Caucasus, Ciscaucasia and Transcaucasia

Everything! Volodya was tired of catching butterflies. We are going to Baku...

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- I don't hesitate to look corny here and now , but I really enjoyed it! "Another planet indeed! It seems that I even soaked up your feelings from coming into contact with this world in all its diversity! And useful in terms of information.
Separately, I liked a very dark scoop with a purple gloss (if, of course, this is not a distortion) and a worm-like blind snake (Typhlopidae)!

Last day, Igor was collecting interesting sights in Baku

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It is not recommended to travel around the country for more than 3 days without a piece of paper, you are a bug or a ticket for registration with the Migration service of Azerbaijan!

This post was edited by Igorvet - 28.07.2015 01: 15

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I absolutely do not mind , but I did not start the topic with chevrons, and who should wear what is his personal business, no one entered the dres code on the forum. We'll settle on that. Let's go back to the insects of the Bronze Age-speciosa, hyeroglifica, hungarica armeniaca, aeratula, affinis, Oxythyrea cinctella. I haven't gotten to the rest yet, so I hope something interesting will still be in progress. Perhaps I will ask for help in determining.

Please contact us.
By the way, a good selection of species. How many Armenians were there and at what heights?

There were not many Armenians, you can even say individually. Heights of 800-1000 meters.

  
Separately, I liked a very dark scoop with a purple gloss (unless, of course, this is not a distortion)

Amphipyra livida is caught near Volgograd, and you probably have it too.

Interesting! - So, this means that I rented IT at the dacha in Volgograd?
It's just a pity that the FastStone Image Viewer program devoured the exif, and the purple glow didn't work out either!

This post was edited by Andreas - 30.07.2015 05: 01

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Rather, it's tetra, it's kind of less spectacular. In general, livida's appearance strongly depends on whether to shoot with or without a flash, and when shooting with a flash - on the angle of incidence of the rays. I have one photo of her, where part of the butterfly is completely black, as if the light did not get there, although this is not the case.

Amphipyra livida is caught near Volgograd, and you probably have it too.

Amphipyra livida is still her. Us and near Kiev arrives.

I don't understand... - so I have a livida shot in Volgograd?

tetra is almost half the size of livida and slightly less blue-black.
You can only guess from such photos

I was referring to my photo from Talysh.

I was referring to my photo from Talysh.

The same opinion.

I'm putting out another trilogy of reports. This time I went in the company of two comrades to the Caucasus in the Elbrus region. My goal was simple and banal – to fulfill my childhood dream of finding Apollo Nordman. The Azau clearing above the village of Terskol was chosen as the place of deployment. From there, for 6 days, we made our short, grueling raids into the mountains.
And now everything is in order. Fast forward to July 26, 2015, at 18: 00 the taxi driver dropped us off at the hotel, my heart is full of delight and healthy incontinence-I wish it was morning and up to the endless Alpine meadows!
I have divided 6 of these unforgettable days into 3 reports.
Part one is dedicated to two days of climbing over Terskol on Elbrus. The second is a one-day trip to the village of Elbrus on Mount Kezgen Bashi near the Irik River . And finally, the third is Cheget, where we got out every other day, as a result, having visited this amazing mountain three times.
Before the trip, I made a list of mace species that I would like to find in this area. I'll start with a summary of what I couldn't find in the vicinity of Terskol:
Pontia callidice
Polyommatus pyrenaicus
Polyommatus corydonius
Euphydryas iduna
Pseudochazara daghestana

The rest was found and will be demonstrated later.
Also in the introductory part, a short photo illustration of the local order on the topic of "Fishing" will be provided for all fans of hunting. A little further on is another sign that says that you can not hunt. And finally, behind the tree icon, where the little man is trying not to pee out of fear, still the mountains, the Caucasus! I will leave the photo without comments.


