Bugboys mission

[Neil Freeman]

Congratulations and well done on completing your mission Bugboy

Now you will need to go after all the sub-species, regional forms etc.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Andrew555]

That's awesome Bugboy, well done.

[Wurzel]

Looking forward to seeing if you have any luck finding the Scottish race Bugboy

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Thanks Neil, yes there are a few races I fancy getting now, I quite fancy a trip to the Scilly Isles
Thanks Andrew
Thanks Wurzel, you'll have to wait til the next post to find out if I got it though

Well, UKB seems to be working ok tonight so here's the next instalment

23rd June, Bugboys Big Northern Trip 2018, day 4

With food on the way and signal acquired I dropped PhiliB a message. He agreed I maybe a bit early as the weather hadn’t been so good up here but did give me some pinpoint areas to check out, if any MR are out I will find them there apparently!

The next day started off with some sun and some birds who were flitting around and singing in the trees around our tent. I couldn’t quite place the song until one settled to feed on some nearby Dock seeds. I’m not used to seeing Siskin in the summer, being just winter visitors to south east England.

It didn’t take long for the sun to vanish and the forecast was for a rather cool overcast affair so we decided to leave going up Ben Lawers for a day and check out some familiar places for some other species. It’s been 3 years now since I’ve seen a Marshie so first thing we headed of the Shian on the west coast, stopping for breakfast on the way. Although cloudy I did hope we might disturb a few… we didn’t. We did have a nice wander through the wood here, me keeping my eye’s peeled for a late, snoozing Chequered Skipper but all we saw were a few Speckled Wood. It is a pretty place though and we did find some exquisitely marked moths and several nests of Peacock larvae.

Shian Wood Wildlife Reserve

Silver Ground Carpet & Beautiful Silver Y

The next stop off was Glen Loy where I’d had success finding Chequered Skipper last year. This year my main target here was some Large Heath which Neil Freeman had found two years ago. We stopped off briefly at the bridge, just in case there was a late Skippers about. There were no Skippers but I did find a roosting Heath but what size was it? I was pretty sure it was a Small and it was cool enough for me to be able to tease out the forewing to reveal the eyespot which sealed it, Small Heath!

After 10 minutes we returned to the car and drove right to the end of the road. It remained rather cool and nothing was flying without being disturbed for 5 or 10 minutes, which mostly consisted of various small moths, when something notably larger flew up from under my feet. Noticeably larger than any Small Heath and with a distinctly different flight, almost bat-like I thought as I kept my eye on it so I could see where it touched down. It wasn’t the most graceful of landings, somehow hanging in the grass .

In the end we found three or four but in typical Heath fashion all proved right little sods to get close to.

Whilst chasing them we also came across something which is normally just a blur, a Male Eggar moth, this one being the Northern Eggar who’s life cycle apparently takes two years. Probably my caterpillars from the previous day at Ben Lawers were these rather than Oak Eggars.

Whilst here I wanted to try and find the wet meadow populated by Fritillaries that Janet and I discovered last year. A few spots looked vaguely familiar but a fortuitous thinning of cloud cover just at the right time that provided the help we needed. It was just bright enough to wake a few females up and we finished the day surrounded by a handful of SPBF flitting around,

Oh and a frog

[bugboy]

24th June, Bugboys Big Northern Trip 2018, day 5

Day five dawned bright and sunny and promised to be a bit of a scorcher. My friend fancied a nice big breakfast this morning from a diner we’d passed on the way back from yesterdays trip. The diner was a fair bit further away than she remembered meaning that we didn’t actually get back to Ben Lawers til gone 11 (It was a very nice breakfast though ).

The first thing I saw upon getting out the car was a SPBF which fluttered past, landing on a thistle at the edge of the car park. I spent a bit of time with her whilst my friend sorted out her footwear for the hike ahead.

Just after leaving the car park a Green-veined White also stopped to feed but little else showed itself, besides some very active Small Heath, for the next half hour or so.

