May 2016

[David M]

Promising early signs....by Thursday most of us should be seeing sunshine and temperatures in the upper teens.

Bring it on...

[Jack Harrison]

1st May
Indoor windowsill.

It had obviously been hibernating inside the house where temperatures usually in the range 15 to 18C. I am surprised it survived in such warm conditions.
On release, it flew off strongly.

Sadly my normal method of ensuring survival - in the fridge at around 4 to 6C - didn't work this time and the Small Tort died around February.

Jack

[Rosalyn]

Green Hairstreak. Barnack Hills & Holes, Cambs. Cold start to the day, a chilly wind. Only 1 seen 11.30. Only other butterflies seen 2 Brimstone

[Jack Harrison]

Green Hairstreak.......Barnack Hills & Holes

Top of a hill or bottom of a hole?

Amazing isn't it how some of our best localities these days are old industrial workings (Barnack was dug to make Peterborough Cathedral).

No doubt in 200 years time, what will by then be the "the old HS2 route" will be an excellent linear nature reserve.

Jack

[Rosalyn]

Since it's still very cold, and yes we had hail again today. Bottom of a hole
The Barnack stone was also used to build Sawtry Abbey, long gone. Did you ever see Grizzled Skipper there Jack? I had one years ago and one was seen last year but I don't know where to look

[Jack Harrison]

Rosalyn

Did you ever see Grizzled Skipper there Jack?

No but it looks suitable. There are a couple of other old quarries just to the south (names escape me but have been mentioned as wildlife friendly) that might be worth investigating.

Jack

[David M]

Finally.....a butterfly.

Only one, and only my fourth Orange Tip of 2016, seen at Castle Meadows, Abergavenny this afternoon in cloudy conditions:

[Testudo Man]

Yesterday (1/5/16) did not go as planned! out of my 4 target species, only one was found!

Despite me visiting 4 separate locations(one was a new area for me too) i could only find Green Hairstreak...no sign of Small Copper, Dingy/Grizzled Skippers!...I found a single Grizzled Skipper back on the 20/4/16, but in over an hour of searching the same/first location, the only butterfly seen, was a Large White!
Other species seen on the day were - Brimstone, Comma, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, 1 male an 1 female Orange Tip, and just the 2 Green Hairstreaks...a couple of other "Whites" also sighted, possible Small White or GVW??

Good numbers of Common Lizards seen, along with 2 female Adders, 1 freshly sloughed male Adder(2 of these snakes were sighted at a new location). This area is known for its Adders, Ive been meaning to visit for several years now, so good to find a couple of snakes on my first go! One of the GH's was seen here, but no chance of a photo, because it was a "fly by".

Last location of the day, gone 3.00pm, not expecting anything here(Ive only visited this area once before) but great to catch a couple of moments with a fresh looking GH. It didnt hang around for long, so i didnt get the best images, but a nice "late in the day" surprise anyway.

Location - Kent, cheers Paul.

You know there are Snakes in the area, when you come across sloughed/snakeskin! Image is not cropped.

[Mark Tutton]

The subject of 'man made' butterfly locations is interesting as quite a few habitats are, or have been, dependent on some sort of human activity - coppicing, forestry management, grazing and indeed quarrying! Both Noar Hill in Hampshire and Heyshott Down in Sussex are excellent butterfly sites and were medieval chalk workings which was apparently used as fertiliser on the adjoining fields. Imagine the furore should such an activity be suggested in pristine downland now? Noar Hill is a site I know quite well and is one of the top three sites in Hampshire for the most species, including Dukes and Brown Hairstreak. It also has at least eleven species of orchid including over 10,000 spikes of the nationally rare Musk Orchid. Here are some pictures of a Duke and a Green Hairstreak from Noar Hill on Sunday.
Kind regards
Mark

[Hoggers]

The Small Coppers of Dungeness increase apace

I counted 33 this morning.

Also saw a mating pair of Grizzlies

All the best,

Hoggers

[Jack Harrison]

3rd May

Peacock in my garden today.



Jack

[Willrow]

Ewyas Harold Common, Herefordshire today produced just a solitary Pearl-bordered Fritillary and it allowed just one solitary record shot still I suppose I should be thankful for that because I saw not one other P-b F despite thoroughly searching the usual 'hot-spots', although the day was fine and sunny there was still a keen edge to the wind and at times it was quite brisk.

Orange-tip (6no), Green-veined and Large White, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock (Singles) provided the remaining butterfly sightings. What I initially thought was a clearwing macro-moth species turned out to be a Birch Sawfly so my efforts today were not exactly productive...but tomorrow is forecast to be sunny and less windy

Bill

[David M]

My first female Orange Tip of 2016 seen behind my workplace at lunchtime today:

[Jack Harrison]

I had thought someone - probably David M - would have picked up on my post:

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=8823&p=109531#p109491

Look at the object in the right of the frame! It had been seen earlier in a garden centre.

Jack

[David M]

LOL! I'm sure you'll get to see the real thing later in the year, Jack. Peacocks do occur that far north, don't they?

[Ian Pratt]

First sightings this year of four species today: green-veined white, brimstone, common blue and Glanville fritillary.

[David M]

.....and Glanville fritillary.

Hurrah! Welcome news indeed!

[Greenie]

Spent 10 minutes following this female Orange Tip around the garden as she visited every Cuckoo Flower , several times , and every Garlic Mustard plant , several times , before she decided to lay on Honesty !

[bugboy]

Great afternoon at Denbies today, Green Hairstreaks by the bucket load, Dingies and Grizzlies both out in force, a few Small Heaths and a lesser spotted Millerd also spotted roaming the hillside!

[Allan.W.]

Hello all,
Just thought I,d post a picture of an odd looking Small Copper,that turned up at the weekend,at Dungeness,sadly a snatched shot ,and couldn,t re-locate,it shows very orange hindwings Ab. Auronitens ??