Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie You may not have got the Adonis but at least you went for it, I chickened out on all three of my target species for 2018 Fingers crossed for 2019

Work 15-06-2018

A couple of days later I managed to get out again to see how things were moving along. The Pits seemed to be the main area of activity with a couple of whites flying about but not stopping as well as a few Meadow Browns. From there I followed the barely visible path through the long grasses, round past the large Bramble bush, through the line of trees and out to the field proper. The ‘usual’ Specklie was hanging around by the break through the line of trees but I was more interested at what was happening down by the Meadow.

It was looking mighty fine with different shades and hues of grasses reaching to almost waist height. Again it was strangely hypnotic to stand and watch as the breeze caught the grass tops, playing with some and leaving others, constantly changing and shifting the shading and tones visible. Along the hedge the odd Meadow Brown took nectar from the freshly opened Bramble flowers as if they were Hedge Browns and not the Meadow variety. On the return leg a smaller, more orange butterfly stopped me in my tracks. It was actually only a Small Heath but was a first for the school fields and was a species I’d hoped to see as it would indicate that things with the Meadow were going well. It was ridiculously jumpy but I tried for a few shots in any case as I wanted a record shot as it was a site first.

On my return back the Brambles slowed me down and almost made me late. I didn’t get physically entangled but metaphorically as there was a really well behaved and posed female Large Skipper.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Daneways 17-06-2018

All week Philzoid and I had been planning our trip to Daneways. All week I’d been monitoring the BBC Weather app and the MET app as well. All week it had been showing Sunday as the best day of the week with the drear lifting and sunny intervals with the lightest of breezes. All week things were looking great as with the sunny intervals the Large Blues should have been throwing both open and closed wing poses. I went to bed and things were still looking great and then I awoke on the Sunday and things had drastically changed though the rain and dark cloud was expected to lift by the early afternoon. So fingers crossed and reasoning that we only need about 15 minutes of sun break to spy our quarry we set off North.

When we arrived it was still dark and dingy and so we set off into the drear. Once on site we set about trying to locate the Large Blues but to be honest we were happy to just find a butterfly! Nonetheless we starting searching, slowly moving along the banks from one end to the other and then stepping up to the next layer and repeating the manoeuvre. Along the banks there were Meadow Browns, the odd Small Heath a Blue but a female Common but not a Large and my first Ringlet of 2018.

We ended up at the top of the site working our way along towards the small pond but it was quiet here too with only a Large Skipper, Small Heath and a male Common Blue which was grimly hanging onto the grassheads. After a chat with the Warden we headed back down the steep slope to wander back towards the entrance. On the way we were accosted by a pair of Marbled Whites, our first of 2018. Back along the journey were a few more Browns; a Meadow Brown, a Small Heath and a Ringlet. Back near the start we did have a little Purple Patch with a male and female Common Blue and a Brown Argus, hardly an astounding highlight but judging by the weather and the dearth of butterflies appreciated none the less. We decided to give it a rest and head down and have a drink before coming back for the hoped for improvement in the weather.

After lunch we headed back up the hill ready to fill our boots in Large Blues once the blue sky showed and the sun burnt the cloud back. However the only blue skies encountered were the blue sky thinking in regards to the improvement in the weather. It stayed dull and dire but in terms of weather and butterflies for the rest of the day. Another complete circuit around saw only 6 butterflies according to my notes. There were probably more as I didn’t record any Meadow Browns but I still think that we’d have difficulty in getting into double figures. A male Common Blue greeted us as we walked/trudged despondently up the hill and as well as 2 Marbled Whites, a Large Skipper and the male Common Blue still clutching the grassheads at the top of the reserve. We also came across an unusual looking Ringlet. It was a bit two-tone with one wing almost bleached white.

With that we headed home stopping on the way so that Philzoid could see and photograph Corn Bunting at Larkhill and still it was grey and dull and the wind had picked up. It was third time unlucky I guess and it had to happen eventually, you can’t keep going out on every trip and things always fall into place. Still acceptance aside it was a bloody long way to go for my first Ringlets and Marbled Whites of 2018!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Considering the incredible weather there has been since early May this year, Wurzel, you were incredibly unlucky to strike out on Large Blues on 17th June. As you say, a long way to go to see Marbled Whites and Ringlets... Even unusual ones! Still, we all get frustratingly blank days sometimes, which of course gives us something to prmise ourselves for next time.

Cheers,

Dave

[Janet Turnbull]

Nevertheless, your Ringlets are particularly rich and clean looking, Wurzel! Sod's law though, after all that glorious weather, to choose the cloudy weekend.

