Pauline

[essexbuzzard]

Exactly! Not to mention the roundabout and verge full of orchids near me that has just been shredded to the ground!

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Pauline, well done on rescuing the Orange-tip larvae.

I have emailed our local council here regarding unnecessary verge cutting a number of times but not even had the courtesy of a reply.

All the best,

Neil.

[Pauline]

Hi Guys, appreciate the support and pleased I'm not the only one who feels strongly about this

Today I spent an hour during the hottest part of the day amongst dozens and dozens of Marbled Whites, one of 11 species seen, yet surprisingly I did not see a single mating pair.

The real reason I was there was to try to get a few shots of DGF but with the high temperatures combined with a strong breeze and very long grass I couldn't get close. Now I know where to find a couple of them I shall try to heed your advice David and will definitely be returning to try to do better:

[David M]

You've not done too badly there, Pauline.

The worst thing about DGFs is that they seem to have telescopic vision, meaning that if there are lots of them around those feeding tend to get 'bombed' whenever an airborne individual flies within proximity to to the one awaiting being photographed.

[essexbuzzard]

Yes, I don’t think you’ve done bad there, Pauline. In today’s very warm sunny but breezy conditions, I’m surprised you got any to land at all.

[bugboy]

I'd be over the moon with shots like that of DGF Pauline. I still down't have any decent underside shots. I was chasing them today in similar warm, breezy conditions, they're frantic nutters when fresh, I'm sure I can see then huffing and puffing when they do actually land!

[Andrew555]

and for Goldie and Andrew, another Marbled White

Cheers Pauline.

I like your aviary, very smart looking. Great DGF and Marbled Whites.

[Pauline]

Thank you Andrew. I am pleased with it but more importantly the birds seem to like it

I have to admit Buggy that they are probably the best shots I have to date but y'know I'm never satisfied . Thank you for your appreciation.

Cheers Mark. The reason I couldn't do any better was precisely because he (there was only one, the other having disappeared soon after I arrived) only touched down for about 3 secs at a time and that was low down out of the wind. I'll keep trying tho'......

Thank you David but y'know when you have an image in mind that you want to achieve? Well, I haven't got there yet - I want him with his forewings more exposed; a bit like one of yours. Another problem he faced was the Meadow Browns which I believe Dave has already commented on - at times he had at least 4 pursuing him!

Well Wurzel - only one more to go now. Today I was at Browndown and if anyone is planning a visit this week do check the opening times as what it says on the website is not the same as on the gate!!!!! In case anyone is interested in this location I grabbed a quick shot of the entrance board:

A friend was hoping to join me today but due to some unfortunate circumstances it was not possible tho' I doubt these landscape shots will be any consolation:

The weather again was grey and windy so when I did catch up with the Hairstreaks they just mostly wanted to hunker down for shelter or sip up some secretion from the leaves. I thought perhaps the donor was ants but I'm now wondering if it was this larva/grub which the butterfly was very attracted to. If anyone knows what it is I'd be interested to know? Some type of leaf miner?

A couple tried to open their wings but they were soon blown shut again:

The only other butterflies seen were Large White, Small Heath, Large Skipper and this fabulous fresh Small Tortoiseshell:

[Art Frames]

Pauline, lovely to see Purple Hairstreaks in your diary and so fresh- and lovely natural shots too with great light.

I tried at my best site yesterday, but without any joy. I did record the first White Admiral and Silver-washed in the county, but was out of purple luck.

Having just returned from an East European trip it is hard to build excitement during the June pause. So thank you for a glimpse of excitement

Peter

[Wurzel]

Great stuff Pauline One to go! Just wondering if there is any other way of knowing the opening times for Browndown other than the website - it's a fair old way for me to travel just to get there and it be closed when the website reckons it's open?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Paul Harfield]

Hi Pauline
Lovely Purple Hairstreaks . The shot of the butterfly probing that strange green larva is really fascinating. It almost looks as if the butterfly is gently massaging the larva with its feet to stimulate some sort of nutritious secretion. Was this an isolated instance or did you witness this more than once?

[bugboy]

My best guess is that larvae is some sort of Hoverfly maggot. Many species prey on Aphids and it's not too much stretch of the imagination that it produces a similar type of honeydue, perhaps to protect it from ants who would otherwise attack it if they happen to be farming the group of Aphids the larvae is eating. That's all educated guesswork but it would explain why the Hairstreak is licking it!

