Pete Eeles

[Pete Eeles]

Frohawk is looking down on you and smiling, Pete. His work is being continued.

Guy

Thanks Guy!

Cheers,

- Pete

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks for your comprehensive reply Pete. I'm just a little bit paranoid that my PH are going to emerge a bit too early as they pupated a little while ago and are starting to darken. I'm kind of hoping that if the PE is early this year (as predicted) then perhaps the PH will also be early. Really just want to get it right but what can you do? Like your WLH they have been outside the whole time

Sounds like perfect timing - PH must be imminent! Silver-washed are out in some parts of the country and (in my head at least) these two species emerge together

Cheers,

- Pete

[essexbuzzard]

Wow, that small Heath chrysalis image is stunning. The wall and gatekeeper pupa are impressive,too. As your excellent pictures show, the immature stages, in many cases, are quite as beautiful as the adult. Perhaps more of us would do well to focus a little bit closer on these stages.

[Wurzel]

Fantastic stuff Pete, especially the pupa of my favourite species, Gatekeepers just keep getting better and better, that pupa is a beaut

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Those early stage images are wonderful, Pete. You are putting a lot of effort into this and we all appreciate seeing the results.

[bugboy]

Some spectacular images Pete, definitely a book in the making there

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks all - the comments are much appreciated, even if I don't reply in a timely manner! Work has been brutal this year, especially the travel which just chews up time. Anyway - a few updates. As I've already mentioned, my focus for this year and next is observing the immature stages, so here are a few more snippets! I have over 2,000 images to process in the winter and many more to come, I'm sure!

Small Blue 1st instar larva - Magdalen Hill Down. Just emerged from the egg!

A very messy Glanville Fritillary egg batch, Isle of Wight

Glanville Fritillary egg batch, Isle of Wight, close up

Brown Argus 1st instar larva feeding damage, Magdalen Hill Down

The culprit, on the underside of the leaf!

A Grayling pupa, buried 2cm beneath the surface - reared in captivity from an egg

Gatekeeper pupa, male, 2 hours before emergence, just for Wurzel :)

Small Blue 3rd (penultimate) instar, Magdalen Hill Down

Small Skipper pupa - formed in a cocoon that is the prototype for the string vest

Brown argus 3rd instar larva - very colourful!

Dingy Skipper 4th instar larva

Grizzled Skipper 4th instar larval abode

Grizzled Skipper 4th instar larva

Cheers,

- Pete

[bugboy]

I don't know how you do it Pete, I've basically had a 6 week holiday and I'm exhausted just from the butterflying, never mind doing the job on top of it!

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks Paul!

It is exhausting ... very exhausting ... but the results and observations (which are a pleasure to share) are well worth it!

Cheers,

- Pete

[Pete Eeles]

More random photos - I currently have 2032 images to sort out over the winter ... but here are some I like All instars (where relevant) have been photographed and I can't wait to get to processing things! There will also be an exciting update regarding the descriptions of all of the immature stages soon - watch this space

Silver-washed Fritillary egg - Pamber Forest

Dark Green Fritillary egg, coloured up

Dark Green Fritillary 1st instar larvae - ready for the winter

Common Blue final instar larva

Brown Argus final instar larva - with attendant ant

Small Blue final instar larva

Adonis Blue final instar larva

Essex Skipper ova in a sheath of Cock's-foot grass

Cheers,

- Pete

[Wurzel]

Cracking stuff Pete - your images make the once considered 'boring' bit of the life cycle much more interesting

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Pete, this is (yet again) really good stuff. I shudder to think what you will compile once you retire if you can conjure up stuff like this in between 'brutal' periods of work!

Roll on retirement (or semi-retirement even).

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks Wurzel, David!

White Admiral larval survey

Today I conducted my first survey for White Admiral larvae in Pamber Forest and found 16 in just over an hour, together with 7 absentees (based on the typical larval feeding damage and "pier"; I assume predated). Based on previous years, this is a pretty good "hit rate" and it would appear, based on this limited data, that White Admiral has had a relatively-good year. Most larvae are in their 2nd instar, with some still in their 1st instar. None are in their 3rd instar, so I don't hold out much hope for a second brood; the recent weather seems to have calmed things down considerably. I also found a final instar larva (I assume that overwintered in 2016/2017) that has been parasitised, presumably by Cotesia sibyllarum - the usual culprit when it comes to White Admiral. Amazingly, this larva is still feeding as per normal, despite grubs having emerged from it, where they have built cocoons, pupated, and a few emerged.

Other Stuff

As with all updates of late, here's a random set of images that will contribute to "Project Frohawk" - the last (Adonis Blue) seems to have gotten quite a bit of interest on Twitter and Facebook, although I can never predict how people react to such things!

Large Skipper - newly-emerged larva

Essex Skipper ova - with larvae fully-formed within the egg

Grizzled Skipper - final instar larva

A male Adonis Blue, 12 hours before emergence - the iridescent blue even shows from within the pupa!

Cheers,

- Pete

[bugboy]

Interesting you haven't found any third instar White Admirals Pete. I'm pretty sure I found at least one at Bookham last week (pictures in my pd) and think I found another one today which will be posted in due course.

[Pete Eeles]

Hi Paul - you did indeed find a 3rd instar! If the head capsule is brown, then it's 3rd instar: viewtopic.php?f=29&t=3977&start=940#p112980

I'll take a closer look if I get a chance to revisit this week!

Cheers,

- Pete

[Padfield]

Staggering pictures, Pete! Brilliant in every way - subject matter, timing and execution.

Guy

[Wurzel]

I concur with Guy Pete, staggering photos especially the Essex Skippers in the egg, looking a little like Frog Spawn

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Amazing macro images, Pete. You are opening my eyes to the less commonly seen aspect of the butterfly life cycle.

The Adonis inside the pupal case is especially striking.

[Vince Massimo]

I love the Adonis pupa, Pete.
Keep 'em coming.

Vince

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks Guy, Wurzel, David, Vince! Things are definitely slowing down on the immature stages front, thank goodness! In the meantime, here are some updates:

Small Skipper 1st instar larvae that have hatched and formed cocoons, ready for the winter, Thatcham

Silver-washed Fritillary 1st instar larva, Pamber Forest, Hants - the larva has created a silk pad among the moss on which I saw the egg laid

Silver-spotted Skipper egg, Broughton Down, Hants

Cheers,

- Pete