).
I imagine at this time of year the parsley is raised in pots in poly tunnels (there are lots there - I google earthed Saint-Rémy-de-Provence!), and when the trolley loads are wheeled out for transport all that lush green young growth would act as a super-stimulus to any passing female swallowtail! I will be looking more closely at parsley plants in the shops in future, as well as carrot tops, fennel and mangetout! All the best Ralph ---- Original Message ----- From: Michael Blencowe <michaelblenc...@sussexwt.org.uk> To: Adastra discussion group <adastra@lists.sxbrc.org.uk> Sent: Wed, 31 May 2017 08:45:48 -0000 (UTC) Subject: [Adastra] To Infinity...and beyond. Hi Ralph, thanks for your comments. I’ve just been doing some Sherlock style investigations into the source of the Shoreham Swallowtail (I ‘phoned Infinity Foods in Brighton and asked ‘em where their Parsley comes from). The chap at Infinity Foods was really helpful. The potted Parsley comes from a nursery in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, over by the Carmargue. Could a mild winter down there on the Mediterranean coast give rise to some early emerging Swallowtails? And, as you’d expect from Infinity Foods, the supplier is all organic so I expect their Swallowtails are all free range too. I did pitch the idea of giving away a free Swallowtail with every potted Parsley plant. Best wishes Michael [cid:smallSWTgreenlogo_a7ccb1ba-34c4-4a77-9792-6d468f16e488.jpg] www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk<http://www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/> From: Adastra [mailto:adastra-boun...@lists.sxbrc.org.uk] On Behalf Of RALPH HOBBS Sent: 31 May 2017 09:01 To: Adastra discussion group Subject: Re: [Adastra] Swallowtails in Sussex in 2017 Very interesting Michael, but what I can't understand is how a female Swallowtail can have emerged to lay fertile eggs in France, even in the south, in late March! Just last week in the south of France first brood Swallowtails were out in force near the Med, and just starting to emerge at higher altitude. That egg must have been laid either in south Spain or Morocco(?!) or else both parents emerged artificially early within a glasshouse (these things happen) where the parsley plants were raised. Not only that they managed to avoid death from insecticide, find one other to mate, and presumably find enough nectar to keep them going long enough to start laying eggs. Curiouser and curiouser! Ralph ________________________________ From: "Michael Blencowe" <michaelblenc...@sussexwt.org.uk<mailto:michaelblenc...@sussexwt.org.uk>> To: "Adastra discussion group" <adastra@lists.sxbrc.org.uk<mailto:adastra@lists.sxbrc.org.uk>> Sent: Tuesday, 30 May, 2017 11:59:50 PM Subject: [Adastra] Swallowtails in Sussex in 2017 Dear Adastrans, First off a quick thank you to all of you who have purchased a copy of 'The Butterflies of Sussex' - and for all the lovely comments Neil Hulme and I have received. It seems like we got it right. I'm interested in receiving any sightings of Swallowtail butterflies in the county this year. Recent years have seen Continental Swallowtails migrating across The Channel into Sussex and in 2013 some individuals were seen egg-laying which subsequently led to Sussex-born adults emerging in 2014. There were some sightings at the end of last year and I am interested to find out if any of their offspring emerge in 2017. At 06:30 this morning I received an interesting message from Mary Murphy in Shoreham. Mary reported that she had a Swallowtail on her balcony. Last week’s warm weather has resulted in a modest influx of Painted Ladies and migrant moths into Sussex from the Continent and I wondered if this Swallowtail had been part of the migration or had possibly even survived the winter here. I called her straight away to get the full story and things were not as I expected. Instead of flapping its way across The Channel this butterfly had hitched a lift on a Parsley plant. About 8 weeks ago Mary had bought the potted Parsley at Brighton’s Infinity Foods. The plant had been imported from France and unknown to Mary contained a Swallowtail egg. The Swallowtail was destined to be an unintentional ingredient in Mary’s caramelised onion polenta pie. The Parsley plant was left on a windowsill and luckily (for all involved) Mary spotted the small caterpillar before it (and the Parsley) headed for the pot. With the caramelised onion polenta pie now on the metaphorical back burner Mary had the consolation of watching a Swallowtail caterpillar develop, pupate and emerge (an experience which she had to fuel by purchasing more Parsley plants). The adult butterfly emerged on 29th May and understandably wanted to get as far away from the oven as possible so Mary released it onto her sunny Shoreham balcony and the missing ingredient from her pie flew off today. Not exactly the sort of sighting I'm after but it does give us more information on how some of our Swallowtails are entering Sussex. Please send any sightings (whether in the wild or in a supermarket) to me at my Sussex Wildlife Trust address michaelblenc...@sussexwt.org.uk<mailto:michaelblenc...@sussexwt.org.uk> Michael Blencowe (Henfield) [cid:image002.jpg@01D2D9F2.AB799270] www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk<http://www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/> ________________________________ Sussex Wildlife Trust is a company limited by guarantee under the Companies Act. Registered in England, Company No. 698851. Registered Charity No. 207005. VAT Registration No. 191 305969. Registered Office: Woods Mill, Henfield, West Sussex BN5 9SD. Telephone 01273 492630