[Pauline]

You are very kind Peter and I appreciate the compliment. Having seen some of your recent gorgeous images of stunning butterflies I can totally understand how you are finding it difficult to summon up some excitement! That Black-veined White is gorgeous and one I have been lucky enough to see in the UK even if it was labelled a release.

Cheers Wurzel. I really don't know - it is quite a long trip for me too. On the website it is listed as open 3 days this week but the gate said closed until next week. There was a phone number on the gate but I didn't make a note of it.

Thank you Paul. It had me fascinated as well. The secretion was all over the place along with loads of feeding damage but I only saw the one larva. In fact, I only saw 3 butterflies in total, all around this bush but my attention was drawn to this one. I have never seen this before but will be more watchful in future. To be fair, I didn't stay long or stray very far as I was keeping a watchful eye on the incoming tide (I'll leave you to work that one out ).

That sounds like a plausible scenario Paul - again, a site I'm hoping to revisit this season so I'll be keeping my eyes open.

[Pauline]

I was a little disappointed today to find that the DGF photographed a couple of days ago seems to have completely vanished. It was warm, a little overcast and not much breeze so I was feeling quite optimistic. Many butterflies were on the wing but no DGF I had also wanted to see mating Marbled Whites. Well, I did!!! 3 pairs to be precise....... but each time I bent down to take a shot they separated, the female expelled a couple of drops of meconium whilst flapping her wings, before taking off in a somewhat unco-ordinated maiden flight. I think the male MW's need to develop some manners and a bit of patience! This is one of those females:

As before there were lots of Marbled White about but this time they were quite a bit more active in the cooler temperatures:

This one appears to be carrying pollen sacks on the proboscis:

For me the day was very much about the Skippers with fresh Small Skippers zooming around. No sign yet of the Essex colony which I know is here but a few Large noted:

Half a dozen Ringlets were flapping about - my first of the year - but most seemed a bit worn already. The rings on this one are not quite symmetrical:

I shall keep trying for those DGF!!!

[Wurzel]

Cheers for the info Pauline Lovely set of Marbled Whites you did better than me with those today - I did manage to find my first DGF today but it didn't hang about for a photo

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Those are quite extraordinary images of the Purple Hairstreak 'milking' some kind of grub, Pauline. If anyone has any pointers as to what the larva is then I'd be very interested to read about it.

I've certainly never seen any butterfly do this before.

[Pauline]

Thanks Wurzel. I've had some info sent to me that suggests the place to address any issues regarding this site is Natural England but I don't know how often this situation happens. To be fair, the website does say 'subject to change' and I've never had this happen to me before.

Quite incredible David how the natural world works! Since Buggy suggested Hoverfly larva I've had a look online. There are some fairly similar images but I can't find anything which looks exactly the same. I shall keep looking.

It was perhaps foolish today to go and look at butterflies when the wind was so strong that it was bending the branches over. Actually, that's not true - it is great to see them in any weather but it was daft to think I could get any half decent shots. I tried tho' but missed many more than I should have and those I got were a bit iffy. There were about 10 males at the Havant site and I thought this was about all I would see:

I went on to get a few more shots as they tired of dog-fighting and came down to nectar but most of the males are showing signs of wear and tear now - no sign of any females yet:

I was pleased to see my first Essex Skipper there but just as I was about to press the shutter he zoomed out into the road never to return Nevertheless, whilst looking I did see a mating pair of Large White and yet another Lackey Moth larva:

[Maximus]

Nice stuff recently, Pauline, the Purple Hairstreaks really stand out

[David M]

Great to get any kind of audience with White Letter Hairstreak, Pauline....even better if conditions aren't conducive.

It always pays to get out regardless.

[Pauline]

Cheers Mike - as you know this sort of unusual behaviour fascinates me and it will be something I shall be watching out for more carefully in the future.

It is rare for the weather to keep me in David There's always stuff going on regardless and even if photos are not possible I enjoy watching the antics of the various creatures.

However, I've been neglecting immature stages so here are a few pics. I decided to rear a couple of Sallow Kittens alongside the Puss Moth to enable comparisons to be made. In some ways they seem very similar but I suspect they are actually very different, even though superficially similar in appearance, the Sallow Kitten being much smaller obviously and slighter in body. First, the Sallow kitten and just like the Puss Moth it has shed its skin and eaten it altho' I didn't witness that this time as it was overnight:

... and now a few shots of the Puss Moth which are growing very fast indeed: