butterfly watching in Iran: Empire of the Brown butterflies

My fifth butterfly watching happened early in summer in a very beautiful area in around east of Iran. In this trip, we went up in mountains with our poor car (in Iran roads rule, they are every where, unfortunately I may say), we camped in height around 2800 m and then went on foot to search area.

in the road

road changed make up

still changing

our camp near in 2800 m height

and final change in landscape

there was some fritilaries, not much in comparison to brown ones like Melitaea persea, Queen of spain and knapweed fritillary. Painted lady and Balkan Marbled white were present as always, there was a few Cabbage white and Bath white wandering nearby but who really ruled? nymphalidae-s and lycaenidae-s.

Nymphalidae-s were up in dryer area and males were mind-occupied with courtship display, they were flying hurriedly from here to there and meanwhile did their displays (very impressing I should say).

Area was divided by small farms (we call it eating-earth :-)), rural people just go ahead and own an area like America in 19th century and do farming or sheeping, there is no rule but an ancient rule, I live here so I own it. Lycaenidae-s were leaving in this area, I don't know what was interesting for them (of course there was a lot of Onobrychis sativa or sainfoin)? there was loads of them, they were along a path like flies in a butchery. I didn't have time to take pictures and took only a picture of Polyommatus firdussii and a Small Copper, next time I will be a better butterfly watcher.

here is a collection of some of my records:

Coenonympha saadi