Pauline

[Pauline]

Thank you Hoggers, both for the compliment and the details. I am kicking myself! I bet you want to kick me too! What an opportunity lost as I'm unlikely to witness that again. Don't want to labour the point but of the pairs you timed, how many did you see from start to finish? I hope someone who has bred them reads this and provides us with more info. Sorry Hoggers!

[Hoggers]

It's all part of the fascinating and often baffling World of Small Coppers, Pauline!
Ive only seen a few pairs right from the start and they've got the job done in about 15 minutes. If you look at your first photo you'll see the female pushing against the male with her leg - that's something I see all female do and it's usually a sign that she wants to separate .
I hope there's someone who has experience of breeding them that can share their knowledge with us.
But for now I'm putting your record in my notebook!

Hoggers.

[Pauline]

I noticed that kicking right from the start Hoggers as I think I remember you mentioning it before but it seemed to subside after about 30 mins.

Thank you for your comment Trevor. I have sent you pm.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you David because they are a lovely butterfly. One of the (local) sites where I had seen one was Noar Hill and I thought I would check today to see if it was still there.

By 2.00 pm today heavy work in the garden was becoming unbearable because of the humidity. I decided to take heed of the health warnings being issued to the elderly to stay cool . I pulled on my shorts, pinned up my hair, put the car roof down and set off for Noar Hill. It was very silent up there. The atmosphere was oppressive - ominous even. It was almost a little bit eerie, the air was so heavy with the promise of a storm to come. I wondered if I would see any butterflies. The sky was quite dark and rain was beginning to fall - a delicious, cool relief as the large drops fell almost in slow motion - the odd clap of thunder in the background. It didn't last long and didn't bring the freshness I'd hoped it might. It did bring the butterflies out tho' and in total I saw 14 species in a short space of time, including a SWF in decent condition. The highlight however, was seeing a male and female Brown Hairstreak within feet of each other. The male was in poor condition but the female was pristine so she initially got my full attention. She seemed nervous, unsettled and wouldn't let me approach too closely so I only got a couple of shots. After a couple of short flights I lost her. Returning to the male, he too had departed.

There seemed to be a fair few eggs about including these - no tripod so hand held only:

Plenty of Whites around and Common Blue. Took a couple of shots as I strolled around the site:

As I left the site I couldn't help but feel sorry for one of the herd as it was being tormented by flies, reminding me of my days with my horses and the lengths we had to go to to give them some relief:

I had to glance at the nettle patch on the way back to my car and I am assuming this is a Red Admiral larva:

[Wurzel]

That is a really pristine Brostreak Pauline - hopefully they'll be around for a while still

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[FISHiEE]

Congratulations on your success in the Hants wildlife trust calendar photo competition Pauline!!

http://www.hiwwt.org.uk/Photography-com ... inners2016

2nd from last image. Very nice!

[Pauline]

Let’s hope so Wurzel, eh! As a group they are my favourite butterflies.

Thank you John. I have never entered a competition before. I sent in a few shots that met the criteria and totally forgot about it. I thought it was a wind-up when I was notified. Never would have thought I was good enough as the standard is so high. My first love will always be the butterflies tho’ and in particular their behaviour.

I think it was the Grayling, with its incredible propensity for camouflage that captured my interest in butterfly behaviour. In the early days of my diary, time and again I posted shots of this amazing butterfly which was almost invisible, regardless of its background. Heather, dried grass, shingle beaches all served the same purpose – to conceal the butterfly:

Camouflage - taken 2006

Camouflage - taken 2007

Camouflage 2013

Over time, I witnessed the courting and mating of several pairs – catching tantalising glimpses of the lovely markings on their upper wings which, like the butterfly, are usually concealed.

Mating and courtship 2012

This season however, I had only so far managed the briefest view of a single Grayling very early in the season. I wanted to learn more about this species, especially the egg-laying process. I am lucky as I have a fair few colonies within 5 minutes of where I live – Woolmer, Longmoor, Bramshott for example but with the recent hot weather I was drawn towards the coast. The added benefit was being able to watch a couple of Clouded Yellows along with a smashing sea view.

I thought the time was about right for egg-laying and having reached the colony I didn’t have long to wait before seeing a couple of females engaged in this activity. Typically, this seemed to take place in sheltered little nooks and crannies where watching the butterfly’s activities involved kneeling/lying on a variety of spiky plants and stones.

Egg-laying behaviour 2016 searching out appropriate sites

They didn’t always lay on the foodplant and the laying of each egg was over very quickly, after which the butterfly would move on a short distance and repeat the process. I didn’t manage to get a shot of the actual egg-laying but afterwards I was pleased to see the eggs which, compared to the size of the butterfly, were really quite tiny.

