Hoggers

[Pete Eeles]

I can only think that it must be a gynandromorphic Small Copper. I would welcome the help of our experts on this one!

I wouldn't call myself an expert by any means, but this does look (as you originally suggested) to be damage caused when emerging from the pupa. Having reared more than my fair share of butterflies, I've seen this happen with several individuals.

[Edit] Having said that, the hindwings aren't deformed, and they're also different!

Cheers,

- Pete

[Allan.W.]

Another Nice Radiata Hoggers !! Whats that ,six this year. looks like I made the wrong choice this afternoon,went to the Gulleys ,Dengemarsh,for the Common Blues,for a change ,probably a hundred plus on the wing,but they were so intent on nectaring ,they just wouldn,t open their wings ! a few immaculate Coppers as well,a couple of Meadow Browns ,but best of all my first Clouded Yellow of the season ( a female) ,

[Hoggers]

It's a very peculiar Copper indeed - However it was caused!

I took a look at the Cockayne website and gynandromorph came closest.

Certainly I've never seen one before

Hoggers.

[Allan.W.]

Hello Hoggers,
When you get a minute, go on the BRITISH BUTTERFLY ABBERATIONS site,( not Cockayne)find Small Coppers ,and take a look at AB; Sinus Peroneural.
Regards Allan.W.

[Padfield]

Hello Hoggers,
When you get a minute, go on the BRITISH BUTTERFLY ABBERATIONS site,( not Cockayne)find Small Coppers ,and take a look at AB; Sinus Peroneural.
Regards Allan.W.

I had no idea this site existed.

Click here http://www.britishbutterflyaberrations. ... berrations for the small copper aberrations and scroll down to 'sinus-peroneural', as Allan says. It is the spitting image of Hoggers's butterfly, right down to the blue spots on the right hindwing only.

Guy

[Hoggers]

That's my Copper! Thanks for doing the research, Allan: "sinus peroneural" ! It doesn't exactly trip off the tongue does it?

I think I'll just call him " Odd Bod "..!

I counted 146 Small Coppers at Dungeness today

Good numbers of Blue Badgers, from those with just a suggestion of blue

To others with a full set

One of these was very special indeed: a radiata with blue badges

I get the feeling that the combination of very large broods together with a run of hot dry weather has boosted the the number of aberrations in this Small Copper population

I also saw a Small Copper nectaring on Buddleia

Not something I've ever seen before.

Normally I'd expect to see around 50 Small Coppers on my walk at this time of year, so 146 is quite a treat

[Hoggers]

I popped down to Dungeness to have a look at the radiata found yesterday by David Walker

A real beauty

It's interesting how there's been a sudden surge of radiata sightings over the last week

And that all have been females

I counted 74 Small Coppers today

There was a lively breeze blowing which keeps numbers spotted down.

I noticed how some third brood Coppers are beginning to show signs of wear

I didn't see any remnants from the second brood today.

I watched several males in combat and a female doing the Turkey Strut when refusing a hopeful male's proposal

Small Coppers: the Austin Mini Cooper of the Butterfly World

Born Champions!

[Hoggers]

The third brood of Small Coppers at Dungeness has passed its best

Numbers are still quite high

But are nonetheless falling

Just as available sources of nectar too are diminishing

Still much to admire though

And it shouldn't be too long before the fourth brood makes an appearance

So there's still much to look forward to

[bugboy]

There's rarely a post these days where you don't slip in some sort of spectacular ab.

[TonyP]

All these aberrations seen at Dungeness begs the question: are they flying too close to the nuclear facilities close by? "Radiata" assumes a more meaningful addition to its name. I'll watch out for a cheap Geiger-counter on the "For Sale" pages.

[Allan.W.]

Hello Hoggers,
Lovely " Extensa " ( close to Kochi ) Hoggers ,I think its the same one you posted a while back,and also posted for Dave Walker, I haven,t been able to find that one,mores the pity ,its a beauty , don,t know if anyone managed to re- find the Radiata I posted the other day,i believe Dave Walker found another a few days after mine ,wonder if it was the same one ? Found 3 Coppers at Wye Downs this evening ,and 6 in Birchett last week .
Regards Allan. W.

[Hoggers]

Thanks for the comments, guys : I once found a Small Copper there which had a distinctly greenish hue to it and I wondered (but not seriously!) if a Geiger Counter might be called for..

I may pay Dungeness a nocturnal visit to check if the Coppers glow in the dark!

Hoggers

[Hoggers]

My mother was delighted to have a Red Admiral land on her for a rest this afternoon

It was one of six, all slightly tipsy on the juice from rotting plums.

When I looked more closely I saw it was one of the white spotted aberrations - What an honour!

[Goldie M]

Hi! Hogger's, it's been a pleasure this year to read your posts and see all the SC ab's you've found , some real beauties Goldie

[Butterflysaurus rex]

I agree with Goldie Hoggers, although it's very sad to see the huge decline in coppers around my patch. It's heartening to know that there are some places where they still thrive. Some local spots that used to have Small Coppers have lost them all together over here. Having said that I found one unexpectedly on a roadside verge the other week. It shows how mobile they are and gives me hope they might re colonise these areas if they have a few good years.

