Neil Hulme

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks, Goldie. The Adonis Blue is just one of the many benefits I get by living on the chalk - by far my favourite rock!
True, Jack, and worrying, but they're still abundant when compared directly to the years following the introduction of myxomatosis in 1953.
BWs, Neil

[Maximus]

That's a staggering count of Adonis Blues at Anchor Bottom, Neil, and so many mating pairs! What an amazing site.
During a recent visit to the Isle of Wight we also noticed how lush and prolific the HSV was this year. We saw very good numbers of Adonis on Bonchurch Down, where I believe they have been struggling in recent years.

Mike

[essexbuzzard]

Hi Neil, great to see your report from Anchor Bottom, and those of others. We were there late summer last year, and there were many hundreds, probably thousands, of Adonis Blues there then. I’m delighted to see this has carried on in the late spring brood, as you know, this is not always the case. Must have been an amazing sight!

[David M]

Those are staggering numbers, Neil, and as you rightly say, with conditions having been near perfect, one can only wonder what the Chalkhill Blue population might be next month!!

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Mike. The last time I saw HSV in this condition was 2012, when Chalk Hill Blue numbers exploded.
Thanks, Mark and David. The late July/August blues festival could be an epic!
BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

The Rise And Rise Of Knepp Wildland

Yesterday (1 June) I broke off from walking my spring butterfly transect on the Knepp Wildland Southern Block, to meet owners Charlie and Issy (author of the brilliant book 'Wilding'). I was accompanied by my brother and we had already logged several species of interest, including my first Large Skippers and Meadow Browns of the year, the latter marking the official start of summer.

Time didn't permit completion of the survey route (I'll return), but we were drawn to look at a recording compartment ahead of schedule, by a very loud Cuckoo. As I was making some notes my brother casually called out "Dingy Skipper", a species as yet unrecorded at Knepp. I had been waiting for this species to arrive for several years.

As I was photographing it he called "Green Hairstreak", another new species for the site! I could scarcely believe my eyes and have never been so pleased at seeing such knackered old butterflies. These days I seldom photograph butterflies unless they’re in perfect condition, or are genuine rarities. However, these old warriors are very important, so I’ve recorded their modest looks for posterity. This is what dispersing, colonising individuals typically look like; tired, late season adventurers. They may have one foot in the grave, but I suspect they’ve done their job. They’ve probably come from my beloved Chantry Hill, where numbers have been very high this spring. We intercepted another Dingy Skipper on the way out.

That’s now 36 species of butterfly seen on the Wildland since 2005. Here’s to Knepp!

[Jack Harrison]

And to think that 40 years ago I lived within 4 kilometres (as the Meadow Brown flies) or about 7 km cycling distance from Knepp!

Jack

[Neil Hulme]

Farewell To The Duke

Sadly, it's that time of year again, when I say farewell to the Duke of Burgundy. It's been a good season for the species in Sussex, but not the very best; I'd give it 7 out of 10. With so much of my time in May now spent working on Pearl-bordered Fritillary, I can't give the Duke the same time I once did, but with 800 counts on the spreadsheet I can't complain.

Today (2 June) I counted only 19 across the entire Storrington metapopulation, and I suspect the very last will die well before next weekend. As always, he went down fighting. The last faded and tatty male I saw was still beating up freshly emerged Large Skippers as I left him for another year.

[Jack Harrison]

...as I left him [The Duke] for another year.

Maybe not. Second generation? It's happened before.

Jack

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Jack. It will happen in West Sussex eventually, as climate change continues to impact the phenology of this species. It happens at Noar Hill (UK's earliest site) with some regularity, and occasionally in Gloucestershire, but never yet here. Partial second broods usually require a first emergence date around mid April, but Sussex didn't start until 4 May this year.
BWs, Neil

[David M]

Great to hear new species colonising monitored sites, Neil, and whilst I'm a little sad that the Dukes are set to disappear for another year, you can be satisfied that they have had a productive 2018.

[Neil Hulme]

Fritillaries for the Future Update: RSPB visit & Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary reintroduction to the BC Park Corner Heath & Rowland Wood reserves

Yesterday (3 June) I spent the entire day on the BC Park Corner Heath & Rowland Wood reserves, observing Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (SPBF) behaviour. It pays to make an early start in hot weather, as particularly the males become far more elusive once conditions become too warm for them, and they go into hiding.

I had already surveyed part of Rowland Wood and most of Park Corner Heath before Nigel Symington and I welcomed a visiting group of 20 RSPB staff and volunteers at 11.00am. We had a fantastic few hours touring the reserves, seeing plenty of SPBF (including many females nectaring on Bramble blossom), along with numerous other species, many of which are doing well. We were also fortunate enough to find a very showy Cream-spot Tiger moth.