Report #1. Terskol. Ascent on 3350 to Elbrus.
The first day. At 9: 30, we reached the village of Elbrus on foot and stood by the road leading up. The route turned out to be very popular, with crowds ranging from foreign groups to local shepherds. For the first hour, the path winds through the forest. There are dense flowery meadows full of forest butterflies such as the Black Ethiopian butterfly, Aglaia and Adippa mother-of-pearl, Icarus, argus, amadna, idas pigeons, fire chervonets, meadow and saffron yellows, peacock's eye and Admiral. In general, nothing special.


Forest over Terskol 2300 mnu


This is Terskol

















The special begins at an altitude of approximately 2500 meters, where a belt of subalpine and alpine meadows begins. Melitaea interrapta, Polyommatus teberdinus, Polyommatus eros appear, and there is even one Lycaena candens. After a couple of hours, the road leads to the well-known Devichy Kosy waterfall in these parts.



















Beautiful waterfall in beautiful places. It's a pity there are enough people. From that moment on, the first day we were covered in rain . But it didn't bother us. We went higher. After another 40 minutes, the road approaches the observatory and goes up to Elbrus. We have reached the level of 3350.




Flowers...

And this is behind my back while I was taking pictures of flowers...



Snow was already beginning to appear here, and the temperature was +7 degrees.











Something told me that there were no Apollos ahead either


It was decided to end it on the first day. On the way back, we were a little pleased with the sun and at an altitude of 3200 there were some interesting butterflies like Erebia iranica and Colias thisoa (elusive!).

And these are the mountains opposite-Cheget. Parnassus was waiting for me there, but not on this day.


Third day. I scored on the tracks and went straight up from Terskol. As a result, I found myself on the other side of the observatory at an altitude of 2900. The meadows here are very good, but in comparison with Cheget it's a bit poor. I only found the rhododendron in one place. There is no question of any Nordman, and there is no ordinary Apollo. Meadows of Elbrus above Terskol is a good, but not the best place in these parts. I'll try to post a sequel tomorrow.








When I put even my very light backpack on such a slope, it went about 5 meters down


It is very convenient to sit on the top of the slope. Piles of butterflies rise from both sides at once




Such pictures are observed at every step. Caucasian variegated women have no shame or conscience!


Very very modest catch. But never mind, the best is yet to come, this is for warming up.

This post was edited by daydreamer - 10.08.2015 14: 02

I continue the Caucasian theme. Report No. 2 is dedicated to a trip to the village of Elbrus. Here we walked along the Irik River and along the slope of Mount Kezgen Bashi.


Elbrus settlement


From the very beginning, the mountains were teeming with forage plants such as Aurorina and Apollo Yolks, and numerous satyrs flew up from the rocks.




These places reminded me of our Ural steppe, only in the mountains. We climbed up the mountain from the village. The Aurorins were not long in coming, the females diligently flying over the bushes, laying eggs. There were also Tizo Tokens. Autonoia and Pseudochazara alpina, as well as damon's golubyanka, were also immediately noted. Higher up the mountain, numerous Melanargia russia, Melitaea interrupta, and piles of pigeons appeared. In general, there were a lot of butterflies here in quantity, even too many. But there was no Apollo.



It wasn't until I exceeded the 2000 bar. It was here that he suddenly appeared while I was sitting down to rest. In such mountains, it is very beautiful to watch it. A certain grandeur is felt.

By lunchtime, I went down to the river and followed the hiking trail. There's a lot of cattle in these parts, so there's not much to do down by the river. True, I was lucky to find an intact beam in which Aricia anteros flew. As a result, it should be noted that this area is very different from the neighboring Terskol both in terms of biotopes and butterflies.








As always modest

This post was edited by daydreamer - 10.08.2015 14: 33

Report #3. Cheget. This is where the treasures of the Elbrus region are kept. They are stored securely, so you need to search a little to find everything. We were here on the 2nd, 4th and 6th day of our stay in the Caucasus.
The first attempt, we decided not to suffer with the ascent and used the cable car, very convenient! 10 minutes and now under your feet meadows of rhododendron. And before your eyes is a panorama of Elbrus. The strained gaze looks for the Parnassians gliding through the meadows . But to no avail. Only hawthorns .







