Pauline

[Pauline]

Thank you Mike. I would agree that they're not an easy butterfly to photograph and I still struggle with exposure with dark butterflies against white flowers. However, by 10.30 it was already too hot to hang around for better shots. I should have mentioned that whilst I was waiting I believe I saw my first Essex Skipper of the season but happy to be corrected. Too early surely:

[David M]

Wow! Essex Skippers before mid-June. The season really is early!

[millerd]

Most definitely Essex, Pauline - I must check my local colony pronto! And great WLH as well - I struggle to find them, let alone photograph them!

Dave

[Pauline]

I was pretty sure it was Essex David (sex brand, antennae) but it was the timing that threw me and caused me to doubt myself.

Cheers for the confirmation Dave and the compliment. Much appreciated.

Thank you too Phil for recent information and ID of the Lackey moth larva which I should really know but it had just slipped my mind. Given your comments I thought you might like an update on the Glanville situation at Wrecclesham. Since the initial shots I have been hankering after a closed wing shot and decided the only way that was going to happen was if I went as they were roosting. I arrived about 5.30pm yesterday evening to be greeted by Nick who was already there but hadn't seen any (good to see you again Nick. ) Within a couple of minutes we spotted 2 Glanvilles, one very worn male and another with more colour on it. During the next 90 minutes we watched a variety of butterflies, all still quite manic in the heat of the evening, not really settling or providing many photo opportunities. We didn't see the 'freshest' Glanville again - just the worn one. However, looking at my photos it is apparent that there were 2 worn ones bringing the total again to 3. It was clear I wasn't going to get that closed wing shot in the scorching heat and a cold drink was waiting for me back home so we decided to call it a day. I shall let you know Phil if any fresh ones appear but otherwise next year might be better.

Banded Demoiselle (male)

[David M]

Interesting that Glanvilles seem to be holding on in Wrecclesham, particularly in light of the fact that they seem to be struggling at Hutchinson's Bank, where the introduction was made far more recently.

[Pauline]

Perhaps it's precisely because the colony at Wrecclesham has been so well established for years that it is able to hang on David but I guess time will tell.

I couldn't resist another look at the WLH before the PE season gets into full swing so a few shots from yesterday:

[Goldie M]

Pauline, cracking shots of the WLH, I've still yet to find it round here, that's not for the want of trying!
It doesn't seem to surface here until July and although I've traveled to where it's been seen , no luck so far!
I want to go back to F Wood again this year, I know they're there.

Your shots of the SSB reminded me of the great day we had last year, Goldie

[Wurzel]

Waoh cracking shots Pauline Are those from a site neat Portsmouth, near a computer giants workplace?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

It's at times like this when people talk about getting a White Letter Hairstreak fix prior to Purple Emperor season that I wished I lived 100 miles further east!!!

[Pauline]

Thank you Goldie - that was a smashing day, wasn't it?

Cheers Wurzel - it's a butterfly that I think is much under-recorded, but how many folk have time to stand and stare up at Elm trees in the PE season??!!! (Actually, I know a couple ).

... and at times David, when I hear folk planning exotic, foreign trips to see butterflies that I never will, I turn a strange shade of green

I'm afraid I haven't seen much recently as I'm pretty much grounded again! Remember those cute little hoglets? Well, here they are now at 150gms, a long way from the 25-30gms where they started:

Should mean I have more time but in a deja-vu situation, another Jack Russel dug up another nest of 4 (weighing only 30 gms), only this time the Mum hasn't been located so it's back to the 2 hourly feeds for a few weeks. Still, there's always the moth trap to fall back on and last night I was delighted at the number and variety of moths. For me the star was undoubtedly a magnificent Lobster moth (below with a few others):

How can such an exotic looking moth be so well camouflaged??!!

Buff-Tip

Green silver lines

Flame???

