Had 4 on transect today on the Blackwater estuary, Essex - double my previous best! Only a few, but all looked too pristine to be migrants and the next brood is definitely underway.

In central Essex a few weeks ago, I saw up to 30 along a riverbank where previously I've only seen ones and twos. But this hotspot seemed very local; maybe they managed to get ahead of their parasite somehow. A couple of branch sightings this weekend suggest the next brood could be underway.

Rob S

Hi Nige, The lack of local response may speak volumes! I don't think that any partial second brood of Swallowtails would last into September. With the early season, you may still get a tatty Grayling at Winterton or at the site on the branch website. These duneland sites are always worth a visit at ...

:shock: Hmmmm is this the same site as the highly dubious population of the mid to late '90's? I suspect not, but with a species such as this one has to presume that a release is the most likely source. Sadly. Piers. There was a report of a 'small fritillary' being seen along with lots of Large Whi...

[quote="admiral halsey"]The pics below are of two Skippers. One of these clearly has the orange underside of the antennae denoting a Small Skipper. In the other it is not clear. Can anyone id it please? Rich I think the second one is a Small Skipper as well, Richard. You can just see orang...

I left Swansea at 7.15am but got lost near Whixall, as the map I'd printed out didn't cover the area in sufficient detail. All the roads were unmarked and I ended up driving round aimlessly before I spotted a brown sign which guided me not to Whixall Moss but to its neighbour, Bettisfield Moss, whi...

I reported something similar about ant hills at Denbies Hillside last year and remember being told it was probably animal damage. Can't remember exactly what was said but it was something like badgers looking for ant grubs. Yep, badgers are a possibility. But the distribution made me think 'human' ...

Essex Bertie. Don't worry about the anthills with regard to Large Blue although it's a shame if they've been bashed. From speaking to the wardens at Collard Hill the ants that the large Blue use as a host Myrmica sabuleti don't actually make anthills but purely live underground. Apparently at Colla...

Saturday 18th June With 2 English 'lifers' left on the list, Large Heath and Large Blue, I put my trust in the weathermen and headed west hoping to get some decent overcast shots and to try and limit my carbon footprint! Arrived in Shropshire to heavy rain so just had a look around Prees Heath at th...

Reports haven't come in from all the sites as yet. But the top 3 are expected to be Hockley Woods, Pound Wood and Little Haven/Starvelarks Wood (under the power lines).

Rob

How Hill. Park at TG372189 walk down through the first meadow and pay a nominal fee (last year I think it was £1) at the old cottage museum - that itself is well worth a visit. Then follow the trail and you might see Swallowtails. Jack I've seen quite a few in that first small field of the Trail ne...

I think Hod Hill is definitely your best bet. I would try to combine it with stopping at some other sites as well such as Martin Down which is quite close by or Bentley Wood perhaps which should be full of Pearl Border Fritillaries by now. Helps to justify the long trip :) I did just that combinati...

Tuts, This may be the work of a masters student carrying out a mark and release scheme for Butterfly Conservation. She is based in Essex but I know she was heading for Hampshire to monitor a few Duke sites - I'll email her the link if that's OK and see if she needs any info. Many thanks for your pos...

I've seen two female Orange Tips this spring that seem to be readily identifiable in flight by their distinctly bluish hue. I haven't noticed it before in the few years I've been interested - is this usual and I've just seen two freshly-emerged individuals?

From the Meadow Brown sightings, under-recording doesn't look a problem. The Gatekeeper seems to have made some progress inland during years 1995-2004, but has then died out locally, so for me it is just on the northern limit of its range in the south of Ireland, much as the Lulworth Skipper is on t...

Dave, By the looks of the UK distribution map, the Meadow Brown seems to be able to cope better with a more northerly climate. Down south, it can be the only butterfly seen in light drizzle. It has an earlier and more protracted season, so it looks like the Gatekeeper just cannot get a foothold into...

I was browsing Butterfly Farmer by L. Hugh Newman yesterday (half my books are in England and half in CH). On pp. 150-151 he discusses the immigrant status of Camberwell beauties and relates how in 1935 he lived in Finland, close to the shore where timber ships picked up pit props for English mines...

According to the Thomas and Lewington book, Brimstones gorge on whatever nectar sources they can find before hibernating, favouring purple flowers. But no mention of spring flowers! I've seen them down amongst very low growth nectaring on Dandelions and Bugle. Wildflowers out at the moment include ...

Is there plenty of sallow on the reserve? If so, I would favour the 2010 immigrant hypothesis. In my experience, Camberwell beauties hibernate near suitable breeding sites. I really can't imagine one flying into dockland and hibernating on a ferry... (but I guess some smaller vessel, moored up in a...

Hi Matsukaze, I probably can't add much to my post of 10th August 2010. Visiting Alners Gorse earlier in the day, I had been told by a local BC member that Lulworth Skippers were having a poor time due to heavy grazing at some locations. I was recommended to look in the long grass above Stair Hole, ...