Neil Hulme

[essexbuzzard]

Great times Daneway Banks, Neil. We were there last week,when that fabulous bench was being put in. What a work of art that is!

[Neil Hulme]

"What a work of art that is!". I couldn't agree more, Mark. Unfortunately it wouldn't quite fit in my two-seater. It would be good to find out a little more about its origins (artist etc.) if anyone is in-the-know.

[Neil Hulme]

Kicking Off And Kicking Out

It doesn't take long for all that pent-up aggression to spill out, having been imprisoned in a pupa for nearly three weeks. Yesterday (28 June) I arrived at Knepp at 3.30pm. I saw my first adult iris of the year at 3.35pm. By 3.40pm it had attacked a Black-headed Gull, a Purple Hairstreak and a second Emperor.

I only had 20 minutes on site before the weather collapsed and I covered only 250m of the Knepp Castle Estate Wildland. However, I still managed to see five individual males, the third of which was also harassing hairstreaks. A different Purple Emperor seen on average every four minutes, while travelling over an average distance of 50m, and observed attacking innocent biodiversity at an average rate of one victim per 6 minutes 40 seconds, suggests a strong start to the season here. Numbers should be very good by the time of the first Knepp Purple Emperor Safari at the weekend http://www.kneppsafaris.co.uk

It was also encouraging to see at least nine Purple Hairstreaks, including a bundle of five. This gives hope that the species will have another good year, following its recovery in 2015.

[Neil Hulme]

Knepp Emperor Update

The first three days of July saw the Purple Emperor season really take-off at Knepp. On Friday evening (1 July) I joined Matthew Oates to help him finish his survey of the Wildland, with the day's tally eventually reaching 22. Surprisingly, bearing in mind how early in the season it appeared to be, he had earlier seen a female being courted, although the amorous couple was separated by a strong gust of wind. While with Matthew I spotted a second female, which I can only attribute to the rare aberrant form thaumantias Cab. - or very similar. She looked like a giant, faded Painted Lady, but with normal Emperor banding (see http://apaturairis.blogspot.co.uk/2016/ ... -lady.html).

After leaving Matthew I performed a rough and ready count of Purple Hairstreak along the Green Lane, already aware that this species is continuing its spectacular comeback from a run of years in the doldrums. Despite high winds I soon reached the 100 mark.

Matthew and I led very enjoyable Purple Emperor Safaris https://www.kneppsafaris.co.uk/ here on Saturday and Sunday (2 and 3 July), seeing 30 and 34 individual Emperors, with a further five seen post-walk on Sunday. Sunday's tally included a fresh, grounded male.

Other highlights included Marbled Whites, Small Skippers, White-letter Hairstreaks, Peacock caterpillars, a variety of dragonflies, Longhorn cattle, Tamworth pigs, toads, Red Kite, Common Redstart and, last but not least, Raymonda, the beautiful Purple Emperor pupa.

With warm, sunny, windless conditions on Sunday evening we decided to perform a more accurate survey of Purple Hairstreak numbers. Between 18.20 and 19.20 hours we counted them on 50 Oaks spread over the northern 1.2km of the Green Lane, allowing a maximum of only 60 seconds per tree. The best number on a single tree was 15. Only six trees were barren, most of which were visibly diseased and sparsely foliated with pale, yellowish green leaves. Small and medium sized Oaks with dense, blue-green leaves were favoured. The symmetry of our stats was ruined by a total of 199.

Gate to the Wildland

Knepp Toad

Raymonda

Atypical Emperor habitat

Peacock caterpillar

Longhorns

Male Emperor

[Goldie M]

Oh! Neil, it all sounds so fantastic especially when there's nothing to sing about here. Goldie

[kevling]

Neil,

I'm still getting to grips with where the hot spots are for certain species and read your account of Knepp with great interest.
I may be mistaken , but it's sounds even better than Fermyn Wood.Thanks for sharing.

Regards Kev

[selbypaul]

Neil,

I'm still getting to grips with where the hot spots are for certain species and read your account of Knepp with great interest.
I may be mistaken , but it's sounds even better than Fermyn Wood.Thanks for sharing.

Regards Kev

From what Neil has said in the past, it definitely does seem that Knepp is the premier UK site for His Imperial Majesty (HIM) these days

[Wurzel]

Some great numbers mentioned there Neil Everythign seems to be happening so fast now after a spring and early summer when it felt like nothing was going to!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks, all. Knepp is indeed a marvellous place, and completely fascinating from an ecological point of view.

The Purple Emperor population here overhauled Fermyn last year, but until this season Knepp has been reluctant to provide the delights of grounded males. We have never been sure why. However, this might now be changing, with approximately a dozen seen on the deck in the last two weeks.

Numbers are down on the fantastic 2015 crop and the best day count of 57 is modest by Knepp standards. During the most recent guided event, which I co-led with Matthew, we were lucky enough to watch the successful conclusion to a graceful courtship flight around the crown of an Oak. The pairing lasted for precisely 3 hours 59 minutes - about 20 minutes longer than average for this species.

BWs, Neil

[Jack Harrison]

The pairing lasted for precisely 3 hours 59 minutes

That surely beasts most people's record?

Jack

[Neil Hulme]

Actually, Jack, rather average

[Neil Hulme]

Elephant In The Room

On Wednesday (6 July) I visited Chantry Hill (Storrington) in order to see my first Dark Green Fritillaries of the year. Were it not for the fact that I have now adjusted my expectations of the 2016 butterfly season to the very lowest level, I would have hoped to see in the region of 100 - 150 DGF here; I saw nine. On this warm, sunny afternoon there was a very noticeable lack of butterflies in general, over this area of prime chalk grassland. All of the species I would normally see here in abundance were present in pitifully low numbers.

I have heard surprisingly little negative commentary about the 2016 season, bearing in mind just how bad it is, at least in Sussex. Yes, I know there are exceptions, but this posting is not about exceptions. I'm struggling to remember a poorer year for butterflies, aside from the historically dreadful 2012. Many species have suffered a real stinker; others have had it much worse.

Amongst the biggest losers has been the humble Meadow Brown. When I've made this point in discussion the response has sometimes been along the lines: "really? I saw at least 50 at Site A yesterday". The problem is that there should have been 500, or perhaps 2000. There have been days at Knepp recently when Meadow Brown has been outnumbered, or nearly so, by Purple Emperor.

I mentioned the possible reasons in an earlier post ("The Good And The Bad", 9 June) and believe that the evidence is building further. Whereas the increase in the frequency of detrimental, extreme weather events (courtesy of climate change) is sometimes more obvious - such as the wash-out summer of 2012 - other forces may be at work, acting in a more stealthy manner. I've become increasingly convinced that the exceptionally mild (and wet) December of 2015 is largely responsible, with temperatures 5 - 6 deg. C above average in southern England, and an outrageous UK high of 17.2 deg. C.

It is not unreasonable to expect that species which overwinter either as an ovum or pupa are likely to be less adversely affected by a very warm December than those which overwinter as a larva or imago. Caterpillars in particular are likely to become active under these atypical conditions, and the potential consequences are obvious.

Based on my own, personal assessment of the Sussex season so far, I have produced the tables below. It is not difficult to spot the fundamental trend.

(The following species have not been included in this assessment: Brown Hairstreak, Chalk Hill Blue, Grayling and Silver-spotted Skipper; Essex Skipper, Gatekeeper and Purple Emperor; Clouded Yellow, Painted Lady and Red Admiral, either because they are yet to emerge, or it is too early in their flight season to tell, or because they are at least primarily immigrants)

We know how resilient butterflies can be and we saw how many species made a miraculous recovery after the gloom of 2012. Multivoltine species in particular are capable of bouncing back quickly. Unfortunately, several species in SE England are currently at extreme risk.

