Meadow Brown – Favourite Photo of 2017

[Wurzel]

Meadow Brown – Favourite Photo of 2017

Week 11 – There is a slightly Northern feel this week (well 2/3's anyway) as time races on

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As like last year details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome as would any accompanying stories and anecdotes or other observations of behaviour and interesting other points.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[MikeOxon]

I've chosen this photo because it is an interesting example, with unusually pronounced eye-spots on the underside. This may be the form that J. W. Tutt, described as ab.biocellata (two well-marked ocelli on the underside of the hindwings)

Bernwood, Oxon - 18th June 2017
Olympus E-M5 with 100-400mm lens - 1/250s@f/6.3 ISO 1000

Mike

[David M]

I rarely bother with Meadow Browns, but this female seen on the Isle of Man on 5th August was particularly well marked and posed nicely:

[bugboy]

It's easy to over look these in favour of the more showy summer species but they are worthy of attention. This year I found several particularly well marked females

Another mating pair posed particularly well

and this fresh male also stood out from the crowd for me

[millerd]

An extraordinarily long flight period for a single-brooded species. My first ones locally appeared on 2nd June, and unusually among the lovely velvety males there was at least one female. They generally appear a week or so later. The first male has the two prominent hindwing eyespots referred to above by MikeOxon

male

male

female

Later in the season there were some really bright females as Buggy has mentioned. These two are from Aston Rowant on 2nd September, when they were probably the commonest species, and almost all were females.

Dave

[Chris Jackson]

Exceptionally this year down in the south of France, I'm very short on upperside shots.
However I have a mating pair from the scrub in June on Cistus albidus:

(FZ150)
and a straggler from mid October:

(FZ150)
Cheers,
Chris

[Goldie M]

My Meadow Brown shots were taken on the 3rd and 5th of July in three different locations , I thought this year there was far more nicely marked MB's then I'd seen on previous years, although I saw lots of Meadow Brown's at Hall-Lee-Brook most were in longish grass which was again cut shortly after their arrival Goldie

[Wolfson]

This photograph was taken on 20 June in Norfolk. The first time I have watched a meadow brown expand its wings. Unfortunately, I was distracted and missed the fully expanded of pristine wings.

[Wurzel]

Meadow Brown

This was one of my first Meadow Browns taken on a trip to Kingston Lacey with my parents. It classes as one of my favourites because it was taken on a lovely lazy day, the warmth of the sun charging up the butterflies contrary to the soporific effects the uv radiation was having on my person. It also fell into my favourite category as it was a quite interesting aberrant being a blind Meadow brown. I’ve seen my fair share of 2 pupiled Meadow Browns but never (until now) had I encountered one lacking pupils.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

Nearly missed this one with all the festive goings on recently

In truth, I didn't take that many decent Meadow Brown photos this year. Although they were around in good numbers at all the usual places locally, numbers seemed to be down again this year from the hordes that were about a few years ago.

Bugboy's well marked example above is a good example of a phenomenon that I have been noticing over the past couple of years and commented on in my diary...increasing numbers of females with extra large orange patches including a band on their hindwings. I saw a number of these again this year, mostly in Cornwall in august but also a few scattered around further north.

Meadow Brown female - Lizard 21.08.2017

Meadow Brown female - Arnside Knott 01.08.2017

Compared with this more 'normal' female, although she does have well defined double pupils in her forewing eyespots...something that I have seen commented on before but which I actually find to be quite common.

Meadow Brown female - Lizard 21.08.2017

Cheers,

Neil

[Allan.W.]

Like Neil ,I,ve also noticed more well marked females in the last couple of years ,and also more pale individuals. my three shots were all taken in Orlestone forest,the pale individual was very striking ,especially in flight . the pair was one of three pairs that I found in 2017.

Regards Allan.W.