[ernie f]

I seem to remember you telling me you got Large Blues wing-rolling this year - so you must have gone back at some point between then and now and struck lucky?

Plus - Corn Bunting. You don't see those every day of the week. Every cloud has a silver lining so they say. Or does that pun not go down too well, sorry.

[bugboy]

Unlucky Wurzel, we can all sympathise with those kind of days, I had one of them just yesterday. I reckon I know exactly when your next visit there was though

[Wurzel]

Cheers Dave I think there was a period of two or three days when the Large Blues didn't fly at Daneways and this was one of them Like you say something to appreciate next time
Cheers Janet The really frustrating thing was that that was supposed to be the best day and then the forecast changed over the 7 hours I was getting some kip Still when I retire (currently in 26 years, though I'm sure they'll change that ) I can have he pick of the days so things like this won't happen
Cheers Ernie I might have wangled a return trip Ernie The Corn Buntings were seen on a stretch of road which I take to work so I see Corn Buntings most mornings and in the spring/summer if I wind the window down I can hear them as well which is much better then hearing blooming Humphreys
Cheers Bugboy You may be privy to privileged information indeed Bugboy

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

The Living Rainforest

This year my department and the Geography Department ran a joint trip to The Living Rainforest at Newbury for all the year 7’s. Whilst we were there to encourage the pupils to learn outside of the classroom and experience something different than what Pewsey has to offer I also took my camera along in case there was anything extra interesting. As we walked round the two large glasshouses we saw Java Finches, Toucans, Ringed Teal and various other critters in amongst a surprising eclectic collection of Flora. At the end of the guided tour we headed into the Mangrove Room where the butterfly collection was housed. I’ve visited a few butterfly houses over the years but this was more of a room as it only housed 7 butterflies. However strangely there were 6 different species represented. As expected there was a Blue Morpho, a Malachite and a Heliconius species.

The others were new to me so rather than rush whilst being shown round I decided to wait and come back later when the pupils (and therefore me) had some free time. We carried on round on the tour and the star of the show was the Armadillo which was snuffling about in its enclosure.

We had lunch outside and while the pupils sat and munched and completed their workbooks I munched and mooched around near the flower bed. A Red Kite soared overhead as a Meadow Brown flew from the top of one shrub to another. A Large White fluttered down from a tree and worked from one leaf to another coming ever closer. I crossed my fingers and waited for him to come into range suspecting that he would play silly buggers and tease me by looking like he would land close by and then zooming off but he behaved himself. So I was able to get my first recognisable Large White shot, at least I think it was my first shot?

After lunch ‘free time’ ensued until the coach arrived so I headed back in and strolled round before finding myself back in the Mangrove. There of the ‘new’ species were present and so I set to tracking them down. One was very accommodating showing both open and closed wings, another was very flighty appearing black and white in flight but electric blue in places in the right light and the final was shut up under a large palm leaf. The first was a Rusty-tipped Page (Siproeta epaphus) and I think the second was a Blue Moon butterfly but I don’t know about the third (it could even be the same as the second just the under wing showing).

A quick walk round to make sure there were no pupils hiding with the Sloth or had set up camp in the play park, count them on and we were whisked off back to school to arrive in time for the buses. An interesting day though next time I might suggest a morning safari to Daneway Banks at this time of year…

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

Great report as usual. It's the sheer size of some of those tropical species, very impressive.

[jenks]

I agree great report. And "a quick walk round to make sure there were no pupils hiding with the Sloth or had set up camp in the play park" Now that`s teachers cynicism ! "An interesting day though next time I might suggest a morning safari to Daneway Banks at this time of year" Hmm, you might not get away with that Wurzel.

Reminds me of a school trip in the 1980`s to the Penscynor Wild life park in the Neath valley. One of the teachers went to investigate laughter and merriment at the back of the bus just before the return journey started and found some of the pupils had "kidnapped" a young penguin and brought it onto the bus. It was promptly returned to the park ! Apocryphal story ? I can`t verify it but it was certainly in the local press and in the Western Mail at the time. School kids eh ? The wildlife park has long since ceased to exist. All Penguins were safely re-housed.

Jenks.

[Padfield]

Hi Wurzel. Lots of mimicry in the tropics! Your first 'Heliconid' is in fact an Ithomiid - Tithorea tarricina - a Heliconid lookalike. Your first Hypolimnas (which I think you have called 'blue moon butterfly' - a name I've not come across) looks like a male Hypolimnas misippus, whose female mimics the plain tiger. The next one is Hypolimnas bolina - whose female mimics the genus Euploea. Sadly, all my tropical books are packed for sending, so I can't look up the subspecies and details.

