by Rob de Jong

From the publisher: Butterflies are regarded by most as noble creatures attracted to flowers. Few realise they also visit carcasses and excrement. When next you observe butterflies either in the garden or on holiday, you will now see them in a new light. For this DVD will reveal the unseen life of butterflies, with all the surprising behaviour it comprises.

The film was shot in butterfly-rich Hungary and in the alpine region of Slovenia. The resulting footage has been acquired with much patience. It has taken two years to complete. This could only be realised with the filmmaker constantly living among butterflies. No other film shows such numbers of them. Think of puddling parties with over 1000 butterflies. Furthermore, this DVD contains unique footage of behaviour, which was never filmed before. Moreover, it includes the latest scientific knowledge of nectaring, mate location, courtship, mud-puddling and mating.

A Review by Peter Eeles, 20th March 2010

The DVD is produced by Rob de Jong, who I first got to know in 2006 when I visited Rob's home at Farm Lator on my first ever butterfly-focused trip abroad, reports of which can be found here and here. My life hasn't been the same since! Rob is also a professional biologist who runs guided tours every year (which I thoroughly recommend).

Introduction

One of the most-noticeable features of this stunning DVD is the sheer quality of the footage which wouldn't look out of place in a BBC documentary. Aside from the footage, the DVD also stands out as being both a personal account (with a narrative provided by Rob himself) and highly educational. Rob's Dutch heritage is evident in the language options (English or Dutch!). As well as sights that would be familiar in the British Isles, the DVD includes real treats that only a trip to the continent can provide. To see literally hundreds of butterflies nectaring and mud-puddling is quite breathtaking and I have to say that the DVD brought back many fond memories of my trip to this wonderful part of Europe. The DVD is organised around several topics which weave a wonderful story from start to finish, rather than coming across as a series of unrelated material. This review is organised around these topics.

Nectaring

In common with much of the DVD, this section provides several thought-provoking statements, such as questioning the assumption that butterflies are good pollinators since they are rarely covered in pollen (unlike bees, for example). Butterfly predators such as praying mantis, crab spiders and hornets are also introduced in this section, along with appropriate footage.

Mate Location

Several examples of finding a mate are provided and are, as ever, illustrated with some incredible footage. Even a simple encounter of a male and female Green-veined White is treated with a detailed discussion of the courtship that unfolds before our eyes. Different mate-location strategies are also discussed and illustrated, such as patrolling, perching and hill-topping. An emphasis in the importance of nutrients in providing energy is also given, a subject that is revisited several times throughout the DVD. A plethora of species is used to illustrate the points being made; species found in the British Isles are supplemented with those found elsewhere in Europe, and we're treated to sights of many different species as a result, including Scarce Swallowtail, False Grayling, Purple-shot Copper, Large Wall Brown and Clouded Apollo.

Courtship

Many aspects of courtship are discussed and this section of the DVD places some focus on the importance of pheremones, with some wonderful footage showing the courtship flight of the Silver-washed Fritillary, where the male showers the female in pheremones from his sex brands. Another highlight is the detailed discussion of the courtship of the Wood White, where the male flicks his proboscis either side of the female's head.

Mud-puddling

This section raises many questions - why are there more mud-puddling butterflies in Hungary than in Britain? As ever, there is some incredible footage including a particular sequence that shows literally thousands of Silver-studded Blues on cow dung. This is followed by an excellent discussion of why butterflies feed on mud, including an observation that this is not for the moisture, but for the minerals - in particular, those that contain nitrogen and sodium, where it is believed that sodium aids navigation and nitrogen aids the development of ovaries and eggs. But why is it that males are most-commonly found mud-puddling and not females?

Mating

The explanation for mud-puddling being primarily a preoccupation of males is finally revealed - although I'll let you watch the DVD rather that spoil the surprise! Again, there is some wonderful footage of the behaviour of both male and female, both before and during the process of mating.

Conclusions

Rob's story concludes by stating that we still have much to learn - one of the reasons that he spends so much time in the field. And this is, clearly, a passion that he enjoys immensely and his enthusiasm and love of butterflies comes across in this wonderful production. All in all, this is a beautiful piece of work and belongs in the DVD library of anyone wanting to better-understand the life of butterflies, or who simply enjoys watching a high-quality DVD on their favourite subject! As such, it is a delight to own, whether you're simply curious or a keen amateur - and managing to appeal to a spectrum of audiences is no mean feat. If I were to apply a 5-star rating to the reviews on the UK Butterflies website, this DVD would get 5 out of 5. As such, it is highly recommended to anyone reading this review.

Ordering

To order the DVD visit the Farm Lator website.