Long-tailed Blue

[CJB]

Good afternoon UKB'ers,

It seems as though there has been very little mention of LTB's this year and I wondered if that was due to a lack of sightings or due to a concerted news black-out to prevent 'collectors' visiting sites?

There was one mention recently, but that has been it. With September being so warm, I was very surprised not to hear any reports, particularly as it was similar conditions last year that led to the influx, which I have no doubt was greater than was reported/realised. I tried in vain to find them last year, although located the site and there were sighings either side of the day I visited but none when I was there!

I would be very interested to hear thoughts, reports and opinions.

Flutter on!

CJB

[Neil Hulme]

Hi CJB,

It's what is happening to the species in southern Europe which really dictates whether we are likely to receive any LTB visitors to the UK, rather than the weather here in Blighty. Now the excitement of last year's unprecedented influx is over, we shouldn't forget how rare a vagrant this is. We were never going to see any of the progeny of the 2013 UK brood, for two reasons. 1) The species cannot survive our winter in any of its stages. 2) Strong circumstantial evidence suggests that the females mated and immediately migrated south. There's a full report on this theory in my Personal Diary.

There was an early summer record of LTB at Collard Hill, but it has very poor credentials. It was a pristine specimen with 100% perfect fringe hair, indicating that it had emerged just prior to observation. The fringe hairs start to deteriorate immediately, so in my opinion it certainly wasn't an immigrant. Also, there was nothing to suggest the possibility of a spring migration, which could theoretically have spawned a UK individual. The UK history of this species doesn't favour such an event either.

In summary, no cloak-and-dagger going on - they're just not here in any numbers this year, although it wouldn't surprise me if the odd one has shown up somewhere late season. Is there a link to the sighting you mention?

BWs, Neil

[Chris Jackson]

Hi CJB and Neil
My first LTB was seen on 12th August this year in Marseilles. If I'm not mistaken, Colin (CFB) was not far behind with his sightings in the Alpes Maritimes.
I see one or two every lunchtime. There are not excessive quantities of them about, they are less numerous at the moment than say the Clouded Yellow or Lang's STB which are booming this week.
My first sighting in Marseilles in 2013 was on 21st August.
I'm glad that we on the outposts can contribute information - don’t hesitate.

Chris

[CJB]

Gentlemen,

Thank you for your thoughts and responses. I understand now why there haven't been many reports this year! I thought the weather would favour an influx.

Flutter on!

CJB

[Pieter Vantieghem]

No long-tailed blues in the UK in 2015? In Belgium we have at least 19 sightings on 17 locations this year, more than in 2013 in total. One of them was at lunch today in the garden at my work .

[Chris Jackson]

Hello Pieter,

UKBF member 'riswey' spotted one in Sevenoaks, Kent, this week.

LTBs are definitely flying in the South of France. Every lunchtime at work (in the scrub near Vitrolles, precisely) I can see 2 of them. Each with their own territory of about 6 m in diameter, on low scrub oak. In fact they are so territorial I'm surprised they manage to make it as far north as the UK
To whet the appetites of potential spotters in the UK, this is what they look like close up :

Good hunting (bonne chasse)
Chris

[Mark Tutton]

One very fresh one in Hampshire this week see http://www.hantsiow-butterflies.org.uk/news.php
Kind regards
Mark