August 2016

[DaveO'B]

I made the trip across country to Arnside Knott yesterday, my first visit to this wonderful little site.
As expected, there were plenty of Scotch Argus about, ranging from worn specimens to some that looked quite fresh. Cloudy conditions in the morning meant that they settled and posed quite nicely, with one female staying put for a good half hour, completely unperturbed by my getting in close with the camera.
At midday, the sun got out and the temperature climbed, so there was much more activity, and a number of other species put in an appearance. Disappointingly though, of the 15 species I saw, only Scotch Argus, Gatekeeper, and Speckled Wood were in double figures, with most of the rest seen as singletons. At one part of the site there was a large stand of Hemp Agrimony in flower, which I would have expected to be covered in butterflies, instead there was only 1 Small Tortoiseshell and 2 Gatekeeper on it.

Totals seen:
Scotch Argus - 68
Gatekeeper - 37
Speckled Wood - 13
Meadow Brown - 9
Small Skipper - 6
Ringlet - 5
Grayling - 1
Red Admiral - 1
Comma - 1
Small Tortoiseshell - 1
Peacock - 1
Brimstone - 1
Small White - 1
Holly Blue - 1
Unidentified Fritillary - 1 (v. faded, seen as it flew past)

[Jack Harrison]

3rd August north Scotland

I have a butterfly visitor Mike Rubin who - with my advice - timed the trip from London to perfection.

Scotch Argus habitat near home:







We then went to Moray coast for Graylings and Common Blues (Findhorn and Burghead)





That underside shot takes me back almost 70 years.
I was becoming familiar with the blue uppersides of Common Blue but when I caught one and was able to see the underside properly, I was utterfly entranced.

Edit next day: The Common Blue is slightly odd with fewer rings on under hindwing than standard. A minor aberration possibly resulting from temperature anomaly at some point in its early stages.

Jack

[The Doc]

Seeing as how sightings get thinner this time of year I thought I'd just add a few, not spectacular, but at least they're sightings!

Popped down the 250 miles to Minsmere RSPB yesterday for the day to twitch the Purple Swamphen that is there and took advantage of the sunshine to do some insect watching! Twelve species of butterfly recorded, the most noteworthy being a Wall, my first for 2016. In addition I saw three Painted Ladys, a few Graylings, a worn Small Copper and two Common Blues. To complete the list the other species were Green-veined White, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Small Skipper, Comma, Peacock, and over 50 Red Admirals.

Possibly my best insect (not a butterfly, sorry) was a lifer - Roesel's Bush Cricket - which were numerous in the dunes (see iPhone picture attached).

[peterc]

Unusual Gatekeeper found while walking my transect this morning. Not in the best condition I am afraid

ATB

Peter

[Hoggers]

110 Small Coppers at Dungeness today ranging in condition from this

to this

And one of them a lovely "extensa"

Best wishes,

Hoggers.

[MikeOxon]

Aberrant Chalk-hill Blue - 8th August 2016

I photographed this Chalk-hill Blue female at the Seven Barrows Reserve, near Lambourn. The absence of many of the underside spots implies Ab. obsoleta

Seven Barrows, Lambourn - 8th August 2016
(cropped image)

Mike

[Jack Harrison]

I am intrigued that Seven Barrows is suitable for Chalkhill Blue. Last time I was there (and saw perhaps the final Marsh Fritillary) the grass was very long except on the small areas of the barrows themselves.
I wouldn't have thought ideal for Chalkhill Blue. Maybe, as a parallel to the Silver spotted Skipper, Chalkhill Blues can tolerate taller vegetation these days.
(that is true about SS Skippers isn't it?)

Jack

[David M]

Productive day spent on Saturday 13th at the West Williamston site in Pembrokeshire. Butterfly returns were:

Hedge Brown 30-50
Speckled Wood 20-40
Silver Washed Fritillary 8-10
Red Admiral 8-10
Painted Lady 8-10
Brown Hairstreak 7
Small Copper 6
Large White 5
Peacock 5
Common Blue 4
Small White 4
Meadow Brown 4
Small Tortoiseshell 3
Holly Blue 1
Green Veined White 1
Purple Hairstreak 1

[adrian riley]

Hi, Gang
Have just seen records of Long-tailed Blue in London and Queen of Spain in Dorset.
Check http://www.bugalert.net for details
Adrian Riley

[aeshna5]

I'm guessing the London Long-tailed Blue is at least as likely to be an accidental import as a genuine migrant.

On my local patch this morning in the west London suburbs + despite no sunshine had an obliging Clouded Yellow (my first UK sighting this year) + also a flighty Painted Lady. This particular weedy area on a large brownfield area being converted to a golf course has proved attractive to both species over the last few years.

[IAC]

A very fine Small Tortoiseshell ab I spotted yesterday in the Scottish Borders.

Iain.

[Jack Harrison]

That is a stunning Tortoiseshell.

Does anyone know: is it a genetic or an environmental (ie, abnormal temperature) aberration?

Jack

[Allan.W.]

Hello All,
Started out early(ish) for Dungeness this morning looking for a scarce plant in Kent (Knotted Pearlwort ),and after about an hour I managed to find some,very pleased,although disappointed that the flowers wern,t open,still can't always have it all,was tempted to visit the long pit area ,and have a look for Small Red Damselflies,and also the recently arrived Sickle bearing bush cricket, but in the end,i went back to the Moat, Good numbers of Common Blue and still loads of Meadow Brown including these two pale ones,Small Coppers ,just starting to emerge again ,saw about 40-50 in all equally split between the old and the new, a few Brown Argus,Small Torts and 2 Painted Ladies.
Regards Allan .W.

[aeshna5]

Think you meant Small Red-eyed Damsels rather than Small Red (different species) Damselflies at Dungeness. Know the latter has been seen on the Long Pits recently. Small Reds are mainly heathland species.

Hope to catch up with Sickle-bearing + Tree Crickets there soon. Sounds like you had a productive day!

[Jack Harrison]

Lethen, near Nairn 15th August

On a local buddleia I have just seen:

King George approx 10
Alderman x 2
Papilio Bella Donna x1

All were fresh and clearly just emerged. I had previously seen a couple of Bella Donnas in May, so I presume today's was a progeny of that spring immigration (pre Brexit vote).

ref: http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/vernacular_names.php

Jack

[Allan.W.]

You're quite right Aeshna 5 ,I did mean,Small Red eyed, which I,ve seen on the Royal mil; canal. (Romney marsh), over the last couple of years,and not Small red
(which I failed to find in Cornwall !),i'm sure you know that Meditteranean tree cricket has also been found again ,in the Dungeness trapping area,+ several Jersey Tigers.
Regards Allan.W.

[Allan.W.]

Sorry folks ,me again,
Didn,t read your post properly Aeshna 5,you alreadyou did know about the tree crickets,sorry about that,my mistake !! Regards Allan.W.

[peterc]

I was lucky to find a Clouded Yellow on my local patch - what a surprise. It wouldn't stop to pose for long hence I could manage only one photo

ATB

Peter

[Padfield]

Amazing small tortoiseshell, IAC! Lovely butterfly and lovely pictures. I don't know the answer to Jack's question but it does seem to be part of a spectrum of related aberrations in this species.

I'm back in Suffolk for a few days and had a quick ride round the Rendlesham region this morning. In the woods, small coppers, common blues, meadow browns, gatekeepers and graylings were all common, with a few small and green-veined whites too. On Buddleia there were peacocks, small tortoiseshells and red admirals. At a nearby holly and oak wood I saw purple hairstreaks in the canopy and a holly blue.









The graylings nectar freely on heather here:



Guy

[Allan.W.]

Hi all,
Went up on the local downs early evening (near Wye ,Kent) mainly to look at the roosting Blues,when I first arrived at around 6.15 pm ,I made the mistake of staying near the bottom of the down,and not a single blue could I find roosting or on the wing ,changing tactics and moving slowly up the downland,passing some beautiful autumn Gentian,including an absolute monster !, fantastic plants these,also the first 4 Autumn ladies tresses(orchids) of the year (for me),anyway at the top ,or just below I finally started coming across groups of blues (up to 15 at a time),in the tall grass,mainly Chalkhills,with good numbers of Adonis and Common,with a few Brown args; and Small Heath, amongst these I found 3 ABS;
2 , I,ve posted ( the other the pics were,nt up to much ) the open wing Adonis is one of the abberants. Regards Allan.W.