We headed for a pass which PhiliB had said to aim for but there was a distinct and obvious lack of small dark fluttery butterflies. Suddenly something caught my attention to one side, something small, dark and butterfly shaped feeding on a buttercup just up the slope. Creeping up on it I managed just one record shot and it was off. I quickly discovered that Mountain Ringlet are very similar to other Satyrids in bright sun and warm temperatures, they don’t sit still very long and are easily spooked. Despite following him for a few minutes I only manged a few more distant record shots. Never mind, anything after Cumbria was a bonus anyway and the scenery like the rest of this trip was glorious.

We walked a bit further on, hoping he was a prelude to greater things but no more materialised, had I possibly stumbled across the first emergent of the season up here? We'll never know but my friend did find some rather impressive Lichens, looking decidedly alien.

We had plans to drive to our next destination in the afternoon, so we descended, seeing the same Small Heaths and a very brief visitation from one of those orange crazy loons, a male DGF.

Near the car park a few pools were rather popular with the local damselflies and I was able to point out some paired Large Reds as the females went about ovipositing

A few hours later we were saying our goodbyes to Scotland on our way to our next stop off..

[Wurzel]

Great stuff Bugboy Have you started going for all the races already

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[PhiliB]

Congratulations on completing your mission Paul.
You may well have spotted one of the first MR on Ben Lawers, I was there on the 28th and they could be seen in their dozens.
Although, with a temperature of over 30C and cloudless skies, I was lucky if I got within 10m of one!

[millerd]

Congratulations on the magic 60, Buggy - and all the extras as well in the way of migrants, races, subspecies etc...

Cheers,

Dave

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel, I might as well get a head start eh
Thanks Phil, it wasn't far off 30 when I was there and I was given the run around with my one. Thanks for the tip and site details
Thanks Dave still lots to see yet

25th June, Bugboys Big Northern Trip 2018, day 6. A flurry of Fritillaries (part 1)

So where was the next destination? A certain northern Mecca for any self-respecting butterfly enthusiast that’s where. We’d booked ourselves a couple of nights in the hostel at Arnside which is very conveniently positioned at the foot of the Knott. We arrived too late for a quick recce up the knott but plenty of time to grab something to eat and settle down for an early start the following morning.

With breakfast devoured we got to the car park just before 9 but I quickly realised we were too late to find any butterflies warming up for the days events, it was already ridiculously hot. We started on the lower slope where I’d had success with High Brown Frits two years ago. Here Meadow Browns and Ringlets flitted around, already seeking shade where they would find the speckled Woods.

The odd faded smaller Fritillary would flutter past, but I only managed a few distant record shots. I put these down as old PBF (a schoolboy error, closer inspection later showed they were all male SPBF)
15 minutes into the search for something larger, he appeared, feeding frantically on Bramble blossom. Time to get the long lens out. Once in the viewfinder on maximum zoom I didn’t need to see the underside to know I’d found Arnside Knotts lepidopteran jewel in the crown.

I snapped away as I crept closer, getting plenty of shots as he stuffed his face. I only had him for a few minutes before he shot off over the bracken, fully charged and fuelled for that all important search for a virgin female.

Further searching put up a second one (I did see two on the wing briefly) but no more landings materialised. Whilst searching I did however manage to tick off the season first Grayling, with this cheeky chap hiding behind some leaves. They’re an odd species the Grayling, seemingly ignoring the general rule of emerging further south first that most other species adhere to.

After an hour or so we started the climb up to the top with more faded SPBF and fresh Grayling mixing in with Small Heath and a healthy population of Large Skippers.

Near the top I spied something large and orange feeding on a patch of Bramble. It was pretty intent on feeding and being late morning, I suspected a female. She kept her wings mostly closed so once close enough to get her in my viewfinder, ID was easy. Up until this point I’d not had much luck getting DGF underside shots, but this lady changed that and I’m pretty chuffed with what I got. Had this been Guy Padfield taking the picture that pale background would be recognisable as the River Kent estuary.

