Just one shot of this species last year and quite lucky that it came out, considering that I had to hold the camera above my head. It was taken on one of the Gatwick transects.
Vince

It was not a Painted Lady year and my highest count was three in one day. They were all on Verbina in my Lancing garden, fuelling-up for their out-bound migration south.
Vince

The first of the Red Admiral eggs from the study site hatched this morning at around 10am in overcast conditions when the temperature was around 13C. IMG_1880 B15-D-01.JPG IMG_1855 B15-D-01.JPG The leaf bearing the egg was taken home on 20th December because it looked like it was going to be dropped...

I have again started monitoring Red Admiral winter eggs and larvae at my regular study site at Ifield Meadows, Crawley. For those who have not seen previous reports, this is a nettlebed in the shelter of a south-facing flint wall. IMG_1162-01G.JPG This year the count is 83 eggs (plus 9 empty eggshel...

I'm in awe of all the great Long-tailed Blue stories this season, and if the weather had not collapsed in early November, it would have rounded-off the year nicely. I only had one sighting this year, which happened to be in my Lancing garden, so I was really pleased. IMG_1099-01G.JPG I will be plant...

Happy Birthday, Jack. I hope you are keeping warm.

Best wishes,
Vince

Thanks Jack, now corrected.

Vince

Thanks for your input, Paul. I will keep monitoring my eggs to look for any further changes.

Vince

Hi purplep and welcome to the forums. Apologies for the delay in replying to your question, but I will have a go at it. Firstly, yes it's a Brown Argus and the best fit does seem to be ab. pallidior according to the reference material that I have available. https://data.nhm.ac.uk/dataset/collection-...

This new addition to the report concerns the eggs and a phenomenon which has puzzled me for some time - namely, why some eggs look like parts of their outer shell has been worn away. The eggshell is very tough which enables the eggs to get through the winter, but it seems that the sculptured top lay...

I think what I will do is open a fresh topic, where I can lay out all of my findings on this subject, which can then be discussed more fully. It will take me a day or so to get the images sorted out.

Vince

I'm a bit late to the party on this subject, but I only took the photos a few days ago. This is one of the 8 Brown Hairstreak eggs that I have found in my Crawley garden this year. It was laid on approximately 1st September and now looks like the textured top has been worn away. IMG_1500-01G.JPG IMG...

This is one of the few species that I managed to photograph this year. On 19th June, the transect at the North-west zone at Gatwick Airport produced a surprise late Grizzled Skipper in a new sector. Most of the skippers seen in this local population are aberrant to some degree. IMG_9177-01G.JPG Vince

Happy Birthday Pete
Have a great day.

Best wishes,
Vince

Down at my Lancing garden today, the last flowers on the Verbina clump attracted 3 Painted Lady which were fuelling-up in preparation for their onward journey south. IMG_1227-01G.JPG There was also a Large White on the beach plus a Small White and a Holly Blue towards the railway station. A sheltere...

No adults photographed this year, but I did get a load of eggs on my potted Alder Buckthorn, which produced approximately 45 larvae.
Unfortunately, the day after the photo was taken, a small group of Sparrows cleared the whole plant of caterpillars.

Vince

I didn't take many photos this year, but got this one because Brown Argus had a great season here in Crawley. This was taken on one of the Gatwick transects.
Vince

Thanks for posting these images, Chris. Could you check your Private Messages next time you log in please?


Vince

Today there was more evidence of a Red Admiral reverse migration. This time I was at Lancing on the Sussex coast, rather than 25 miles in-land in Crawley. Over a series of timed counts, on or very close to the coast (in Lancing and Shoreham) I observed 120 butterflies in flight over a cumulative per...

Thanks Pete and David, it's a great location, but I only wish I had more garden space. However, I'm now going to make room to plant some Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea.

Vince