It was also interesting to note that in a couple of places where this butterfly had deposited an egg, others had been there before and several eggs were visible. My only regret is that my bridge camera, hand-held in the glare of direct sunlight, could not produce a more detailed image:

I left feeling I'd learned quite a bit but still so much left to learn. The distance of this particular colony prevents me from monitoring that site but if time permits I shall visit a few of the local sites with that in mind. In the past I have noticed that the same butterfly behaves differently in different locations/different sites so it will be informative to make comparisons.

[Goldie M]

Well done Pauline with the competition win you deserve it, hope to see you and the BH's next year Goldie Oh! and I love the shot of the Graylings pairing. ( Jim's not too good again)

[Pauline]

Thank you Goldie - it came as a complete surprise

With the weather being what it is I decided to put the moth trap out last night - the first time in ages. I was stunned by the sheer numbers in the trap this morning, both quantity and number of species, quite a few of which I hadn't seen before - and some old favourites. I have been wanting to see a Burnished Brass for a long time now and there it was. Resplendent in all its glory, adorned with gold leaf or so it seemed. Even in the early morning light the gold colouration was breathtaking. What a beautiful moth:

I was pleased to see another Poplar-hawk moth which I haven't finished photographing yet as I had an early appointment to get to:

Black Arches I have had before but I have never seen this Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix - yes, the little'uns are creeping in:

Another newbie was this striking Feathered Gothic:

The Iron Prominent and Dusky Thorn (I think) have both been trapped before but very welcome none the less:

There were many that flew before I had a chance of any shots including the Pebble Hook-tip which looked nice and fresh. I have not seen or photographed this one before, unlike a couple of Brimstone moths which took off up into the trees. There were half a dozen Large Yellow Underwing which were far more co-operative; I believe this is a male (L) and female (R):

Still not sure if this is a Swallow or Lesser Swallow but managed to grab this shot as an aid to ID before it promptly departed:

I have to finish with another shot of the Burnished Brass as this is one special moth :

[Katrina]

Splendid colours on the Burnished Brass Pauline, well captured in your photo.

[Pauline]

Thank you Katrina. It's very kind of you to say so but honestly, I don't think the photos do it justice. It actually gleamed in the early morning light.

I was keen to see more Clouded Yellows so made a return trip to OWH this afternoon. Five seen in total, two of which had some damage/wear. A few shots below:

Got there in the end Alan

[Neil Freeman]

Loving the moth photos Pauline, especially that first Burnished Brass image...beautiful

edit; I was just about to post and those Clouded Yellows popped up

All the best,

Neil.

[Pauline]

Thank you Neil. Your photos have given me something to aspire to

A few shots below that somehow got left out of recent posts, starting with Adonis and SSS from OWH:

A local Grayling site produced some worn Blues and only the second deer I have seen this season:

Noar Hill continues to deliver the goods and although many are looking worn now there is still a fair few species around, including this SWF:

Not half as good as Neils shots but there were so many Speckled Wood I had to take a shot at one of them:

Last but not least this Painted Lady. She was not going anywhere due to cloud cover but was tucked so far down in the middle of a patch of nettles that this was as close as I could get, albeit at the wrong angle

[Goldie M]

Hi! Pauline, your certainly getting to know your Moths, great shots.
Also love the Clouded Yellow shots wish I could have seen at least one this year, not to worry, may be next year. Goldie

[Pauline]

Thank you Goldie. I think the Clouded Yellow is a beautiful butterfly and I have made an effort to see some this year. However, I just wasn't satisfied with that last shot of the Painted Lady and thought I'd better make an effort to see more of them too. I saw 3 today at 3 different sites - brief visits as I made my way down the A3 for frog food

Thankfully they didn't present quite the same challenges as the Clouded Yellows but lively never the less!

[Paul Harfield]

Hi Pauline
What would we all do without Painted Ladies and Clouded Yellows at the end of the season to lift the spirits . Lovely shots as usual
Your most recent moth collection are also pretty good, I am tempted to have a go myself

[Wurzel]

Cracking Cloudies and Ladies Pauline There is still a good range of species out there it seems' long may it continue
Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Some great specimens there, Pauline, but my favourite has to be the Feathered Gothic. Never seen this insect before but it's cryptic camouflage is stunning!

[Goldie M]

Nice PL's Pauline, Frog Food, now you've got my mind working over time Goldie

[Pauline]

Thank you Paul. There are some stunning moths out there and once you start to take and interest ........ well, as others have said, it's quite addictive

Thank you too David. I have never seen that moth before either. I think there is another 'version' - the Bordered Gothic which is much rarer. You just never know what you are going to find when you open that box!

I'm glad you like them Goldie. You now know the story of the 60 frogs so I couldn't resist an image of one, all of them the size of my thumb nail:

Cheers Wurzel. There are definitely still a fair few species around (I note Ashley saw 8 BH at Noar Hill the other day ). A few September sightings below:

[Jack Harrison]

[Burnished Brass] Resplendent in all its glory, adorned with gold leaf or so it seemed.

I wonder what the environmental advantages / evolutionary reasons are for such a striking brassy effect?

Jack