Blog 2002 - 2009 about butterfly photography by Johannes van Donge

2009

Because our previous years trip to Samos (Greece) was so great we decided to go to Lesbos (Greece) this year. Unfortunately I was not able to find many butterflies, but did find a few special dragonflies like the Cordulegaster picta - Turkish Goldenring and the Gomphus schneideri - Turkish clubtail.

Floor

This year I also plan my first trip specially for dragonflies. Together with Jordi, I travel to Poland to search for the Nehalennia speciosa - Pygmy Damselfly After one and a half day of searching we finally manage to find the Nehalennia speciosa - Pygmy Damselfly at a beautifull small lke in a forest. We also manage to find some beautifull just emerging Leucorrhinia albifrons - Dark Whiteface.

A lot of water in the forest

Super tired

Later this year we go for a day trip to the north of france, searching for the Lysandra coridon - Chalk Hill Blue. The butterflies is flying in huge numbers and we have a great day taking a lot of pictures. Om our way back we stop by the Ophiogomphus cecilia - Green Snaketail, which flies in good numbers this year.

Oktober 5th my second daughter Bo is born. She is a healthy little lady who keeps us awake for months.

2008

In spring of this year we fly to Samos (Greece) together with my wife and daughter. I don't take many pictures, but do find some new species of whites and my first Limenitis reducta - Southern White Admiral.

Floor at a beach

I'm also joining a guided butterfly tour to Turkey. It's a fantastic trip guided by Albert Vliegendhart. We find so many new butterflies, and most in great numbers to. My favorite butterfly of this trip is the Tomares nogelii - Nogel's Hairstreak.

2007

Januari 27th this year my first daughter Floor is born. Because of this I don't want to travel too much, and try to photograph more near my home. This is one of the reasons I'm also starting to focus on damselflies and dragonflies. These species are more easy to find in The Netherlands than butterflies, and I go out quite often together with Jordi searching for these little creatures.

Jordi Strijdhorst

Once our family life is a bit back to normal I travel to Switserland with my father in July. Great to find the Euphydryas cynthia - Cynthia's Fritillary and Euphydryas intermedia - Asian Fritillary.

My father sleeping in the mountains

2006

My wife and I are expecting a baby and to relax a bit we travel to the south of France. While this is not a butterfly holiday at all, we do find some nice butterfly species like the Charaxes jasius - Two Tailed Pasha and the Pyrgus sidae - Yellow Banded Skipper.

Photographing a Charaxes jasius - Two Tailed Pasha

Germany is the next destination, again for finding the beautifull Lycaena helle - Violet Copper. I'm traveling together with Peter and Jordi. And of course we are finding Lycaena helle - Violet Copper in good numbers.

This summer I'm traveling to Hungay together with Peter. We find buterflies in great numbers, and also huge drinking areas of buterflies. Best find of the trip is the Limenitis populi - Poplar Admiral.

Huge group of Melitaea athalia - Heath Fritillary

At the end of the year I'm traveling to Switserland together with my father in search for the Euphydryas cynthia - Cynthia's Fritillary. Next to the Euphydryas cynthia - Cynthia's Fritillary I also hope to find the Erebia flavofasciata - Yellow Banded Ringlet. Unfortunately we are not able to find any of these species. Especially the finding of Erebia flavofasciata - Yellow Banded Ringlet will be a ting for the comming years. A great butterfly that we do manage to find is the Melitaea asteria - Little Fritillary.

2005

This year I'm planning various butterfly trips. In spring I need to visit Barcelona (Spain) for work. I take a few extra days off to search butterflies. Peter joined me in the search for Tomares ballus - Provence Hairstreak and Erebia epistygne - Spring Ringlet. We are lucky and manage to find both species. Between all the Callophrys rubi - Green Hairstreak photos I even find a Callophrys avis - Chapman's Green Hairstreak when I'm reviewing my photos at home.

Peter Groenendijk

In June of this year Peter and I travel to Hungary with a stop in the south of Germany. We find a few beautifull butterfly species. The most special one is in my opinion the Coenonympha hero - Scarce Heath.

While my parents in law are maried for 35 years they invite us on a trip to Turkey. We are staying in quite a big resort so there are not that many butterflies. Luckily I still manage to find some new species during some walks around the area. Especially the Lycaena thersamon - Lesser Fiery Copper is very beautifull

Together with Peter and Bernard we search for Lycaena helle - Violet Copper in Germany. Next to the Lycaena helle - Violet Copper, we also find some fresh Boloria eunomia - Bog Fritillary.

Later this year I travel to the Mercantour (France) together with Peter. The number one butterfly we are searching for is Coenonympha oedippus - False Ringlet. Once we arrive at the place this butterfly is expected to fly, it's extremely hot. While we are also unprepared and so without any water, this trip almost kills us both. But of course, after a lot of strugling we manage to take some bad photos.

Last but not least I travel to Aosta (Italy) with my father in summer. This is a great area for butterflies, and we find so many great species. And of course the speciality of this region, the Polyommatus humedasae - Piedmont Anomalous Blue.

2004

In the year 2004 I plan my first butterfly trip to a foreign country. Together with Peter Groenendijk, we travel to the south of France in early spring. We don't find many special butterflies, but at least butterflies that I have never seen in The Netherlands.

Together with my father we travel to Hungay in May. It's only a short trip, but it's great to visit Hungary for the first time in my life. We stayed at the great camping of Rob de Jong in the Lator village.

My father with a Fire Salamader

One of the other highlights this year is a trip to the south of Belgium with my father. After a long day of searching we finally manage to find the Lycaena helle - Violet Copper.

2003

This is the first year I only focus on photographing butterflies. I travel through The Netherlands as much as possible looking for specific species. Trying to improve my photograpy skills and also like to find as much different species as I can.

2002

In 2002 I bought my first photocamera, a Sony F-707. The first year of this hobby I photograph everything I come across. But while I was aldreay interested in small creatures from my childhood, it quickly became clear that butterflies and other small things got my preference. It didn't take long to find out that I wanted to focus on butterflies.