August 2018

[Jack Harrison]

I am surprised this is the first posting for this month -maybe I have missed. Anyway:

Large numbers of Peacocks here In Nairn/Moray. In a garden centre, one small buddleia (70 cms height by 130 cms width) had 10 Peacocks. But perhaps more notable was on the coast. In spite of a wind from the west, Peacocks (one very five minutes or so) were steadily flying from east to west without stopping. I have to wonder whether they might be immigrants from mainland Europe? If so, might Camberwell Beauty and Scarce Tortoiseshell follow?

Jack

[Trev Sawyer]

I should imagine that every butterfly in Portugal must be heading North towards us too Jack... before they all burst into flames! Ye Gods, 48C

[NickC]

A painted lady appears to have taken up residence in my north-east London garden, taking advantage of the bank of buddlejas and other insect-friendly plants I've planted over the past few years. Every time I've gone outside over the past few days it has either been nectaring or basking or in the sun. I presume it's a male that's decided to set up a territory? I see painted ladies every year, but previously they've all seemed transient. Apart from that, plenty of large whites around (like the rest of the country it seems).

[badgerbob]

Yesterday I managed a quick survey of Wall Brown at the back of Seaford. Already they are past peak but a count of 85 was still achieved on the 4 mile circuit.
Today I was observing some egg laying and watching a female enter a rabbit scrape it was clear she was looking to lay. After she had left I searched for eggs in the area she had been. I wasn't however, expecting to see 2 Wall Brown eggs sitting next to each other on a Dandelion clock that was in the scrape.

2 Wall Brown eggs on Dandelion clock.

[Deborah]

This is just the second Painted Lady that I've seen in the garden so far. Good numbers of Maps.

And I'm happily watching 3 or 4 Purple Hairstreaks from the comfort of my garden chair each evening for a couple of weeks now on the oak tree near the house. I can't get close enough for a photo.

[bugboy]

Yesterday I managed a quick survey of Wall Brown at the back of Seaford. Already they are past peak but a count of 85 was still achieved on the 4 mile circuit.
Today I was observing some egg laying and watching a female enter a rabbit scrape it was clear she was looking to lay. After she had left I searched for eggs in the area she had been. I wasn't however, expecting to see 2 Wall Brown eggs sitting next to each other on a Dandelion clock that was in the scrape.


BOB_6248.jpg

Hi Bob, not sure if you noticed on the Sussex sightings page. I saw 3 Walls at Tidemills the other day. I listed the grid refs as I wasn't sure if they've been recorded there recently (I would assume historically they have). One female was in egg laying mode.

[millerd]

A single Clouded Yellow seen early this morning at Noar Hill in Hampshire.

It made up for the lack of Brown Hairstreaks!

Dave

[Allan.W.]

A couple of early evening visits to my local patch (Orlestone forest ) to watch the Brown Argus and Common Blues going to roost
numbers of both species have risen steadily over the last few seasons ,visits used to turn up perhaps 10-12 per visit (Common Blues ) ,have risen slowly ,and last season I had three 80 + counts which I was very pleased with ,this years first brood wasn,t huge ,but the second brood is exceptional,
and yesterday I had a count of 140 . The Brown Argus is very similar ,it,s never been common in Orlestone ,most seasons (until recently ) you
would struggle to find a couple ,last year I think my best single visit count was 8 ,which I was very pleased with . With yesterdays Common Blue count
I also found 12 Brown Argus ,and today early evening I found two roosts both containing 8 Brown Args ,plus singletons dotted about close by ,
so around twenty in all.Another species that may be on its way back ,and like so many other places it used to be really common in Orlestone ,is the Small Heath ,I saw three yesterday ,so perhaps they,re also on the way back.
Regards Allan.W.

[bugboy]

Arrived at Arnside this afternoon, a few hours early to check into the hostel so straight up to the Knott. In a word, desolate! Managed to find 3 Scotch Argus in an hour and a handful of other species, mostly ones or twos. Went back early evening to find another Scotch Argus and 3 or 4 fresh Painted Ladies. All in all I think I struggled to reach 15 butterflies in total in near perfect weather conditions! Although one was laying eggs I echo Neil freeman's concerns about the continued existance of the Scotch Argus here

[millerd]

A single Clouded Yellow seen early this morning at Noar Hill in Hampshire.

Dave

And another Clouded Yellow spotted flying at high speed across my local patch near Heathrow today (4th). Could they be migrating away from the even more torrid Iberian peninsula?

Dave

[David M]

A single Clouded Yellow seen early this morning at Noar Hill in Hampshire.