Peppered moth

Don't know and not a great shot but green is my favourite colour

... and another, also a poor shot, snatched whilst it was on the outside of the box, before it flew. I believe it is a Blotched Emerald:

Now my little Mullein larva I posted 10 days ago have grown into striking caterpillars:

[Pauline]

Desperately trying to stay awake for another feed and managing somehow on 5hrs sleep a few shots from recently:

[Pauline]

It seems ages ago now when I expressed some concern to Pete that my PH might emerge too early. 2 of the pupa had darkened to almost black and I assumed emergence was imminent. Not so! Like the Green Hairstreaks before them, they hung on, proving Pete right when he predicted they would be spot on time. This morning, although I missed the actual emergence of No 1, I managed the following shots:

After about an hour he took off and landed briefly in the lilac tree which he used as a stepping stone to get 20' up the Leylandii. This is the last I saw of him enjoying the early morning sun before he went higher still:

[Goldie M]

Great sequence again Pauline, is my imagination are is every thing early this year? GOLDIE

[Wurzel]

Great sequence Pauline - it seems that's the way to get shots of Purple Hairstreaks You were bang on with the second green ID, but the first was a Common Emerald

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Shame few of us get to see Purple Hairstreaks at such close quarters and so fresh, as they are truly beautiful.

Thanks for sharing that sequence, Pauline.

[Pauline]

No, I don't think it's your imagination Goldie - some species seem to be ridiculously early. Thank you for the compliment.

Cheers Wurzel, appreciate the ID (need all the help I can get with moths!). There's always Browndown y'know which is where I would be under different circumstances - and you've been threatening to visit for a while now (They are out there, nice and fresh and in easy reach ).

Thank you David. I've probably said this before but Hairstreaks are my favourite group. If I had to choose a favourite within the group I'd be hard pushed as they are all gorgeous. I would love to see some of the non-native Hairstreaks as photos on this site show some stunning examples.

Yesterday evening I saw my first PE at the Straits. It touched down briefly on the first watch tower before circling round and back up into the canopy. Although early evening the butterflies were still manic - apart from the ones taking minerals from the path (including Skippers). I saw 3 pairs of mating Meadow Browns but somehow I don't think this will attract the attention of the mating pair of PE that fell out of a tree in Oxford I think (altho I remember it happening once before in Botany Bay years ago). Few photos taken but I had been hankering after a nice shot of WA with wings closed and I almost achieved that - if it wasn't for the background:

Earlier in the day I'd been watching a selection of butterflies in the garden including several Red Admirals who were all acting in a strange manner - hanging upside down under leaves and plants whilst opening and closing their wings - they almost looked as if they were panting but perhaps the fanning action was to help cool down?

Making good use of the Valerian kindly supplied by Martin

Liking the colour I painted the garden furniture

Incidentally, a RA was flying around the garden at 9.15pm a couple of nights ago and I had my first SWF in the garden too.

Checking on the PH the colours on this pupa seem to indicate that the next one is due to emerge very soon - surely!

[Wurzel]

Cheers for the reminder Pauline - any idea how yo can find out if it's open to the public as I thought it was MOD owned? Great set of shots as per the norm

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

That PH certainly looks as though it's about to burst forth, Pauline.

Be prepared (I'm sure you will).

[Pauline]

Thanks Wurzel. If you look at Alan Thornbury's web site, a description of Browndown can be found under Hampshire sites and on there is a link to the Lee-on-solent residents web site which includes a chart of opening times. That's what I look at anyway.

I've never seen one quite so blue David and with such a clear indication that emergence was imminent I was determined to spend some time watching yesterday morning to get those emergence shots. In the event, I didn't have that time due to the needs of other critters so missed that opportunity. When I checked it at 10.00am it was fully 'fledged' and raring to go. The first surface it touched on was the window of the garden room where I grabbed a single shot before it flew off over the roof top in the direction of the Oaks - a female:

[Pauline]

Seems it's not just the outside butterflies I'm missing out on, but the home variety too. This morning I found 2 more of my Commas ready to go (from eggs on my little Elm) and if things carry on like this much longer, chances are I shall also miss my Holly Blue emerging - the pupa looks like a skull (or is it lack of sleep causing me to hallucinate )

Still, it'll all be worth it if these little mites make it thru!