millerd

[trevor]

A very worthwhile detour, even the weather played ball, it hasn't done that much this year !.
Several Large Blues were seen, by some, in the Cevennes. I've yet to see one.

All the best,
Trevor.

[millerd]

I was very lucky to get the weather window I did. Those female Large Blues must have known the rain was coming - the egg-laying activity was frantic while the sun was out. I hope you get to see them, Trevor: they should be around for another week at a guess.

Saturday 25th: I had planned (if it hadn't tipped it down) to overshoot Taunton after Collard Hill, and carry on over to Haddon Hill for Heath Fritillaries, before coming back to stay with my old chum. However, the weather put paid to that plan, and on Saturday I continued with the original scheme I had hatched for this day, which was to visit the Heddon Valley on the North Devon coast. Luckily, my friend was happy enough to come along, and we took the coastal route via Minehead, Porlock and Lynmouth. I'd forgotten how small some of the roads were, and how steep the hills as well, but the scenery was stunning, and there was even sunshine patchily along the coast. Eventually we arrived at Hunter's Inn and walked down to the sea and back.

The paths didn't quite match the map, and despite some brightness and shelter from the wind, we saw no butterflies for most of the walk. However, on the return trip, I spotted some activity over a stand of bracken quite close to the stream. With my friend shouting helpful directions (it was difficult to look all ways at once), I tracked down a settled butterfly that he thought was a bit larger and more orange than the others. Perched on the bracken was a High Brown Fritillary.

I managed to walk round it for a better view. However, it was spooked by something and instead of flying up, it fell off its perch and took a while to clamber back up.

Eventually, it settled, open-winged, basking under the bright overcast sky. It was a lovely male, quite fresh, but with a small notch out of a hindwing.

After it finally flew, I noticed that there were a few other species flying too in less than ideal conditions. I saw my first Ringlet and first Small Skipper of the year, lots of Meadow Browns and a couple of very worn Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries.

Then I spotted another large orange butterfly which came down onto the bracken and basked like the HBF had earlier. This one was perfect: a brand new male Dark Green Fritillary.

I did not see the underside to be absolutely sure, but it just did not look like the other species. It is really hard to say why! (Someone will tell me now that it isn't DGF at all... ). Four new species for the year in about 20 minutes, plus yesterday's Large Blue. In the end, a vague plan to take in Haddon Hill on the way back was again thwarted by a stormy sky over Exmoor, and Sunday was dismal. Never mind - it was a very successful butterfly weekend (and beer was also drunk!). The highlight for me had to be getting my first good view of the underside of a fresh High Brown Fritillary.

Dave

[Goldie M]

That's a lovely shot of the High Brown Dave, Goldie

[bugboy]

Oooooh High Browns, I wonder if I'll get lucky with them this year up at Arnside. Your's do look very nice

[millerd]

Thank you Goldie - I was very pleased with it. I'm very envious that you don't have to travel too far to see these splendid butterflies.

Thank you too, Buggy. I hope there'll still be some around at Arnside at the end of the month when I plan to stop there on the way up or back down from York (a bit of a detour but always worth it).

Back to normality on 27th June, and the briefest of walks locally with the standard overcast produced just a Comma, a Large Skipper, and any number of Meadow Browns, including a few females.

I then went down with some kind of bug for a day or two, but didn't seem to have missed any summer happening outside, so can't complain really. This evening, after a day at work, a burst of sunshine prompted another trip out - this time a specific walk to the local Essex Skipper colony next to the airport perimeter.

They normally appear during the first week of July, and I discovered two individuals battling wind and doing their best not to have to battle the traffic as well.

Cute or what? Essex do somehow seem to have a bit more character than their Small cousins.

Dave

[Wurzel]

I agree Dave - Essex over Small every time although the most charismatic Skipper has to be the Lulworth (just a slight bit of regional bias there ). Lush High Brown from the post before too!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

I saw a few Small Skippers today at Box Hill - very dull in comparison. Not sure about the Lulworths, Wurzel, but the Silver-spots are pretty cute too. (Awful to say it, but they are only a couple of weeks away now...)

There was sunshine this morning (some) and the rain held off (until the downpour) and it did get warm(ish)... Anyway, I took Elliot down to Box Hill. We had a good walk in the woods first, but saw nothing but a tired Speckled Wood and a couple of Red Admirals. One was a splendid insect.

Eventually, out on the flowery slopes of Burford Spur, we found large numbers of Marbled Whites.

one crumpled forewing seemed to make no difference

with a large cargo of red mites

Almost every knapweed flower had one perched on it, and you could sit on the grass and see a dozen within touching distance. Elliot (who feigns disinterest in things lepidopterous most of the time, probably to annoy his old dad), couldn't help himself with so many around and was soon asking questions about the little red mites, and how you tell males from females and what do their caterpillars look like. He loves the furriness of the fresh ones, too. In amongst the many hundreds of Marbled Whites were several Dark Green Fritillaries, Meadow Browns, Large and Small Skippers, Ringlets and one lonely Common Blue.

As we set off back to the car, we found a mating pair of Marbled Whites, a view which demonstrated for Elliot the clear difference between the sexes of this attractive butterfly.

Dave

[bugboy]

All the rain this year must have made the Red Fescue grow rich and lush for all those Marbled White caterpillars this spring!

[millerd]

After taking Elliot off to a scout event early afternoon, I walked part of my local patch (not including the Essex Skipper bit this time). I was pleased to see five Commas and five Red Admirals, with three of the former and one of the latter on the same stand of bramble.

While waiting for one of the quartet of hyperactive butterflies to settle, I noticed something smaller bumbling in and out of the bushes. This proved to be a Gatekeeper, the first I've seen this year. The butterfly already seemed a bit worn, but could well have been buffeted and rained on in the last twenty-four hours.

I also saw the first whites for a few weeks, mostly GVW, but one or two Small ones, a Small Heath and lots of Meadow Browns.

Walking back to the house I encountered a sad sight on the road - a flattened young grass snake.

I have seen these reptiles occasionally round here before, but never close to. A shame to encounter one in this way.

Dave

[Goldie M]

Hi! Dave, lovely shots of the Marbled White's, I wish they'd come North West I know they're in Yorkshire so why not Lancashire
We are lucky to have the High Brown so near to us, trouble is they're like the "Will O Wisp" now you see me now you don't Last year I saw them on the 15th Of July at Gait Barrow near where the Dukes usually are,
Good luck at Arnside, Goldie

[millerd]

Thank you Goldie. Marbled Whites are doing well and extending their range apparently. I'm sure they'd be happy your side of the Pennines.

The early morning sunshine was a bit deceptive - I made the relatively short trip to Black Park near Iver, and within ten minutes of arrival lower cloud and higher cloud ganged up to obscure most of it. There were bursts from time to time, and this was enough to bring out a single Silver-washed Fritillary, one of my aspirations for the visit.

There were lots of Ringlets (they happily live with a bit of cloud), and a few Large and Small Skippers, Speckled Woods, and Meadow Browns.

I saw one fast-moving butterfly at a bit of a distance which looked very much like a White Admiral (the other target species) but I really couldn't be sure. Another fast mover, pale pink in flight, was definitely a Painted Lady, careering around and stopping only briefly to nectar on the brambles.

The final piece in the jigsaw of a somewhat frustrating morning was to see a pale grey butterfly fly in leisurely fashion from the brambles behind me and up onto the leaves of an ash tree a few feet above my head. This is all I could achieve by way of a photo.

Enough to confirm my suspicions - a Purple Hairstreak, probably on its maiden voyage to the treetops after hatching earlier in the day under one of the many oak trees. If I had been looking, I might have seen it basking amongst the low vegetation, but of course I hadn't. It did bask on the ash for a while (I could see its outline through the leaves), before it disappeared even higher up somewhere.

Oh to be five metres tall... (there are probably very few other benefits to be honest, but viewing Purple Hairstreaks on a level would be one certainly. )

I also saw this delicately marked moth hiding under a bramble leaf. It looked white in flight, but I assume the green tinge here is light transmitted through the foliage.

Frustrating, certainly, but two more definite species for the year, and a "maybe".

Dave

[Wurzel]

I'm reading all the weekend exploits with real envy Dave, congrats with the Purple Hairstreak - perhaps they could be the species to buck the trend of 2016 and have a good year?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Maybe, Wurzel - I saw a few today near home whizzing about at the top of an oak. Or there could be other candidates for the species that are doing okay: Green Hairstreak? Marbled White? Or even the one that featured in my Sunday afternoon, following Philzoid's recent report.

