Sierra Nevada, Granada Province.

Butterfly hunting up high to avoid the heatwave below.

Day One: with Kate and Jim from the UK.

Escher's Blue (Polyommatus escheri).

As we were in the middle of a middle of June heat wave we headed for the hills and spent the day in the Sierra Nevada. 

Escher's Blue (Polyommatus escheri).

After a coffee on the way up and a search of some waste ground opposite the bar which started the list off with Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina), a fast flying Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) and Swallowtail (Papilio machaon).

Apollo (Parnassius apollo subsp nevadensis).

During this day we called in at several sites and picked up Grayling (Hipparchia semele), Striped Grayling (Pseudotergumia fidia), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria),  Small (Thymelicus sylvestris) and Red-underwing Skippers (Spialia sertorius) Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba), Bath (Pontia daplidice), Large (Pieris brassicae), Small (Pieris rapae), Cleopatra (Gonepteryxcleopatra), Escher's Blue (Polyommatus escheri), Spanish Purple (Laeosopis roboris), False Ilex (Satyrium esculi) and Blue Spotted Hairstreaks (Satyrium spini) and Hermit (Chazara briseis) but I missed this and it was only seen in Jim's photographs later.  

Idas (Plebejus idas) or Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus hypochionus).

Iberian Marbled White (Medioluto Ibérica / Melanargia lachesis), Apollo (Parnassius apollo subsp nevadensis), Idas (Plebejus idas), Silver-studded (Plebejus argus hypochionus), Long-tailed  (Lampides boeticus), Holly (Celastrina argiolus), Adonis (Lysandra bellargus) and Escher's Blues, Spanish Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia) and Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia), Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) were also seen along with others.

Spanish Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

During the day we also had Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) amongst others. 

Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus).

As the afternoon went on the heat built and the clouds came in so we returned to the house and over night the area had quite a storm which we were to see the signs of next day.

Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris).

Grayling (Hipparchia semele).

Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia).

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra).