Following on from yesterday's message for the pupa I returned to the site this morning and it appears that the pupa has now hatched - see photo below. I didn't realise until I got home and looked at the images that there is a 'moth' beside the pupal case. I still haven't got a clue what it is - can ...

On the same oak branch where I found some Purple Hairstreak eggs earlier in the month was what looked like a moth pupa - does anyone recognise it? I have tried to get a positive id from various people but with no success yet. While I am at it, I wish everyone here a Merry Christmas and a fantastic b...

Today, I came across what looks a Purple Hairstreak egg which has been parasitised on oak on the southern edge of Watery Grove. I hope to obtain better photos in the days ahead .

ATB

Peter

A Small Copper still around in the field south of Watery Grove today. Probably the same individual as one of the two seen last week at the same spot.
Nearer home, I saw a Red Admiral feeding on dandelion.

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Peter

In bright weather at around 14 c at 2 pm, in the field adjoining Watery Grove I found 2 Small Coppers (never seen them in November before). One of them at least could be around for a few days yet

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Peter

Hi Paul,

On 21 September at Norton Green I found a mating pair of Common Blues of which the thorax and upper abdomen of the female (on the left) are yellow. I suspect the yellow markings are from pollen (as Bugboy suggested) or at least flower petals (e.g. Ragwort).

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Peter

A friend of a friend saw 3 Speckled Woods in a 'comatose' state and alive under a rotten plank of wood in a park about a week ago and it was warm enough for them to fly at the time (his words)

Has anyone else come across this behaviour for this species?

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Peter

I collated data for the 3 transects I walked in the Stevenage area this year and the figures make interesting reading. The biggest declines compared to last year in percentage terms are: 1. Painted Lady -87% 2. Comma -86% 3. Essex Skipper -74% 4. Brimstone -71% 5. Small Tortoiseshell -68% 6. Red Adm...

Small Copper in the garden feeding on buddleia. Progeny of individuals seen in the first week of August?

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Peter

Fantastic photos as usual, Neil. Regarding the frequency of the 'blue badges' ab. caeruleopunctata for Small Copper, I just checked all my Small Copper photos taken this year locally and these are the results for the 22 specimens: Normal - 11 1/2 badges - 3 3/4 badges - 8 and I am pleased to say tha...

Lovely photos, Steve.

Butterflies seem to prefer the white buddleia rather than the blue and the mauve varieties which I also have in the garden.

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Peter

Found 5 Small Copper larvae (4 on base of the plants and 1 under a leaf) in the garden today. All about 1 cm long. The larva of which I took a photo on 27th was only about 7mm long so that probably rules out a final instar stage.

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Peter

Small Copper larva (final instar?) in the garden

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Peter

Essex Bertie wrote:I saw 6 Meadow Browns on my Brentwood transect yesterday and at least 2 were males. As Neil has researched, Meadow Brown larvae develop slowly and the emergence is protracted.

Thanks Bertie. We'll see how the season progresses

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Peter

This has come up before. I see good numbers of fresh Meadow Browns during my visits to the Dorset coast in late August / early September, long after they have finished for the year back home in the midlands, although I have seen the odd individual locally in September. Jeremy Thomas states in 'The ...

Thanks Pete . I suspect you are right that females might aestivate to some extent in hot weather in the UK. I have read that females can live for some months in the warmer climes in Europe and egg-laying can be delayed by up to 2-3 months. See http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/jour...

In my experience, this has been the best Small Heath year locally since 1995.

Today, I found a slightly unusual one (an extra black spot under the eye-spot) in my local park but I don't believe there is a named aberration for this. It is nice to see more of its forewings

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Peter

Virtually all the Meadow Browns I am seeing now (late August) are females. It is thought they generally mate on the first day of emergence but where are the males? Do they mate at times when we don't usually see them, in the early morning or late evening and/or are the males hiding in deep vegetatio...

Cheers Ernie. It was the first Spoonbill I have seen since a couple at Titchwell a few years ago Cheers Dave. It certainly is, although this year things seem to be starting later than I am used to locally, and that is limiting some photo opportunities Wed 15 August - Glovershaw area After a trip to...

I've seen few Commas so far this summer but I saw a beautiful dark individual on my local patch this morning. Perhaps numbers will pick up soon.

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Peter