Let's get off the cable car. Heading inside the mountains. And here is a sign – Border zone! But this is what we expected. Okay, we planned to go here later. I detach and go around the slope from the direction of Elbrus.






"Hey, buddy! Aren't you Apollo?"
"I'm completely blind, of course not!
"Have you seen Apollo?"
"Nah, it's just hives. The Apollons here like to pretend to be a peacock's eye.


Elbrus from Cheget

Lots of flowers and rhododendrons, but no apollo. Come across the first chernushki-melancholy!!! (And figushki, as I now think it was jellyfish, one of my first mattress will be), Boloria caucasica, Erebia iranica. Is that all?" I'm annoyed, but I keep going down the slope.

Turn, the slope from the west turns to the north, the slope increases to 60 degrees, the vegetation becomes sparse.



I'm already thinking about turning around and going to the border zone. But I decide to continue to explore the rocky slope. And that's where Nordman's Apollo comes flying at me at full speed. I look up and see a couple more coming up the slope. How well they maneuver up and down.... I spent a total of 4 hours on the slope. Fortunately, after a couple of hours, I realized that the slope was not so steep and changed my location. Otherwise, I would definitely give the ends up and down worn.




-hello! You're Apollo, aren't you?"
"Nah, I'm peacock's eye.
"Yeah, I need you!"






Geraniums teeming with Eumedon pigeons grew along the side of the slope. Nothing else of interest flew here.
















I pass over the mountain and go out to the lake in the border zone. And again rain, it is here after 14-00-the norm. Fortunately, the upper cable car is still working and I have time to go down on it. Goal completed!


Elbrus is covered!

We made our next visit to Cheget in the best and most honest way possible. We went from Azau along the river and climbed into the meadows of Parnassus right on the slope along the streams.




Anti-avalanche structures

At first, the slope is steep and overgrown with meadow vegetation bordered by forest. Polyommatus teberdinus and Colias thisoa fly around here.


Then, at an altitude of 2500-2700, a large mountain plateau opens up with chernushka melancholika (it is with her, and not with the Ethiopian or medusa), it is interesting that there is still no Apollo here.






Terskol from the Chegeta slope



Then a steep slope, Parnassus is still here, and Erebia iranica appears.













And finally, at the end, we went down to the lake. On the descent, streams flow, overgrown with cereals and other marsh vegetation, there are a lot of smallholics and Caucasian mother-of-pearl.











Already closer to 5 o'clock we leave the lake for the cable car, along the way in one place on the slope flew quite a lot of yellow tizo, during the day this butterfly is completely elusive, but in the evening it becomes quieter. We managed to ambush one male! I liked this hike to the mountains the most, although my legs were a little different).



We made our final visit to Cheget again by cable car. This time they immediately went behind the Border Zone sign. Our goal was to descend into the river valley. The places there are simply stunning, lush meadows, the variety of species here is the greatest, except that there is no Apollo.





I already decided that everything was found, not at all, at the streams flowing down to the river I came across a couple of Erebia graucasica, a lone male of Lycaena candens, rare in these parts, flew by the river. And I also got a strange pigeon like semiargus.










Sometimes shit is happen. On the opposite slope, it occurred once every 1-2 hours.






Elbrus region







That's it! Some golubyanki raise doubts about the definition, I'll post it later.

This post was edited by daydreamer - 08/11/2015 14: 27

I wonder who it is.


This post was edited by daydreamer - 08/11/2015 14: 29

I wonder who it is.

Cyaniris semiargus high spot

This thought occurred to me, but the fact is that this is a zero fresh male, and only killed females of Cyaniris semiargus flew there and their spotting was the most common. It's a pity that I found this place on the last day, I had to look for more such males, well, maybe in sl. times.

