SpeckledWood question

[PaulJBN]

Hello, I am a novice at this butterfly thing, so have a question...

I took pics of loads of speckled woods last year (my first summers hunting) and they all looked the same - identical...like this one...


I took a pic of my first specky for this year and I noticed some differences - particularly the less-well-formed 3rd and 4th eyespot on the rear wing and the extra pronounced white flashes around the forewing eyespot...


Is this a 'time of year thing' like brood differences ?
My other speckled woods are all from July onwards last year - and they look the same (as each other) despite being taken in different places.

thanks.

Paul

[Paul]

Hi Paul

I think first brood specimens generally have larger yellow spots than subsequent broods, which is consistent with your observation.. these are from my garden last year, where SWs have colonized just in the last 2 years, Northwest end of Yorkshire...



on 26 April 07... then later...



on 4 Sept 07

Hope you enjoy becoming an enthusiast - this is a good site to help.. and an enthralling interest to have

[Padfield]

You will also notice a difference in the sexes, though not as marked as that between generations. Both Paul JBN's butterflies are males, but Paul K's spring brood example is a female. Females have exaggeratedly large patches, which is very noticeable in the first brood.

Speckled woods are on the march! In my childhood they were entirely absent from the whole of East Suffolk, whereas now they are common throughout. Clearly they're stomping through Yorkshire too!

Guy