There's a little voice at the back of my head that keeps saying I've read somewhere that hazel is an occasional LHP for Commas. I'm gonna have to go through my books when I get home now as it's bugging me! Well, Paul, try 'A Resource-based Habitat View for Conservation - Butterflies in the British ...

Thanks for your response and great to know that hazel is used as a foodplant elsewhere in Europe, Mikhail. The larva is still on the hazel and I am 99% convinced that it had been feeding on the leaves due to typical lepidopteran leaf damage and lack of any significant apparent movement of the larva ...

MrSp0ck wrote:I think the top Brown Hairstreak is Female and the bottom on a male, males rarely decend at bookham so its a good shot.

Thank you, MrSp0ck. I had a hunch they were female and male. Interesting to know that males rarely descend to lower levels here which makes the sighting extra special.

ATB

Peter

Went to Bookham Commons today with Bob. The sun was more in than out but fortunately we managed to find our target species on a flowery patch just off the northern boundary of Banks Common. We found two Brown Hairstreaks within yards of each other, one feeding on Hogweed and the other on Creeping Th...

Full credit to Trevor. His most recent diary posting was educational. He posted an ab Red Admiral which made me look at one of my own. And it too was similar. So if they are really commonplace, I would ask your indulgence as I repeat this picture. I was pleased and will try and look more carefully ...

Thank you, Vince. Writing about the lateness of season made me think :) . The spot where the larva was found is part of my transect. The highest numbers of second brood (i.e. hutchinsoni ) adults were in week 13 and 14 (last week in June and first week in July) with 9 and 7 respectively. Some warm w...

Thank you Guy.

The blue and gold colouring at the bottom end foxed me for a bit. Do you think it is currently in the third instar? By the way it is about 4 feet above ground if that makes any difference .

I'll keep an eye on it.

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Peter

Found a larva on and under a hazel leaf - thought it might have been of a Comma but I am not now so sure. It had been on this leaf for two days with apparently no more signs of feeding damage on the leaf. Can anyone help with the id please?

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Peter

While walking my Stevenage transect yesterday I was struck by the amount of white on a female Common Blue. Not the best images I am afraid (been experimenting with my macro lens and was not close enough ). Could it be an aberration, e.g. thestylis albomarginata?

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Peter

While walking my Knebworth Park transect today I saw a Gatekeeper which looked darker than usual. Looking up the aberrations list this insect could be ab. postice-inocellata (missing the anal spot on the hindwings) and ab. semi-nigra where the orange patches on the hindwings are much reduced. ATB Pe...

I came across a most beautiful female Common Blue on my local patch earlier - this species is doing well here.

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Peter

Your employer must be very generous in allowing you to take quite a few days off, Paul . No doubt we'll hear of Brown Hairstreak records from you next week which I am looking forward to reading about. No pressure, mind .

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Peter

In this rather early season, I wonder if that Comma larva is the pale early summer hutchinsoni or the darker autumn form? My guess would be offspring of hutchinsoni . But will it be pale or dark adult? Does a Comma third brood ever occur? Jack Interesting comment, Jack. The spot where I found the l...

So you and Pete like the punk stuff? Not surprised if you were 13 or 14 years old at the time .

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Peter

A good selection of photos, James.

That Essex Skipper looks incredibly dark

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Peter

In cloudy conditions I decided to go to the local woods this morning in search for Red Admiral larvae and/or tents on some nettle beds. I didn't find any but I found a nice Comma larva under a nettle leaf - perhaps in its final instar.

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Peter

A trip to Hexton Chalk Pit yielded about 20 Chalkhill Blues (all males) between 0945 and 1015 am, but very few had their wings open even at this time in the morning - probably due to the heat. The usual common species were also present: Meadow Brown, RInglet, Gatekeeper, Marbled White, Small White, ...

Well done, Paul.

So what are you going to do after you ticked off all 60 (or is it 59?) species? Write a book about your experiences? Your reports are a pleasure to read and probably encourages a few people to get out a bit more

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Peter

Thanks, Neil, regarding my PE 'blue' antennae query.

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Peter

Midsummer Madness As British Emperoring Record Tumbles Exeter University student Harry Drew had never seen a Purple Emperor before arriving at Knepp, for what must inevitably become an unforgettable summer as a resident research volunteer. I met Harry rather late in the morning, for an introduction...