All morning there had been male SPBF flitting here and there but the females proved typically much more elusive. When one did show up they were invariably in much better nick than the boys, they just weren’t willing to sit in the open. But then who can blame them with so many rampant, randy males all over the place!

By late morning it was roasting hot and it would be a waste of time trying to chase butterflies down for pictures. We were also getting a bit peckish but just before leaving I noticed a Small Heath who was completely lacking in the eyespot dept. He was a bit worn and never provided a clear shot but still worth a record shot.

[trevor]

A belated congrats. from me on the completion of your quest.
Quite a task when one considers the distances involved, and the
isolation of some sites.
I am getting there, with two new species this year, but will probably
never catch you up !.

Great achievement Paul,
Trevor.

[bugboy]

Thanks Trevor, It's been a lot of fun getting them all and seeing more of the UK in the last 4 years than I have in the previous 40 odd years! I'm sure you'll get the rest. You have two advantages over me, ability to drive (legally) and retired!

25th June, Bugboys Big Northern Trip 2018, day 6. (part 2)

We went down to the seafront for food, but even here with a slight breeze it was ridiculously hot. After this we drove to the other side of the estuary to the Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve on the other side. I was hoping to see some more Large Heath, but I'd already given up any hope of obtaining more pictures in the heat.

We were pointed in the direction of various star attractions of the reserve by the friendly guide stationed in the hut by the car park, and set off along the boardwalk. Large Skippers were everywhere and so were Dragonflies. Some small finches caught my eye and like the Siskins a few days previously, I found myself watching something I’m used to seeing when I’m wrapped up in winter woolly’s, some Lesser Redpoll.

A few Large Heath flitted around but as I'd predicted they didn't settle so I just watched them go about their business. I suspect there were more about, but most were likely hiding from the insane heat.

The same couldn't be said for the Dragonflies. They were mostly four-spotted Chasers and unlike the Heaths they were only to happy to strike a pose for me. I can honestly say I have never seen such a high density of Odonata!

A few Darters and Emperor Dragonflies were around but I was keeping my eyes peeled for a White-faced Darter which was reintroduced to this site a few years ago and seems to now be doing well here. All I managed was a female Black Darter though.

Damselflies were also doing rather well, Azure and Large-red making up the bulk with a few Blue-tailed in the mix too.

Ovipositing Blue-tailed Damselfly

After an hour or so we returned to Arnside, I'd promised my chauffeur an ice cream treat for her troubles .

I wanted to go back onto the Knott in the evening, hoping things would have cooled down and the butterflies would be a little calmer. Of course I was out of luck there, most the butterflies seemed to switch from hyper charged to roost with no in-between late afternoon basking session. I left my friend sunbathing in a clearing on the lower slope whilst I went searching to see what was willing to sit still for more than a few seconds. I found a Coal tit having a pre-bedtime spruce-up in the sun and quite possible the latest ever sighting of a Dingy Skipper (not including second gen). He had definitely had a long and adventurous life but still seemed full of beans! Nearby was a female Common Blue who was rather blue in flight but was still too warm to bask.

On the upper slopes I was again accosted by Grayling who occasionally settled for me.

SPBF were again in evidence, males all rather tatty but all the females were in tip top condition

I bumped into another enthusiast who I found out had been up there all day trying to get HBF. He’d managed a few distant blurred shots but I couldn’t help to confirm what species it was either way. As we chatted the one he’d been after all day continued to toy with him, settling on some thistles for a few seconds periodically but never long enough to confirm the species .

That morning I'd also seen what I'd assumed were Northern Brown Argus, but they hadn't sat still for a second, so I couldn't confirm. In the evening I could confirm this sighting, but they proved much more difficult to approach than their southern cousins. With some perseverance I did however manage to tick off another race, so I now have both salmacis and artarxerxes in my collection .

