Janet Turnbull

[David M]

Some nice continental species there, Janet. Although I'm currently surrounded by 100 or so different types of butterfly, two that I won't see are Map and Large Chequered Skipper, so I'm highly envious of those.

[ernie f]

Janet - Your Maps and Scare Coppers are fantastic. I have never seen these butterflies and would like to of course. The Map is obviously a stunning butterfly so why am I more drawn to the Scarce Copper?

[David M]

...The Map is obviously a stunning butterfly so why am I more drawn to the Scarce Copper?

Because it's like a jewel, ernie! I never tire of it no matter how many I see. There's something about iridescent copper which is unambiguously attractive to the eye.

[Janet Turnbull]

Late nights and full days either butterflying, taming the jungle of a garden or playing with the grandchildren has meant I havent been on here for nearly a week! I'll try to catch up with all the PDs eventually.
There are ash and elm trees in Jeni's garden, and I could see small dark flutterings at the top of one of the ashes. I really hoped they would turn out to be early Brostreaks but in fact they were WLHs which also ventured out to the front hedge and nectared on the bank of flowers there. But what were they doing in the ash tree?

Holly Blues began making an appearance on the marjoram and a pair of B. Arguses never quite got it together, although he tried so hard to get her interested. Red Admirals and Peacocks abounded on the buddleia and were joined by Meadow Browns.

Speckled Woods fluttered along the path in the woods

The children were startled by a Garden Tiger which flew into the porch and it patiently allowed us all to play with it.

Today I went for a final walk along the lane and met one of the neighbours who showed me round her farm - and when I told her I was interested in butterflies she took me into her garden where there were some lavender bushes. Here I received one of the biggest bonuses of the holiday - there were two Queen of Spain fritillaries nectaring there - and when I got back to Jeni's house there was another on the buddleia.

The Brown Arguses which I have taken since the first day all seem to be fairly normal by British standards so that very early one which had so few markings must have been an ab, not the local race.
I noticed that many butterflies seemed much smaller than usual, which I put down to the heat and lack of nectar. The grain crops are small too!

[David M]

Those are beautiful shots of Queen of Spain Fritillary, Janet. I'm used to these coming down on a stony track, giving no opportunity to capture their exquisite undersides.

Great that you got one on a raised flower so you could capture that stunning array of pearly white spots.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Janet, you sound to be having a great holiday has well, lovely QOSF, Goldie

[Wurzel]

Fantastic shots of the Whitters and that Queen of Spain is stunning

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Janet Turnbull]

Those are beautiful shots of Queen of Spain Fritillary, Janet. I'm used to these coming down on a stony track, giving no opportunity to capture their exquisite undersides.

Great that you got one on a raised flower so you could capture that stunning array of pearly white spots.

Hi David - I see you are based in S.Wales - do you get the QOS frits there?

[Janet Turnbull]

That walk up the road in the sweltering heat - and I came across another Copper. I didn't include it in the previous post as it is rather the worse for wear, but having looked more carefully I do believe it is a Large Copper.

And in the bedroom we discovered a Ruby Tiger - not great photos but enough to identify.

[ernie f]

Janet - Fantastic shots of the QoS Frit and the frayed Copper. Also, I have seen hairstreaks use the "wrong" tree too. For example Purple Hairstreaks congregating on an Ash and Brown Hairstreaks on a Beech.

[David M]

In response to your earlier question, Janet, no, I've never known QoS recorded in Wales.

As for your Copper, it's hard to judge given the ragged nature of the wings (especially the hindwings). I presume it wasn't taken at altitude meaning that it's likely to be a Large Copper, although an underside would be definitive.

[Janet Turnbull]

In response to your earlier question, Janet, no, I've never known QoS recorded in Wales.

As for your Copper, it's hard to judge given the ragged nature of the wings (especially the hindwings). I presume it wasn't taken at altitude meaning that it's likely to be a Large Copper, although an underside would be definitive.