ATB

James

[Hoggers]

Hi Goldie, you are very kind : Thank You! It's always marvellous to see an interesting aberration ( I still haven't got over the extraordinary Small Copper I found that looked like the right half of one Copper stuck to the left half of a different one!) But finding them is pure chance and I've just been lucky.Now that more experienced observers like AllanW and David have joined me in keeping an eye on the Dungeness Coppers I think in time we will get a clearer picture of just what kind of aberrations appear amongst this population and their frequency.

Hi B'Saurus, good to hear from you! You make a very good point: Small Coppers are indeed a highly mobile animal. Certainly from what I've seen of them over the last few years it's clear that although the males will hold their territories for some days, nonetheless they do move about a lot and I've often thought of the Dungeness population as being rather like tea leaves swirling about in a tea pot! Sometimes I'll see a Copper come whizzing in, stop for a few seconds and then go shooting off and I'll think "You're on a mission!". I always hope they go off and start a new colony.

Today at Dungeness was breezy and often rather dull but we had good warm sunny spells so Coppers were easy to come by

Although numbers are dwindling

Most noticeable were boldly marked females

And I came upon a nice fresh one

I was happy to see a Holly Blue

And this magnificent Volucella zonaria

I watched a male perform the Stalk Dance and saw several females decline the advances of lusty male Coppers. During one such failed courtship I saw how the male introduced himself to the female with a brief flutter of his fore wings. It's something I've noticed before and reminds me of those distant more chivalrous days when, out of courtesy, a gentleman would always bow to a lady before speaking to her.

I also watched this Copper

You can see that the proboscis is extended. It was dry underfoot and I can only guess that this Copper had detected a drop or two of dew caught somewhere on this thistle's spiny surface (something I've seen before).

I find the combination of Blackberries and Small Coppers irresistible

They just go perfectly together!

Today's Copper-O-Meter reading : 75

[Goldie M]

Every time I look at your posts Hogger's, just when I think I've seen lot's of Copper's , you come up with some thing special , your group of Copper's shot is great, especially when most of us are lucky to see one, fantastic
The Copper's on the red Berries are lovely they look so delicate, some shots I think you can to look back on through the coming Winter Goldie

[Hoggers]

Thanks Goldie, I know what you mean about stocking up on butterfly images to help get through Winter! I try to cram in as many Small Copper photos as I can!

It was glorious at Dungeness today : unbroken warm sunshine and dead calm. I was delighted to see that the fourth brood of Small Coppers is now beginning to emerge

Contrast the third brood Copper on the left with the fresh male on the right

He was the only fresh male that I saw today, all of the other fourth brood members were female (and that's something which may be of interest when I tell you about something else that happened later on in my visit)

In all I counted 78 Small Coppers

I also saw a very pale Copper that looked white to the eye but which you can see had a faint orange hue

I was lucky to come across a mating pair: a fairly tatty third brood male ( getting on for 21 days old I'd guess ) and a pristine female fourth brood that almost certainly had emerged today. They were being harassed by a male

This interloper was clearly younger (judging by his condition ) than the male that had successfully mated. I wonder if the emergence of female Coppers is timed to occur towards the end of the previous brood and thus ensure that it will be the genes of the stronger males (which have survived the longest) that will be passed on?

The interloper made a through nuisance of himself, repeatedly attempting to mate with the already coupled female

When the mated pair eventually parted, the interloper pursued the deflowered female and as I hope you can see from these blurry photos, she immediately reacted to him by going into the "Turkey Strut"

I found the pair after they had coupled but the time that elapsed from that point to when they parted was 24 minutes. Of that time they were harassed by the younger male for 22 minutes!

Mated females are the constant subject of attention. It must be very energy consuming! Here's another female dealing with a male

Look at her posture

No wonder I find the behaviour of these wonderful butterflies so fascinating!

[Butterflysaurus rex]

Great stuff Hoggers, I don't recall ever seeing a mating pair of Small Coppers at least not with a camera on me. It's always fascinating to observe the courtship behaviour of different species. You make me want to visit Dungeness to see what we used to enjoy here.

ATB

James

[Allan.W.]

Hi Hoggers,
Some brilliant observations there Hoggers,as you say it looks like the fourth brood are just starting to emerge,i saw around 20 At Dungie first thing,mis timed my start
too early at 7 Am,although the sun was up and reasonably warm,it wasn,t warm enough ! mostly in a warn state with as you say ,one or two fresh gems , you may be interested to know,that Birchett and Longrope are now turning up some decent Copper counts , after a second visit to Dungie with Lynne ( again 20+),we stopped at the Woolpack ,Brookland
and counted 5 on that walk ( + a singleton in the pub garden !) , I then had an hour in Birchett ,and counted 8, (9 yesterday), and half an hour in Longrope ,and counted 6, and all of these ,bar a couple were fresh . Also had two (min) at Brookland regards Allan.W.