Bugboys mission

[David M]

To see a Large Skipper in your part of the country, at this time of the year, is quite amazing, Bugboy! Round here, in much cooler climes, they've been absent for several weeks!

[trevor]

Great Graylings, Buggy. So much better to see them on Heather, rather than in the grass
or a Rabbit scrape, which is the scenario with the local population around here.

That reminds me, must go up there and see them soon !
Trevor.

[Pauline]

Not quite sure how I missed your post of 1 Aug Buggy but what an interesting read! Especially the immatures and dragonfly - some great finds captured well If all this is happening at Bookham (?) I'm definitely missing out

[Wurzel]

A Large Skipper this late is a great find Bugboy - great set of Grayling shots as well

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Just catching up, Buggy, after a trip to Yorkshire... You've been busy! A splendid selection from all over the place, and I'm particularly envious of your Clouded Yellow sightings. And the Graylings...

Dave

[bugboy]

As north and west of the country enjoys the sun, here in the south east it's definitely a day for catching up with other peoples posts, started raining about 9 and hasn't stopped yet! I'd actually booked today off some time ago to use up a lieu day which we can't carry over to next year but then forgot and turned up for work this morning, so in an odd manner I'm kinda glad I didn't waste a good day .

David, Large Skippers always seem to go on into August at Chobham, I've no idea why. I don't normally visit until the Silver-studded Blues are out so couldn't really say whether they emerge later here. Maybe it's something about lowland Heaths, perhaps being so open and exposed puts them back a few weeks in the spring? That's mere speculation of course, I have no evidence and other species seem to have 'normal' (whatever 'normal' is these days) flight times

Thanks Trevor, Graylings are like Silver-studded Blues in that respect for me, they only look 'right' when surrounded by Heather. I'm so used to seeing them on Heathland that they don't seem to fit in anywhere else. The Grayling I saw at Durlston feeding on Buddleja looked particularly odd to my eyes!

Haha Pauline, keep up!! It's no real surprise really though, I have been posting at a rate of knots these past few months! Bookham is a great site though with a good range of species, all year round there's something to find

Cheers Wurzel, I had near perfect Grayling weather, warm but not too warm, some clouds but not too many, and I caught them at their peak I think

Yea sorry about that Cloudie Dave. I almost called out you name but figured you had probably gone out of earshot at that stage and in any case it only stayed for about 30 seconds

[David M]

Large Skippers always seem to go on into August at Chobham, I've no idea why. I don't normally visit until the Silver-studded Blues are out so couldn't really say whether they emerge later here. Maybe it's something about lowland Heaths, perhaps being so open and exposed puts them back a few weeks in the spring? That's mere speculation of course, I have no evidence and other species seem to have 'normal' (whatever 'normal' is these days) flight times

That deserves further research, IMO. Even in normal years, Large Skippers in south Wales have disappeared by late July; in fact, I don't think I've ever seen one in August, so for them to be reliably present at that time in a warmer part of the UK must mean strange forces are at work.

[bugboy]

Large Skippers always seem to go on into August at Chobham, I've no idea why. I don't normally visit until the Silver-studded Blues are out so couldn't really say whether they emerge later here. Maybe it's something about lowland Heaths, perhaps being so open and exposed puts them back a few weeks in the spring? That's mere speculation of course, I have no evidence and other species seem to have 'normal' (whatever 'normal' is these days) flight times

That deserves further research, IMO. Even in normal years, Large Skippers in south Wales have disappeared by late July; in fact, I don't think I've ever seen one in August, so for them to be reliably present at that time in a warmer part of the UK must mean strange forces are at work.

Well I've only got circumstantial evidence from the past 3 years, since I got back into butterflies properly, but I've just checked some dates from previous years:

3/8/15. remarkably fresh for August!

26/7/16. This was my last visit here in 2016 as I went up to Arnside the following day and had already had a good few days with Graylings but this ones condition certainly suggests at least a week was left for them.

Maybe I should pencil in a visit when I see my first one next year.

[millerd]

I've noticed this at Chobham before as well, Buggy. There were reasonably fresh ones last year on 31st July, and on 13th July in 2014. This year there were several brand spanking new ones on 6th July, a month after the first ones local to me. The whole site always seems to be late for the species for some reason.

Dave

[Wurzel]

WRT to the Large Skipper, it could be something to do with the exposure of the site - I've noticed that they tend to linger more on the coastal cliffs in Dorset as well could it be something to do with wind chill?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Work….

It always gets in the way! It seems like an age since I last posted anything but the recent bit of sun we’ve had in my part of the world has allowed me to do my work transects. Being central London there’s no big surprises and things seem to be winding down, Gatekeeper sightings are now down to a trickle and there’s only the odd decrepit Meadow Brown grasping on to life. Other species are having a late summer flourish though, the latest brood of Speckled Woods are dipping into double figures and there are some lovely Commas around. Small Whites also seem to have bounced back, both here and other places I visit, after a practically non-existent first brood! The highlight for me however was finding an egg laying Common Blue, the first solid evidence of breeding on my transect site. It was very close to the neighbouring park where she undoubtedly originated but she was on my site so it counts!

Coomon Blue egg laid on Black Medick (Medicago lupulina)

[bugboy]

14th August, Walthamstow Marshes

It seems like an age since I’ve managed to get out properly so once I’d done a few chores and run some essential errands I managed to fit in a few hours on my local patch. On the whole it was a rather disappointing event, a definite end of season ambience. Only a few tatty Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers flitting lazily around the meadows, no Blues or Coppers.

The hedgerows didn’t offer much more. I would normally expect a good range of Nymphalids at this time of year but all I found was a single Comma and Red Admiral. The surprise of the afternoon was the Comma though, it was an ovipositing Hutchinsoni. If we get an indian summer this year there may well be a late flush of fresh Commas here.

Nearby a small number of Holly Blues were active, very active and I only managed a few snatched shots. These were all along the hedgerow that contains all the Goats-rue that was being laid on earlier this year so it’s likely they are the result of those eggs.

The only other butterflies I found were several Whites, an even split of Green-veined and Small as far as I could tell.

We may not have had much of a June gap this year but August seems to be making up for it!

[David M]

I'm finding it the same round my way, Bugboy. I think this shocking three week spell of weather, which has including heavy rain and unseasonably high winds, has taken its toll on butterfly numbers. It's a real shame as things had been looking promising until the last week in July.

[Wurzel]

I could be that everything is spent after a hectic and jam packed July? Saying that there are still butterflies about just earlier than expected - loads of Peacocks and Red Admirals etc

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Chin up Bugboy, some times we have better weather in September, I'm hoping so because that's when I usually see the Small Tort's
Goldie

[millerd]

The hutchinsoni Commas have persisted for quite a while this year - and yours looks really fresh as well as still laying eggs at this late stage. It could well be October before they are butterflies... I'm hoping for some third broods to brighten things up, and hopefully some more Clouded Yellows (I still haven't seen one this year...)

Dave

[bugboy]

Thanks David, Wurzel, Goldie and Dave. I do have a sneaking suspicion we may be in with a late flush before the season really does end though, perhaps even an explosion of activity if we get a warm September



15th August, Brown Hairstreak hunting again.

Yes, it was time for another trip to Bookham Commons. Unfortunately, it wasn’t all plain sailing, I got caught in the middle of all the fiasco of yesterday’s train mishaps. A points failure and a derailment causing complete chaos where no one anywhere seemed to know what was going on. I left my flat at 7 but only managed to get to Bookham at 11, most of the intervening time spent on station platforms listening to pointless automated announcements!

So having missed any early morning activity I set about looking for nectaring Hairstreaks, having seen most so far this year mid to late morning on flowers. Nothing! In fact, like my local patch the previous day there was again a very end of season feel. Where there were hundreds of Gatekeepers there were now tens mingling with the odd aged Meadow Brown.

Copper and Blue numbers were also down from my last visit here and all looking somewhat aged too.

There were a few fresh looking butterflies, a fresh Comma with a particularly ragged look about him and a new batch of Small Whites seems to be emerging.

I spent a good 2 hours searching for Hairstreaks but I never even got a fleeting glance of one, even the master tree seemed empty of them (I must have arrived at siesta time).

I did have other inhabitants to check on though so I wandered into the wood. A wood noticeably bereft of butterflies, I didn’t see a single one along the rides, I would have expected a few Red Admiral and Comma at least. Some rather over-zealous strimming had also removed most of the nettles where I’d found the Comma larvae and pupae last time. Hopefully most had managed to venture further into the undergrowth to pupate.

Again, the third instar White Admiral caterpillar from last time was MIA. It’s difficult to say whether it’s been eaten or just wandered higher up out of sight. Elsewhere, although there were plenty of abandoned platforms but only three were occupied, all second instar so I reckon these will all hibernate.

Returning back to Banks Common where I’ve seen all this year’s Hairstreaks, the Comma was still feeding on the same patch of Fleabane but any Hairstreaks remained very illusive, the few remaining Gatekeepers still causing many a swift glance as they fluttered past. It was only as I was making plans to cut my losses and leave early that a suspiciously bright orange 'Gatekeeper' darted out from some blackthorn suckers and settled on some concealed bramble. This required some further investigation and having a minor fight with a mixture of Nettle, Bramble and Blackthorn I managed to see that my suspicions were correct, at last, the day was worth it after all!

I wasn’t able to get close to her and after a few minutes she fluttered of further into the hedge and out of sight, still mission accomplished, just .

It was still early and normally I would hang around longer but with the trains still in a state of chaos I decided it really was time to make a move and try and get home. I stopped off here and there, the Small Copper nursery from last year is again attracting attention, about half a dozen eggs littering the leaves today. A few Common Blues were enjoying the afternoon sun and another fresh Painted Lady was busy guzzling nectar like it was going out of fashion, ready for the long journey south.

I had a bit of a wait for the train but whilst waiting I found another Comma caterpillar on some nettle overhanging on the platform. Once I’d taken its picture I bent the offending stem over, hopefully to avoid it being removed completely.

For quite a while I was thinking about calling for a stewards enquiry with my ongoing battle with the Brown Hairstreak, had they nobbled the trains but perseverance won the day, 0 - 1 win to me for the day (1 - 7 agg lead for the season so far )

[millerd]

Dedication wins again, Buggy! I toyed with going down to Bookham again today, but bad traffic on the M25 made me choose Chobham instead and a dose of Graylings. Looks like it may have been a wise decision. It's amazing how quickly those Hairstreaks get torn to bits - I suppose crawling through the thorn bushes all day is what does it. She's otherwise pretty fresh-looking.

Dave

[bugboy]

Dedication wins again, Buggy! I toyed with going down to Bookham again today, but bad traffic on the M25 made me choose Chobham instead and a dose of Graylings. Looks like it may have been a wise decision. It's amazing how quickly those Hairstreaks get torn to bits - I suppose crawling through the thorn bushes all day is what does it. She's otherwise pretty fresh-looking.

Dave

I was on Chobham today, we missed each other again!!!

[David M]

Your Brown Hairstreaks are starting to look jaded, but that shouldn't detract from the joy of seeing them. If you can add Comma and White Admiral larvae as well then that constitutes a successful day in my opinion.