From Black Park I drove down to Dawney's Hill near Woking with the sun still undecided whether to be in or out. Phil had reported very good numbers of Silver-studded Blues, and he was not wrong. I'd only say I found the numbers of females to be higher, with them barely being outnumbered by the males. There were fresh examples of both sexes as well as a lot of worn ones, and as Phil mentioned there were big differences in size. The work that has been done here to open it up more by cutting back the big clumps of gorse seems to have worked so far, and as long as the heather grows back well all should be well. It will be interesting to see how it affects the Grayling population - they should be out soon too.

Anyway, here are some Silver-studs, firstly a selection of males. The variety between individuals is quite wide when you look closely - the big difference between the width of the back border between the first two for example...

...and now the females, also with noticeable differences between individuals and with a beautiful sheen at certain angles. Not a blue scale between them, either.

This one had prominent turquoise (not silver at all!) studs, such a contrast to the red lunules.

The only other butterfly seen was a female Meadow Brown doing Grayling impersonations as I've seen them do here before. Must be the habitat.

Dave

[millerd]

I didn't finish work till half six on Tuesday 5th, but it was still very sunny so I went out to inspect local oak trees for Purple Hairstreak. Sure enough, one large solitary oak had four or five silvery darts flying around the top and squabbling with each other. Of course, when I pointed the camera, they disappeared.

Whilst gazing upwards, I was aware of Commas and Red Admirals whizzing about under the trees, and on my walk back in the gloomy shade, I spotted a Red Admiral down on the ground. Despite moving from spot to spot, it refused to open up, but allowed a close approach for an underside photo.

Dave

[Wurzel]

I reckon a closed wing view of a Red Admiral is even more impressive than when it opens up - those markings are sublime and subtle, if you let your imagination go you can see all-sorts in there

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

After looking at Trevor's splendid photos from today, I almost hesitate to post my account of Chiddingfold a day earlier in apparently ideal conditions. I was there from before nine to nearly one o'clock and despite seeing at least two Emperors in flight, none were tempted down to either Trevor's bait or even the magic formula laid down in various choice spots by Neil Hulme. Perhaps it needed a day to mature...

Nevertheless it was a good morning, meeting Trevor (and later Katrina) for the first time and encountering Neil in the field once again. We really did think his presence would work the magic, but even that didn't do the trick. I consoled myself with a few shots of the White Admirals and Silver-washed Fritillaries that were also flying. It was noticeable how few butterflies there were overall - even the ubiquitous Ringlet hardly abounded, there were low numbers of Skippers and not a single Comma. Hopefully I'll get another chance over the next few days but the weather doesn't look as promising (especially Sunday when it will be quite windy). Anyway, some shots of the supporting cast:

Dave

[Goldie M]

Dave, I'd be very happy to see those lovely Butterflies you've shot because it's been awful here this week for Butterflies, I love the Admiral shots, Goldie

[millerd]

Thank you, Goldie. Since then I've only been out locally, but every afternoon/evening and mostly under warm partly overcast skies. This has been the pattern of the summer so far and almost all my photos have been taken under cloud.

Over the last four days I have seen 15 species locally, which isn't too bad. The overall stars have been the hutchinsoni Commas and on the evening of 6th July I saw over 10 individuals in various spots. Considering how relatively few hibernated Commas I saw in April, their offspring are doing reasonably well. They are quite variably marked and make an interesting study.

Also showing well are the Red Admirals with five around the walk, and the Meadow Browns are doing better than last year, though still not as numerous as the year before. There were some very large females amongst them now, including this interestingly marked individual.

Gatekeepers are now emerging with six seen, and Small Heaths continue, though most seem worn at the moment. I counted five in a relatively small area and one other a long way from the main colony. I glimpsed a couple of Purple Hairstreaks on one of the other oak trees (not the big oak where I saw them earlier in the week) and singleton Small Tortoiseshell and Small Skipper.

Dave

[millerd]

7th July was a similar kind of evening, with broadly the same mix of species. I did see a couple of Large Skippers and a few more Small Skippers today, as well as the ever-attractive Commas.

There were two Red Admirals, one of which was the one I'd seen exactly a month ago on 7th June, still with its hints of yellow on the scarlet bands.
Today:

A month ago:

Dave

[millerd]

Late on 8th July followed the same pattern as recently. The main addition to the list was a single second brood Holly Blue flying high between ivy-clad trees - the first of the summer. Not many Commas today for some reason.
Another selection:

rather worn Small Heath

female Meadow Brown

male Gatekeeper

newish Red Admiral

Dave