Report on a trip to Verkhoyansk

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STIGMA, 01.11.2009 2:31

Good day Dear forumchane!
I want to provide you with a belated photo report from circumpolar and polar Yakutia, or whatever it is fashionable to say Sakhi. I'm not an entomologist myself, but my interest in insects is quite high along with my main profession, geology. And, this year, I finally managed to combine at least some of my favorite work with one of my favorite activities. I'll tell you right away, I know very little and can make mistakes, so correct me, I will be very grateful.
So, my rather long trip to Yakutia lasted from late June to mid-September, on the territory of Verkhoyansk ulus. The main stronghold was the small village of Batagai, located in the valley of the Yana River. The end of June this year turned out to be unusually hot, on June 29 the temperature reached 45 degrees, which would seem to be not typical for the circumpolar regions, but still it happens here.
Our team was waiting for their turn on the helicopter to fly to the search area.
The wait in line lasted long enough and there was time to explore the surroundings of Batagai in search of insects. In the very last days of June and the beginning of July, from 29-3, nothing was perfect, I saw some white women a couple of times, as well as several draughtsmen. Realizing that there was nothing to do in the village, I got out on the nearby high terraces of Yana, where I actually did not expect to see anything like this. Everything began to bloom, and butterflies came from everywhere. But as it turned out, everything is of the same type. In the grass on each square meter were up to a dozen satyrids, which were almost invisible, and only when you pass through the grass they take off. Unfortunately, I didn't have a net at that time, so I had to catch it with my hands and improvised objects. I was satisfied with the trip, having caught a couple of dozen marigolds.
The next day, on my way back from the office, I saw a rather strange, as it seemed to me, Belyanka, I liked her gliding smoothly, which interested me very much, I followed her, she sat down on the road and then I realized that I was mistaken about Belyanka. I saw a few red spots on the rear fenders, and I tried to catch it, but a passing car spooked it and I could only watch as Parnassus flew over the fence into someone's property. I was disappointed and went to the hotel (where we lived). On the way, I thought for a long time who it could be, but I didn't understand. I went to bed that day with the same idea in mind. The next day, I got up quite late, for lunch, as sleep was preceded by a rather long alcoholic gathering. I went out to smoke on the porch and what I saw there, of course, was Parnassus sitting peacefully on the step. Without thinking for a long time, I ran for the net into the room, and when I returned, I caught the cherished butterfly.
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01.11.2009 2:36, STIGMA

Later
that day, I decided to take a day off and went to the terraces again. There were significantly fewer marigolds, as well as colias unfamiliar to me, a couple of small mother-of-pearl species, and melitaea diduma (as I determined). I fished heartily and returned home satisfied.
But as time went on and the work couldn't be expected, there was still no helicopter. The boss, or rather the boss, which is rare in our work, decided to go to another area that could be reached by all-terrain vehicle. And we went for three days to a site with drilling rigs called Billakh, 60 km from Batagay to the south. There wasn't much work to do, and there wasn't much time to fish. I came across one P. machaon and there were a lot of egg yolks that I still haven't identified yet, so if you can help me, I'd appreciate it.
By July 9, we were back in Batagai. There I went to the terraces a couple of times, but there was nothing new, all the same, but already flying yolks, checkers. Here is the already straightened material.
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01.11.2009 2:40, STIGMA

Continuing
on July 15, our turn came up, we finally took off from Batagay. We went to the very north of Yakutia, the Kular ridge, which is about 300-350 km from Batagai to the north. The area is honestly not very habitable, forest-tundra, very little firewood, and too many bears, and oddly enough, everyone wants to eat))) the sun does not set here at all and at 3 am it is high enough above the horizon. The work turned out to be too much for evil, there was almost no time left for trapping.
I would like to note that marigolds were just beginning to fly here, and whiteflies were still flying here, all worn, but quite diverse. Photo

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01.11.2009 3:17, STIGMA

This was the end of entomology, everyday work began, insects began to disappear, and light frosts began at night.
By the end of July, we returned to Batagai, the weather was disgusting, constant rain, cold and fog around the clock, of course, there were no insects. We were waiting for a new section, but already 400 km to the south, on the river with the name Hunhada. The most wonderful area in terms of nature, fairly high mountains, fast mountain rivers full of fish, a lot of wildlife, but I only saw butterflies a couple of times, apparently the beginning of August affected, I still caught one. Some kind of anguloptera, but much larger than our European ones, it has yet to be determined. I will add a few photos, just to get acquainted with the area and photos of the rest of the straightened butterflies.
The end of August was cold, and on the 24th the first snow fell.
For all the time there were absolutely no nocturnal ones, once I only saw a little Yakut girl carrying A. Flavia in a jar if I'm not mistaken.
That's actually all, the season is over, the catch was not thick, but still. Thank you for your attention, and I can add that the area is very interesting, I think that I was able to catch only a small part of the species composition of butterflies that live there. I'm going to try my luck in the area again next year.
Well, the actual photo.

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01.11.2009 16:18, DavBaz

Later
that day, I decided to take a day off and went to the terraces again. There were significantly fewer marigolds, as well as colias unfamiliar to me, a couple of small mother-of-pearl species, and melitaea diduma (as I determined). I fished heartily and returned home satisfied.
But as time went on and the work couldn't be expected, there was still no helicopter. The boss, or rather the boss, which is rare in our work, decided to go to another area that could be reached by all-terrain vehicle. And we went for three days to a site with drilling rigs called Billakh, 60 km from Batagay to the south. There wasn't much work to do, and there wasn't much time to fish. I came across one P. machaon and there were a lot of egg yolks that I still haven't identified yet, so if you can help me, I'd appreciate it.
By July 9, we were back in Batagai. There I went to the terraces a couple of times, but there was nothing new, all the same, but already flying yolks, checkers. Here is the already straightened material.
Photo

The report is great! And the yolks are like this: Two in the upper right corner of Colias tyche, and the rest of Colias palaeno are white females, and yellow males.

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