Surprised there haven't been more to be honest, given the weather pattern.

Plenty of time for them to filter through I guess.

[Rivoldini]

This is a new one for me, ab. radiata + caeruleopunctata. Seen in Gateshead on Saturday afternoon.

[Allan.W.]

Nice find Rivoldini ! I found one similar at Dungeness a year or two back. Very striking insect .
Regards Allan.W.

[Allan.W.]

Out early this morning and re-visited Temple Ewell/ Lydden reserve near Dover,when I arrived ,although sunny and reasonably warm ,there was a heavy dew ,not much on the wing until about 7.30 am ,I was hoping for some Silver Spotted Skippers and Adonis Blues.
I wandered first to the Lydden end of the reserve ,and spotted an early flying Silver Spot along the top path ,and many roosting blues ,mainly Chalkhills ,going down the slope at Lydden I started noticing a few Silver Spots ,and by 9am there were many on the wing .
the Chalkhills were now starting to wake up and there were a fair few flying when I left Lydden and returned to the Temple Ewell end , at TE
There were still very large numbers of Chalkhills but far fewer Silver Spots ,I was also pleased to see along the top path 2 Wall.
Unfortunately not a single Adonis as yet ,although they,ve been flying in other parts of Kent for a while.
Regards Allan.W.

[Testudo Man]

Yesterday afternoon, i made a return trip to Queesndown Warren in Kent.
Silver Spotted Skippers were everywhere! theses little beauties were chasing each other in three's.
Several times, a pair would land on the ground together. Quite a few of the SSS's were now showing signs of wear though.

Very good numbers of Chalk hill Blues, Common Blues, an Brown Argus too. Several Adonis Blues were also on the wing.

Once again, i sighted smaller than normal Butterflies...2 species of note were- a male Adonis, an both male an female Common Blues.
The tiny male Common blue was strange to observe, because you knew what it was, yet its very small size seemed weird to watch.
I might have a photo of the tiny male Common Blue, but ive yet to go through all my images!

Im pretty sure i sighted a female Chalk hill Blue ab. as well, but i wouldnt know what type of Ab. ?

Several images from the session...including a lovely "Blue Type" fresh female Common Blue, an also that female Chalk hill Blue ab.

Cheers Paul.

Female Common Blue.

The female Chalk hill Blue ab.

An to finish off the session, just as i was leaving the site, a nice Small Heath...it was past 7.30pm when i saw this beauty.

[IanGD]

At least half a dozen Clouded Yellows have been present for the last two weeks in this intensively arable area of NW Essex centred on two fields recently sown with lucerne.

[NickC]

Those clouded yellows are lovely. Makes me slightly more hopeful that I may see one in my NE London garden at some point! What I did see today for the first time was a Jersey tiger moth. I actually saw two, but only managed a photo of the rather worn example below. The other looked very fresh, and also had much more orange hind wings, but I didn't get an opportunity to photograph it. I had read on here and elsewhere that they were becoming common in London, so I have been hoping to see one for a while.

[millerd]

Silver-spotted Skipper eggs at Aston Rowant today (5th):

There are six in this small patch of sheep's fescue. Goodness knows how many have been laid so far across the hillside!

Dave

[peterc]

After seeing my first ever Small Copper in my back garden on 3 Aug, I was pleased to see another one (or same individual) apparently egg-laying yesterday at around 11 am. I have found 4 eggs so far on Sorrel, 3 of which were laid on the upper surface of the leaves.

ATB

Peter

[Jack Harrison]

Update Large White early stages. Pure speculation.

All seven larvae collected on and subsequently fed on Nasturtium have now pupated. No ichneumon parasites.

I mentioned before that Large Whites are scarce in the part of Scotland and might occur only as temporary residents. Maybe they are so intermittent in theirresidency that the ichneumon wasps that normally (in the south) kill a very high percentage of larvae as they pupate simply are not present here or are in small numbers.

Another reason for the scarcity of Large Whites here is that a significant brassica crop is grown in the area, presumably heavily treated with insecticide. Maybe the wild alternatives are ignored with Nasturtium being the choice for egg laying. Now of course, Nasturtiums cannot survive frost, and many late developing Large White caterpillars might simply starve. Those that do survive the winter as pupae emerge in the spring before the Nasturtiums have begun to grow (I don't see any new plants in my garden until June) so have no suitable foodplants for egg laying.

But I stress that this is all pure speculation.

At least my seven chrysalises are now tucked up safely for the winter.

Jack