Back on the lower slopes I located my friend, made sure she hadn’t been eaten alive by ticks and did one last circuit, managing another NBA and a basking HBF. He was sat quite high so all I managed were some zoomed in shots from a dodgy angle this time, he zoomed off the moment I tried to get closer.

Later, as we sat on the seafront watching the birds we noticed what I’d assumed were just crows strutting around like they owned the joint. There was a certain arrogance about them and the Gulls were very uncomfortable with their presence. With my zoom lens on them they were clearly not any ordinary Crow, Ravens really do think they the dogs proverbial!

[Wurzel]

More great stuff Bugboy - two races of NBA as well as HBF I've seen High Brown in Czech but is it the same race as in the UK If not have another

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[ernie f]

Just been going through your recent reports, Bugboy. The pic of the backlit Grayling does it for me. Its hard enough to get a shot with its fore-wings up but to get the light behind it too... Wow!

Oh yes, and those cheeky Raven.

[Andrew555]

Cracking stuff from your Northern trip Bugboy. Love the High Brown and Grayling. Great selection of other species as well, the Silver Y and Blue-tailed Damsefly caught my eye.

[millerd]

A brilliant series of reports, Buggy, with some real envy-inducing shots of the Mountain Ringlets especially. Your experience of the ever-moving NBA at Arnside matched mine, but at least you got a couple of decent shots - and that ancient Dingy Skipper is definitely worth a bonus point or two.

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

It's taken me a while to catch up on everything, BB, but reading the last few posts of yours has given me great satisfaction. Well done on completing the 'mission' and I have to ask this question now:

Are you ready to dip your toe into Europe?

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel, according to the species profile on this site, the HBF we have is represented from the Pyrenees to Austria.
Thanks Ernie, just a case of right time, right place. Best time to get them with their eye's open is when they're feeding when they keep them exposed to distract bird attacks when exposed and active.
Thanks Andrew, nearly finished writing it all up which seems to have taken longer than the actual trip itself
Thanks Dave, I reckon the species just isn't used to these kind of extended temperatures, I wonder if the Scotch Argus will cope?

26th June, Bugboys Big Northern Trip 2018, day 7. Another flurry of Fritillaries

What begun as a trip to tick off the last species on my mission seemed to have turned into a Fritillary bonanza, and it still hadn't ended! We checked out of the hostel nice and early for one last visit to the Knott before driving off to the final stop-off of the roadtrip. Even so it was still nearly too late to catch the Fritillaries warming up. On the lower slopes I came across another male HBF feeding but I only had his company for a couple of minutes before he was off.

Moving to the upper slopes again the SPBF were also awake, as were Large Skippers, Grayling, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Small Heath, Speckled Wood etc etc.

Staking out the same batch of thistles as the previous day we found the enthusiast. He showed us some pictures he’d managed after we'd chatted the day before. He’d got what he was after, some clear HBF shots but he was after more!

What he was unaware of was that a few feet away, just around the corner I’d just had another nice HBF encounter. This chap had sat for me several times, not always in the perfect spot, but then when I’ve got one of these sitting still I’m not going to complain too much!

Up at the top of the Knott a pale orange butterfly zoomed up from one side, circle us and landed again, another species to add to the growing list of this trip.

There had been a few NBA darting around but again they never seemed to settle. There were still loads of SPBF around which kept me occupied and it was whilst aiming at one of these that I finally saw a NBA settled, a salmacis with a hint of artaxerxes about it.

Walking back down the slope I couldn’t resist a few more snaps of the Graylings.

6 hours later I was at our final stop before returning home…. But where was I?

Find out in the final installment of this epic trip

[Wurzel]

Great stuff Bugboy I've not a clue where you're jetting off to next but 6 hours later could mean anywhere, even abroad!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Great stuff Bugboy I've not a clue where you're jetting off to next but 6 hours later could mean anywhere, even abroad!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I'll give you a clue Wurzel, it wasn't a million miles away from where you were that day

[David M]

Breathless stuff, BB. Do you run on Duracell?

I'm looking forward to the next instalment.