This season I have seen evidence to suggest that predation rates of both Pearls and Small Pearls by large dragonflies are probably higher than I envisaged; the Emperor dragonfly is unsurprisingly the most effective killer. During our walk one of the participants found the corpse of a male SPBF which bears all the hallmarks of an Emperor strike. Small Pearls and dragonflies share the same damp woodland habitats, so any SPBF population must be able to absorb these losses as part of its day-to-day existence. We also know that the Crab Spider takes a significant number.

The RSPB contingent was very supportive in helping accumulate a total count of SPBF which will fleece their Director of England, Chris Corrigan, of a £10 bet (donation to either RSPB or BC Sussex), dependent upon the success of the SPBF reintroduction (threshold 30). By the time I left at 7.30pm I had logged the positions (see map and stats) of 44 individuals (28m, 15f, 1 undiff.). Chris was unavailable for comment and an anonymous source close to Chris denied that the long-extinct Lewes Wave moth had been seen exiting his wallet (I know that Chris will be delighted to have been mugged in this manner).

It is quite clear that SPBF is distributed across almost the entirety of the reserves, apart from those areas where it will take another year before recent heavy forestry work heals over. There will be additional SPBF breeding habitat in abundance in the future. I was particularly encouraged to find four newly hatched females and a male nectaring in little more than a metre square of Bramble blossom at 10.00am, within the rarely searched area I refer to as the ‘Birch Meadow’ (Area 3).

Many observers have already noted that all the fritillaries look fresh, each time they return for another visit. I’m getting the impression that individual lifespan is quite short and that the turnover rate is high, due to both the generally warm weather and high predation. It is early days still, but things could not look better here.

STATS

Area 1: 2m, 1f
Area 2: 2m
Area 3: 2m, 4f
Area 6: 2m
Area 7: 1f
Area 10: 1f, 1undiff.
Ride D: 1m
Ride H: 2m
Ride L: 1m, 1f
Ride N: 2m (1 corpse, dragonfly kill), 1f
Ride T: 2m
Ride P: 1f
Ride R: 3m
Ride S: 2m, 1f
Park Corner Heath: 7m, 4f

[Neil Hulme]

Purple Preparations

I photographed these two Purple Emperor pupae at Southwater today; I suspect that we have one of each sex, hanging just 1.5 metres apart. Matthew Oates had watched the probable female actually pupating, just 45 minutes before I arrived. At the moment I'm predicting a flight season start on 18 June, although Matthew has his money on 16 June. The weather between now and then will be the deciding factor.

[David M]

Love the humour regarding the bet, Neil, and I for sure wouldn't have taken you on given the work you and your team were doing during the winter.

We've still got two or three weeks to enjoy the presence of SPBFs, so here's hoping they continue to thrive on your managed sites.

[Jack Harrison]

At the moment I'm predicting a flight season start on 18 June, although Matthew has his money on 16 June.

There is a retired bookie who contributes regularly to these forums. I am sure he would advise as to where to get the best odds
If you PM or drop me an e-mail,. I can discreetly pass you his name

Jack

[David M]

I wouldn't like to call between Oates and Hulme to be honest. I think the safest bet here is the 17th!

[Pete Eeles]

Purple Preparations

I photographed these two Purple Emperor pupae at Southwater today; I suspect that we have one of each sex, hanging just 1.5 metres apart. Matthew Oates had watched the probable female actually pupating, just 45 minutes before I arrived. At the moment I'm predicting a flight season start on 18 June, although Matthew has his money on 16 June. The weather between now and then will be the deciding factor.

BC Purple Emperor pupa 1, Southwater 4.6.18.jpgBC Purple Emperor pupa 2, Southwater 4.6.18.jpg

Hi Neil - there seems to be a marked difference in the proportions of the wing case to the body width - although this could simply be the angle that the photo was taken at. What do you think? It would be nice if there were some simple correlation, and much better than examining the pupal genitalia which would almost certainly require the removal of the pupa from its silk pad! As ever, great observations!

Cheers,

- Pete

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Pete

I see what you mean, but I think that's down to the angle of the dangle.
This one appears to be fairly straightforward (setting himself up for a fall), based on bulk. Although the images won't show this, the assumed female is much larger.

BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

Still Going Strong

Yesterday (8 June) I visited one area of Abbot's Wood to see how the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary is doing. They're quite difficult to spot now that the vegetation has become very lush, due to the combination of heat and damp, but I saw five including an egg-laying female. I also enjoyed a fly-past by my first White Admiral of the year.

A later search of the Park Corner Heath and Rowland Wood reserves produced a total of only 12 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, with females making up most of the count (8). This species is now entering the final quarter of its 2018 flight.

[trevor]

That White Admiral is remarkably early, their appearance signals the start of Summer mayhem.

Long may it last !.
Trevor.