Hybrid Lysandra in the Montes Universales are likely to be the taxon once known by the name Lysandra coerulescens . Manley in A Field Guide to the Butterflies and Burnets of Spain mentions it and states that it always seems to occur where caelestissima and albicans come into contact. For this reason...

Peppered Moth.

M.

My first reaction, before reading Guy's contribution, was dorylas. I still wouldn't rule it out.

M.

Setina ramosa aka Cloaked Footman, Erebidae, Arctiinae.
M

Went for an evening stroll to my patch, about ten minutes from my pad, and was surprised to see this Large Tortoiseshell basking in the late sunshine. I see that Large Torts have now been seen at four sites on Portland. Unfortunately mine was rather inaccesible, and I was unable to get any closer be...

25 March At 11:15 today I spotted my first Clouded Yellow of the year taking nectar from a Dandelion on the Southbourne cliffs, Bournemouth. Subsequently I had several sightings of patrolling males over about a kilometre of cliff, all east of the Bistro on the Beach. However I could never see more t...

A single Cherry Plum in King's Park, Bournemouth, was host to these four species on 25th (Comma) and 27th Feb (the rest). Also seen elsewhere were Brimstone and a single Small Tortoiseshell (only 4 seen all last year).

M.

I can confirm that the Painted Lady feeds on Musk Mallow, and probably every other member of the mallow family. Although not mentioned in the British literature the Mallow moth Larentia clavaria also does so. See http://www.lepiforum.de.

M.

Definitely the very handsome form chlorodippe. Besides, niobe in Spain is always form eris without silver spots.

M.

I think this is the taxon that, depending on which checklist you favour, is either Kretania or Plebejus or Plebejides sephirus or brethertoni. One of the Zephyr blues in the pylaon group. Help!!!

M.

Looks very like the sawfly Macrophya annulata, as illustrated in Paul Brock's Comprehensive Guide to the Insects of Britain and Ireland.

M.

Phil, I suggest that your mystery thistle-like flower is the Cabbage Thistle Cirsium oleraceum. My only reservation is that I would describe the flowers as pale yellow, but perhaps they fade to whitish as they age.

M.

I spotted a fresh male Silver-studded at a Bournemouth cliff-top site by Boscombe Chine on 1st July, well away from any known colonies. i gather there have been several sightings in West Dorset this summer outside its normal range.

M.

A remarkable record: presumably a wanderer from the Chilterns.

M.

No androconia patch on forewings indicates Common Blue for me.
Edit: compare with this Spanish example. M.

This is the caterpillar of the Miller moth Acronicta leporina. The members of this genus are noted for their striking larvae. Have a look at the Sycamore, the Alder moth and others.

M

There have been a couple of sightings on the Dutch coast this month, and it may also be of interest that a mass emergence has been observed in the Kiev area, Ukraine.

M.

Sylvie, I think your first thoughts were correct. The only other possibility in that area is Berger's C-Y. which it obviously isn't. The Balkan Clouded Yellow can also be excluded, which has a much richer reddish orange colouring, and anyway does not apparently occur in the Pirin Mts.

M.

I suspect Geranium Bronze.

M.

I think we are looking for an autumn flying noctuid that overwinters in the egg stage. My guess would be the Green-brindled Crescent
(Allophyes oxyacanthae), a common and widespread species.

M.