Guy

[bugboy]

Hi Wurzel. Lots of mimicry in the tropics! Your first 'Heliconid' is in fact an Ithomiid - Tithorea tarricina - a Heliconid lookalike. Your first Hypolimnas (which I think you have called 'blue moon butterfly' - a name I've not come across) looks like a male Hypolimnas misippus, whose female mimics the plain tiger. The next one is Hypolimnas bolina - whose female mimics the genus Euploea. Sadly, all my tropical books are packed for sending, so I can't look up the subspecies and details.

Guy

The trouble with common names....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypolimnas_bolina

[Wurzel]

Cheers Trevor Some of them are huge but it's also the combination of colours
Cheers Jenks Apocryphal or not it's a brill story and had me laughing out loud I got some funny looks from my girls but when I told them they appreciated it too , Little L did go away afterwards with a very thoughtful face...
Cheers Guy Thanks for all the ID tips, I used the very limited information from 'The Living Rainforest' website for a few of the IDs but it only had 5 species detailed, of which only two were actually present on the day
Cheers Bugboy That's the wonder of synonyms for you

August 2018

Is it still summer? In Wales it feels and looks like Autumn!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Definitely still summer round here, Wurzel - 27 to 32 degrees forecast for the next seven days at least...

Dave

[Wurzel]

I experienced the typical 'Welcome to Wales' Dave, a mass of grey cloud waiting on the other side of the Bridge and gloom and drear for most of the time here Oh well back home tomorrow and back to 30 plus temperatures and the butterflies hiding away or acting manically Just can't win

Laverstock 18-06-2018

Having seen my first Ringlets and Marbled Whites at Daneways the day before as well as not seeing any Large Blues because of the weather it was no surprise that today when I had but an hour up the Down the weather was vastly improved. True the sun wasn’t shining brightly and it did spend most if it’s time hidden behind the clouds but it did reveal itself at times and the clouds were thin and light also it was both dry and warmer than yesterday. So muttering “typical” and bemoaning the Law of Sod I started working my way up the Down along the first part of the track. A Common Blue flew by, well more of a Ghost of Common Blue past really. Then I started clocking the Browns. They were much more active than usual and so I dispensed with trying to follow them or watching and then pouncing and instead turned the Playbook Method Number three – catch them unawares. I’d round a Bramble camera ready and as soon as I’d see a butterfly I’d lean in focus and click away. Sometimes they saw me coming, other times I’d get a few shots off and more rarely they’d be so stunned they’d sit still.

One such butterfly that I ‘caught out’ was a quite attractive looking individual. Not because it was nicely marked or glistening and oil sheened as they can be when fresh but because the hind wings were ghostly pale. Another ‘Pathological’ deformity?

After this I stayed on the main side of the Down only venturing as far as the first scallop before the track wound its way to the hilltop and the other side of the Down. Here and about a few Small Heath flew as well as a several Marbled Whites and an additional pair of Large Skippers.

It was a restful and almost restorative hour spent up on the Down. I say almost because the Large Blue, or rather lack of, is still nagging at me; what to do about that I wonder?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[ernie f]

I love that "sneaky" way of getting butterfly pics, Wurzel and it seems to work a treat.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Wurzel, love the calendar, hope to capture the same Butterfly soon, When I saw those exotic photos before I read your post I thought you'd gone abroad Great shots! Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Ernie It's one of many techniques that I use though my personal favourite it to loudly announce "Bu££er this for a game of soldiers!" sit down, and pour myself a coffee. You'd be surprised at the butterflies that suddenly appear when I start this routine
Cheers Goldie No abroad...yet

I better to get back to writing up past posts to post later before it gets too late...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Yes, Wurzel - pouring yourself a drink works like a charm. As soon as your hands are full, along comes something interesting and stops tantalisingly close by. By the time you have carefully set everything down so it doesn't spill, and found what you did with the camera, the butterfly has finished nectaring, basking, or having a chuckle at your contortionism and takes to the air again. Those are splendid Marbled Whites, by the way. They seem to have had a really short season this year unfortunately.

Cheers,

Dave

[Neil Freeman]

Cracking Marbled Whites Wurzel, that last one really stands out

I agree with Dave, they seemed to have been and gone before I realised they were here this year.

Cheers,

Neil.