I am fortunate to live on the south coast and have been deliberately checking coastal sites to see what they turn up and I haven't been disappointed on the clouded yellow fron, seeing at every place I have looked, including another three today with yet another Helice :shock: I have been checking the...

Hi Pauline
I too have noticed both male and female common blues recently that are no bigger than a small blue, also quite a few gatekeepers seem very small. My guess would be that environmental conditions might have caused this?
Mark

Hi Bill
I think it is a Clouded Yellow year! 140 noted on a Lucerne field on Thorney Island in Sussex according to the Sussex bc sightings page.
Mark

Hi Guy, there is an unsubstantiated report of them being seen in Bradfield Woods, Suffolk this year however they may have been introduced here? There is also a blog about the history of the introduction of emperors to Theberton wood in Suffolk, which is not far from Minsmere where sightings have ind...

Hi Pauline - yes the small coppers are the ones with blue on the hind wings. It is worth continuing past the billy trail, if you can resist, and on to sandy point- always a chance of migrants here as its the first landfall for them after crossing the channel with good nectar sources and there is als...

Hi Pauline I have seen three Helice this year and what I have noted, as Guy has mentioned elsewhere, is that the dark wing edges and generally greyer wings, particularly the hindwings, are quite noticeable and distinctive in flight. The trick is to photograph against the light where the broad dark b...

Given the reports of clouded yellows I took look at a coastal site at Sandy Point, Hayling Island first thing this morning. I wasn't disappointed - before getting completely soaked by a huge shower I had tracked down an incredible seven - four males and three females including a delightful Helice - ...

Hi willrow - I think a worn Small male. The sex brand is a bit indistinct, probably doing its job shedding scales, but it is curving away from the wing edge and vaguely 's' shaped. In Essex it is snormally straight and parallel to the wing edge.
Mark

Hi Pauline I agree you have been thoroughly 'purpled' this year both hairstreaks and his highness driving you to distraction. Your time will come - probably when you are least suspecting it :D I witnessed several thunderstorms at straits last year - you will remember me emerging from the bushes at a...

It was silly season at Alice Holt yesterday as the Emperor cast his spell! Really good numbers of White Admiral were showing along with Silver Washed - the numbers have built steadily all week, Neil's spray seemed to attract just about everything - but beware do not get downwind! Only one Emperor wa...

Hi Pauline
I think your cats are peacock which I also noted at straits today. Interestingly there were whole webs of caterpillars that looked second or third instar that were all dead - any thoughts anyone?

Spent the day at Bernwood forest - plenty of Black Hairstreaks but the only ones down were pretty worn but had good views of fresh individuals higher up. Most of the worn specimens seem to be females suffering the rigours of egg laying. Very few other woodland species showing except good numbers of ...

Hi Van Greaves - welcome to the site - sounds like you have had a great week indeed! Nice to see you have spotted denims at Daneway Bank - my partner comes from very close to the area ( Nailsworth) and we spent a lovely day there last year, with lunch and a beer at the pub, I think we were a little ...

Had a trip to Norfolk in the week to see Swallowtails for the first time. First stop was,of course, Strumpshaw Fen and a Marsh Harrier swooped low over the car park as we arrived. Quickly getting our bearings we headed for th doctors garden where we were greeted by my first and second ever swallowta...

Hi Guy I don't post much but always read your diary and posts first! Your empathy with the enviroment and understanding of ALL of your subject matter (butterflies and a lot more) is second to none. I have been trying to emulate some of your photographs this year by including the background with some...

Hi all I too came across a female duke at Butser that I estimated to be about 20% larger than a normal female. I took some photos but unfortunately there are no reference points to gauge size :( interestly in my tour of OMNH I was able to view some female orange tips that were about half the size of...

Hi Paul I think you have recorded your sighting of DOB on the Hants BC sightings page so it will get picked up by Ashley Whitlock who is the county recorder for this species. Good find - it was on my list of places to visit , it will be interesting to visit in peak season next year to see the extent...

Have just come back from my visit and I can honestly say that that I have rarely spent a more enthralling couple of hours. My partner Sarah accompanied me and was not really looking forward to traipsing round a museum looking at pinned insects - yet she came out buzzing and couldn't stop jabbering o...

Hi Neil I have just caught up with your news too please accept my condolences. We spent a great day at Fermyn last year and I thoroughly enjoyed our company - my dad also died a couple of years ago in purple emperor season and I took great comfort by dissappearing into the woods before his funeral a...

Hi Debbie - I normally use a canon 60d with both macro and 400mm but I bought a Panasonic fz150 off eBay in the winter and have used nothing else so far this year it is fantastic. If you are not going out specifically to take photos it fits in my field bag and I have taken photos of hobbys, ring ouz...