No, it wasn't at altitude, David. And I didn't register that you are currently somewhere on the Continent and not in S.Wales!

[Janet Turnbull]

Yesterday I captured a Mint moth and an uncooperative Small White in the garden so here's a photo of each:

Today A and I recced a walk for our rambling group, along the Curbar and White Edges in the Peaks. (No sign of wild fires, fortunately). I used the iRecord app and recorded 7 species but later discovered the location details had not been entered properly so the whole record is useless. However I did get photos with my phone for some of the butterflies - having deliberately left the SLR at home and regretted it - so we have Gatekeeper, Peacock, Small Copper and Ringlet.

The Meadow Brown, Small Heath and Speckled Wood would not let me get close enough, and although there were dozens of white butterflies nothing settled long enough to determine what they were but probably there were representatives of all three likely candidates.
Under a fern frond was a moth which I can't identify - anybody know what it is?

[David M]

No, it wasn't at altitude, David. And I didn't register that you are currently somewhere on the Continent and not in S.Wales!

Large Copper it surely is then!

I'm back in south Wales now, Janet (although with temperatures as they are it still feels as if I'm in France!)

[Janet Turnbull]

I'm pleased to see the new buddleia bush and purple wallflowers are attracting the butterflies, even if it's only Whites!
Meanwhile the marjoram has a colony of Mint Moths - I've never seen so many.

On the bathroom windowsill was another small moth which Neil F. reckons is an Acrobasis advenella. Thanks, Neil!

[Janet Turnbull]

It seems we're getting less of the butterflies and more of the moths. I left the bathroom light on and three moths appeared: Neil Freeman offers that the first one is a Yellow-barred Brindle; the second appears to be a Common Carpets, while the third seems to be a Riband Wave.

[Janet Turnbull]

I'm playing catch-up here - it's been a while since I've had the energy to sit at the computer so photos have been piling up a bit.
I haven't been to Rixton Clay Pits for a while - the last time I tried, I couldn't get over the Ship Canal toll bridge for the traffic jams. The little toll booth was burnt down by frustrated motorists a few weeks back and the traffic had since been flowing nicely - but the day I tried to cross, the booth had been replaced and nobody was expecting it or had the right money to hand (it's an unbelievable 12p each way or 25p return - yes, you read it right) so I didn't bother.
Anyway, I went last Thursday (only had to pay to come back as they were not taking the money to go out) and was astounded at the loveliness of the meadows. They should be wet meadows but currently dry as a bone with the long hot summer with no rain.
Holly Blues were the first to greet me, followed by a GVW. A couple of Peacocks and Red Admirals were zooming about but would not settle, then I snapped a pair of Meadow Browns, one of which had a double eye spot.

Moving to the next field, I was thrilled to see a lovely fresh Painted Lady - there have been so very few round here this year.

A Common Blue female was crawling around the grass looking for suitable places to lay eggs and a bright male settled long enough for me to snap.

A ranger was busy re-profiling the dried-up ponds for when the newts returned - Rixton has a large number of Great Crested Newts - and he told me there were White-letter and Purple Hairstreaks to be seen. He also said the Browns should be out any day now, which I took to mean Brostreaks - I must keep an eye on the place if that is the case. I didn't see any 'streaks while I was there that day

[Wurzel]

Interesting set of moth images Janet I reckon your first Common Carpet is something different...though unfortunately I can't be much more help than that
Great shot of the Hedge and Meadow Brown together

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Janet Turnbull]

[quote="Wurzel"
Great shot of the Hedge and Meadow Brown together

Have a goodun

Wurzel[/quote]

Ah, thanks Wurzel - that explains why one of the MBs had a double eye spot. Will have to go to Specsavers!

[Neil Freeman]

...On the bathroom windowsill was another small moth but try as I might I can't ID it. IMG_0273 moth1.jpg

Hi Janet,

I think that one is Acrobasis advenella, a micro.

The first one of the next trio is a Yellow-barred Brindle. These are more green when fresh but fade to a yellowish colour.

Cheers,

Neil