What can be done in the face of climate change? It is becoming increasingly obvious that butterflies are only likely to survive this rollercoaster ride when they form large colonies over extensive areas of suitable habitat in excellent condition. Butterflies have never needed our help so much as they do now.

[Jack Harrison]

That’s an excellent analysis Neil and while your data concentrates on Sussex, here in the far north of Britain, sadly the story is similar with one exception: Ringlet (although I have only 2015 for comparison). The dearth of butterflies can be summed up with a story when I was in fact watching Ringlets.

Two cyclists stopped and began peering into the long grass, the Ringlet habitat. It turned out that they were a mum (who looked young enough to be my granddaughter – I must be feeling my years!) and her teenage son. He was on a Duke of Edinburgh’s and looking for a plant that smelled of aniseed. I explained that I was watching butterflies and she commented that it was so nice to see a butterfly these days. I directed them to a nearby hedge where Sweet Cicely – smells of aniseed – grows. Tick for the D of E award.

Jack

[peterc]

I agree with Jack, excellent analysis Neil. I can understand how December's ridiculously mild weather could be a major factor and the subsequent 3 (and probably 4) cooler months didn't help either.

Same depressing news in Hertfordshire too with perhaps only the migrants Red Admiral and Painted Lady faring better than last year and probably the Ringlet as well. The worst species apparently are the smaller species like the Small Copper and the Small Skipper although there is some way to go in the season for these two.

The 3 hours and 59 minutes is quite impressive for the PE pair but there is a report of Brimstones copulating for 102 hours (Lindfors 1998) - now that is LONG

ATB

Peter

[bugboy]

Sadly I have to agree with you Neil. I've made a couple of comments along similar lines in my personal diary this year about how badly even the supposedly 'commonest' species seem to be doing this year, at least based on my ramblings so far this year. It can never be a good thing when average temperatures in December/January are warmer than the following April!

[selbypaul]

Hi Neil
I've not had much chance to do much butterflying in the wider countryside this year, but the perspective from my Sheffield garden is that this year has been disastrous, even worse than 2012. At least in 2012 there were warm periods and some sunshine, in between the heavy rain. This year has been cold and grey, in between the heavy rain.

The only butterfly in my garden that appears to have had a "normal" year is the Holly Blue.

No Meadow Brown's seen at all yet, despite them being relative common at this time of year. No Gatekeeper yet, despite them normally being my most common butterfly.

No Comma, no Small Tortoishell, one Peacock in March, none since. Two Orange Tip's in April, despite them normally being relatively common. One Speckled Wood in mid June, despite them normally being around every day. No Large White, no Green Veined White, and only a couple of Small White.

It's very depressing
Paul

[MikeOxon]

I'm struggling to remember a poorer year for butterflies, aside from the historically dreadful 2012. Many species have suffered a real stinker; others have had it much worse.

That's been my experience in Oxfordshire, too. Places which should have yielded good numbers of common species have only had ones and twos! Bernwood, last Friday, only had Ringlets in any numbers. There also seems to be a longer time-lag behind the Southern sites, with no Commas on the wing at all yet, for example.

The photographic evidence tends to concentrate on 'sought-after' species and, therefore, misses portraying the absence of normally common species.

Mike

[False Apollo]

Fermyn was very quiet for many species, strangely I only saw around 3 White Admirals and many observers commented on their scarcity. Purple Hairstreaks were evident and Ringlets. Meadow Brown numbers were also low. All Silver-washed Fritillaries seen were flawless, only saw about 10 in my 3 day visit. Good numbers of Small Tortoiseshells, a few Commas and 2 Red Admirals seen. I would expect species numbers to improve in the coming week as the weather is set to improve. The weather has been dull and cloudy in the mornings but vastly different with warm and sunny periods in the afternoon when I was there. At least the Emperors seem to be happy!

Mike

[trevor]

HI Neil,
Many thanks for your time this afternoon, we both thoroughly enjoyed our visit.

All the best,
Trevor.

[Neil Hulme]

A pleasure, Trevor. Didn't we do well!