This thought occurred to me, but the fact is that this is a zero fresh male, and only killed females of Cyaniris semiargus flew there and their spotting was the most common. It's a pity that I found this place on the last day, I had to look for more such males, well, maybe next time.

Well, it happens. Such freaks in different groups of polyommatin and litsenin are rarely found.

Great!!

I will probably start putting up photos from this year's trips, we spent most of our time in Georgia. Spring, April-May. This year's weather has been a bit of a surprise.

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continuation...

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I will probably start putting up photos from this year's trips, we spent most of our time in Georgia. Spring, April-May. This year's weather has been a bit of a surprise.

Amazing places in their beauty.

only mountain beetles that you haven't caught yet can be better than mountains (c)

Georgia generally impresses with its diversity of mountain systems and nature, and at short distances, thanks to this, beetles are also different everywhere

there is no limit to perfection, mountains and beetles

This post was edited by AGG-25.08.2015 22: 16

then I will support the Georgian theme a little with photos from my side...I didn't start it, but we'll continue


fog in the mountains over Batumi


place-paradise

Meloe tuccius

Georgian cows, especially in fog, are very harsh...

central Georgian vodka-gomi

ghosts of shepherds in the mountains

there were 4 sunny days in April... snow and rain, rain and snow...

The battlefield is Earth...

view of the Main Caucasian ridge

somewhere near Azerbaijan, the Testudo graeca turtle was crawling...

due to the good weather, it was used as a vase...
[attachmentid ()=235199]
and as an additional one turtle force in the expedition vehicle... but as a result, she was not injured and was released where she was taken



Meloe rugosus, a low-mountain form


Meloe erithrocnemus

some very curious chrysolina, lowland, eats sage-maybe someone already knows it?

Eisenia magnifica in the vicinity of Martvili next to my foot in a size 43 mountain boot


very reliable georgian desk ibid










The world is above the clouds, but still on the ground

Who already knows Cleonine? high, alpika, 2,500


forget-me-nots in alpika


pestryanka is good or not?

and what kind of draughtsman?


Georgia through the eyes of a Georgian artist


what kind of fillies in alpika are so healthy and wingless?

to be continued... the most interesting part is ahead...

This post was edited by omar - 26.08.2015 04: 55

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boxwood forest



what kind of lizard?






to be continued...

In continuation-Georgia, summer, June-July.

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I also managed to stop by to catch fish in Chechnya, in the vicinity of the village of Kenkhi, although it was already a little late and dry.

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Krasata is terrible!!!!!Lucche gori toka gori!!!!!Zhuzhly ahrenenno what good!!!!!The reports are excellent.Experienced aesthetic pleasure from viewing.Thank you.

The pictures are beautiful, but...
There are no names of the ridges where the authors were located, nor any names of animals in the reports.
So... so much for Georgia... and here are the beetles with butterflies and admire them.
Very sorry.

Unfortunately, time doesn't allow me to schedule everything.Maybe I can fix it in time... Yes, and it's hard to remember the places immediately, today we have traveled all over Georgia, on average visiting 3-4 different places per day

Unfortunately, time doesn't allow me to schedule everything.Maybe I can fix it in time... Yes, and it's hard to remember the places immediately, today we have traveled all over Georgia, on average visiting 3-4 different places per day

Well, at least the main mountain ranges can be specified, right?
And status names. You're an expert!

I still have the feeling that I have not given enough to society... Oh, yes, of course... carabuses and barbels, barbels and carabuses...
Carabus maurus

Zabrus aurichalceus



Carabus clathratus

Carabus armeniacus

Carabus cribratus

Carabus maurus

to be continued...

This post was edited by omar - 12.09.2015 03: 08

And by the way-can someone clarify how to correctly - Carabus clathratus or C. clathratus?

And then I met statements that clatratus is correct from a nomenclatural point of view, and clathratus is written simply in the old-fashioned way - or without understanding.

This post was edited by kotbegemot - 12.09.2015 01: 42

Carabus (Archiplectes) protensus

Carabus (Lamprostus) calleyi