Neil Hulme

bugboy · Post by **bugboy** » Tue Sep 29, 2015 7:45 pm

Hope you're keeping an eye out for extra blue spots on the Red Admiral hindwings 'alla ab. Buggeri'

Gonna have a go at Newhaven tomorrow for some LTB action, hoping this fresh wave of warm weather may have woken a few more up.

Goldie M · Post by **Goldie M** » Wed Sep 30, 2015 3:28 pm

I agree Neil, I've really enjoyed them in my Garden Goldie

Neil Hulme · Post by **Neil Hulme** » Sat Oct 03, 2015 9:20 am

The Assassin

While touring Rewell Wood with Norfolk Estate Head Forester Mark Aldridge on Thursday (1 October), to pick out winter work targets for my Fritillaries for the Future project http://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/Fr ... uture.html, we came across two very impressive specimens of the large, parasitoid ichneumon fly Dolichomitus sp.

These were busy scampering across the top of sweet chestnut stumps, sensing for movement deep below, then probing with their ovipositor spikes to inject eggs into unfortunate buprestid or cerambycid beetle larvae. Bob Foreman, who saw one at BC Rowland Wood last year, checked the Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre database and these specimens take the grand total of Sussex records for the genus to four. Having seen three quarters of the total, I think that makes Mark, Bob and I the county experts!

Goldie M · Post by **Goldie M** » Sat Oct 03, 2015 11:00 am

I've just read" Fritillaries of the Future project " and I hope you get these lovely Butterflies back Neil.

I was up at Gaits Barrow in May and June and we only saw one of either and they were dodging the the terrible weather we had then.
Unfortunately I got no shots of either

They were seen in other places but the Ranger at GB said it was the worse year they'd had for Butterflies especially the Fritillaries for a long time, we can only hope next year is better, I'd hate to see them disappear like they've done in other places Goldie

Neil Hulme · Post by **Neil Hulme** » Sat Oct 03, 2015 12:44 pm

Hi Goldie,

We can't afford to lose any more of these precious butterflies.

You can also read my first project newsletter, which summarises progress so far and discusses some of my plans for the future, here http://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/do ... Issue1.pdf

BWs, Neil

Jack Harrison · Post by **Jack Harrison** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 3:57 am

You wrote

...some of my plans for the future, here http://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/do ... Issue1.pdf

and

...focus will be firmly on the Pearl-bordered and Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary

Fascinating read about the work you are putting in.

I presume that the other Sussex Frits, Silver-Washed and Dark Green don't need much help at the moment. I have the impression that SWF is doing fine without help but how about DGF?

Jack

Neil Hulme · Post by **Neil Hulme** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 8:15 am

Thanks, Jack.

The project focuses on just SPBF and PBF, both of which are in dire straits across the entire SE of England. Realistically, it's now or never, with SPBF already below critical mass and PBF spiralling towards it.

You are correct in suggesting that "Silver-Washed and Dark Green don't need much help at the moment", although of course this is relative, as these days almost all of our butterflies need a little help, as we've made a bit of a mess of the countryside!

SWF does seem to be doing quite well and spreading, and my gut feel is that DGF is better placed in Sussex than it was during the last couple of decades of C20th. Conservation grazing is now more widespread, although DGF doesn't like turf cropped too tightly.

I have been involved with a couple of projects where rank, very poorly conditioned grassland has been cattle grazed for the first time in ages, leading to an explosion of Hairy Violet and subsequent explosion of DGF.

On the other hand, I know of one relatively small site which used to support a population of c.30 (max daily count) DGF, where SWF turned up uninvited and formed a colony of c.30, at the complete expense of DGF. Cause and effect are often difficult to prove in the natural world, but direct competition does look like a distinct possibility in this case, bearing in mind apparently consistent management over the period.

BWs, Neil

Wurzel · Post by **Wurzel** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 7:34 pm

Fantasic photos Neil

I had two near me at The Devenish a while back and now I now what they are so cheers for the ID

Have a goodun

Wurzel

selbypaul · Post by **selbypaul** » Wed Oct 07, 2015 8:06 pm

Interesting concept there Neil about the Dark Green Fritillary suffering when the Silver Washed Fritillary arrived. Like you say, correlation does not mean causation, but I wonder if anyone else on here has noticed such effects in their local patches?
Paul

Neil Hulme · Post by **Neil Hulme** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 10:10 pm

Perfect Males Do Exist!

Following a lengthy hiatus I located another British born Long-tailed Blue at 2 pm on Thursday (8 October), at Beeding Cement Works. I flushed it from the clump of Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea beside the tarmac area, as soon as I got out of the car. Luckily it didn’t fly more than a couple of metres, and the mixed weather conditions worked in my favour. Several times it opened its stunningly beautiful wings, revealing that it was a male. I have seen quite a few British Long-tailed Blues now, but this was my first male in perfect condition.

During a warmer period it moved to the central clump of ivy, where it sunbathed on some clematis leaves. At 3 pm it launched an attack on a passing Comma, and accelerated away so rapidly that I immediately lost sight of it. The males of this species make the Duke of Burgundy and Small Copper look quite slow!

If you visit this site please do not block the track up to the houses (there is really only room for one car to park here). Parking can be found in the layby a few hundred metres further north, on the left-hand side. Please do not walk up the private track which serves these houses. Please do not trespass over the private garden to the left of the track.

I still believe that the main emergence of British Long-tailed Blues is yet to begin, but the forecast of a big freeze next week may yet spoil the party.

bugboy · Post by **bugboy** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 10:40 pm

Jesus thats a bloody good looking butterfly

trevor · Post by **trevor** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 6:42 am

Gorgeous .

kevling · Post by **kevling** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 8:38 am

Neil,

Fantastic shots of the LTB. What a beauty.

Regards Kev

William · Post by **William** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 8:40 am

Superb, Neil, and congratulations on that Scarce Tortoiseshell image in Atropos - you kept that one quiet!

BWs,

William

badgerbob · Post by **badgerbob** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 9:38 am

What a beauty!! Thanks again for the call Neil and sorry the back was not up to it!! Having said that from what you said about it chasing off the Comma it would have vanished by the time we would have got there. A brilliant reward for you for the time put into the hunt!!

Goldie M · Post by **Goldie M** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 10:11 am

Fantastic Neil, lets hope there's no Jap reading about this with his lunch box at the ready Goldie

Jack Harrison · Post by **Jack Harrison** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 10:12 am

Stunning again Neil.

From Jack (temporarily in Ireland)

David M · Post by **David M** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 10:13 am

Good work, Neil. Looks like he's the first of the new generation! Hopefully there'll be more prior to the predicted cold snap.

Post by **Pete Eeles** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 12:03 pm

Oooh - very nice shots (as usual!). Glad you managed to get a decent shot of a male - you certainly deserved it!

Cheers,

- Pete

Wurzel · Post by **Wurzel** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 7:23 pm

Cracking stuff

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Neil Hulme

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