millerd

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Dave, nice Small Tortoiseshell Like yourself and others, I saw far more this spring than I did later in the summer.

From what I have seen reported on facebook and twitter there seems to have been more about further north than down south this year. This could be due to the southern ones going into hibernation earlier, I guess we will not know until next spring.

Cheers,

Neil.

[millerd]

Thanks all of you - it was good (and unexpected) to see a Small Tortoiseshell, especially hearing the poor results from the count earlier in the year. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they went into hibernation in July in the south of the country along with the Peacocks. Certainly the nettles were in a bad way round here in the height of the hot weather and there weren't any of the usual lush patches that would have supported a nest of caterpillars.

After about 36 hours of cold wet and windy weather, the sun at last reappeared on Sunday afternoon (23rd September), and the temperature scraped up to around 15 degrees. I went out locally to see what might have shrugged off the weather and be making the most of the bit of sunshine. Not a lot... Three Small Whites popped up in various places, plus a single Speckled Wood. However, in one particular area I turned up three Common Blues, one worn male and two different scruffy females.

Flying alongside was a very elderly Brown Argus (at least I think that's what it was)...

...and three very different Small Coppers.

The weather improves markedly now, which should give a better picture of what has survived what was almost a sneak preview of winter...

Dave

[Wurzel]

I can see why you're struggling to ID the Blue/BA The easiest ID features seem to have been totally lost Lovely triad of Coppers Fingers crossed that much more is hiding out until the weather gets better, hopefully we'll have a the company of the butterflies a little while longer yet.
Mind you if the newspapers are to be believed then that wasn't a sneak preview it was actually lulling into a sense of false security - I've read four months of crippling snow But then that was in the Mail I only get it cos it fits perfectly in the woodburner

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

I've heard the dire prognostications about the forthcoming winter as well, Wurzel - who knows what may happen. I don't think the very cold snap at the start of March and the amazing summer were forecast far in advance, so we'll just have to wait and see.

The following day, Monday 24th September, was exactly as forecast - bright sunshine, a bit of a breeze, and up to 17 degrees in the afternoon. I covered my local patch again, with one of my periodic counts. The results:

Common Blue 11
10 males and one female, almost all looking ragged

Small White 10
definitely no GVW amongst them

Speckled Wood 5
some are looking a bit tired now

Small Copper 4
not looking too bad

Red Admiral 4
actually nectaring on buddleia and ivy, the most for a while

Small Heath 1
very worn indeed

Only six species, but still not a bad showing. I was surprised at the numbers of Common Blues, having seen no males at all the day before. Most were suffering from living in an environment currently almost entirely composed of various types of thistle. The other pleasing part of the trip out was finding four different Red Admirals, though compared to this time last year this is poor. However, going back further, there have been one or two similar bad years.

A non-butterfly picture too: this splendid beetle, which looks to me like a rose chafer. I've only ever seen them in spring when they sometimes sit on hawthorn flowers and compete in the greenness stakes with Green Hairstreaks.

Dave

[ernie f]

Dave - although its sad to see all those tatty butterflies, nevertheless its a good record of the season changing.

Its amazing how frayed they can get and yet still be able to fly!

[David M]

Some of those butterflies look positively geriatric, Dave!

Others, however, remain fresh and you still look to have a respectable range on the wing down your way.

[Wurzel]

Great stuff Dave - I've been trapped in all week and now as the weekends approaching the warm weather is set to go, fingers crossed the terrible winter doesn't strike for a while Interesting to see Small Heath still hanging on in there

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Cheers, Ernie - yes it is astonishing how little wing area a butterfly seems to need to allow it to fly successfully.

Things are hanging on in there, David, but each time I go out something else has disappeared. This is called Autumn, I suppose...

Tuesday 25th September. After a really chilly start this morning (there was even a little wet ice on the car windscreen at 8am and the temperature had sunk to 3 degrees), lots of sunshine followed and 17 or 18 was reached in the afternoon. I spent the morning at Banks Common down at Bookham, missing Bugboy by less than half an hour. I think I saw a better selection of Small Coppers, but aside from a single Speckled Wood, I came across nothing else at all.

However, the Coppers were well worth the visit, with one or two new females and great variety in the patterning amongst the selection flying.

I also observed some courtship behaviour, including a female being accosted by one male while another took a keen interest a little way back.

This is another pair.

There are very few flowers left for nectaring now, but one particular fresh-looking female had taken the initiative and made other arrangements - one of nature's winners I would say!

There's plenty of life in these Coppers yet!

Dave

[bugboy]

You really did see a better range of Coppers than me, some lovely fresh ones there. I wonder where they all vanished to when I arrived?

[Wurzel]

A cracking Force of Coppers Dave That fresh female is a bit of a stunner, and a blue badger to boot

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Cheers, chaps - the female Coppers I saw (WPCs, Wurzel? ) were particularly fresh, and aside from a tiny nick that Blue Badger was near enough perfect. The one guzzling blackberry juice was none too shabby either.

25th September (continued) After Bookham (and just missing Bugboy), I drove the relatively short distance to Fairmile Common again. Having discovered that this spot has a life outside the world of Silver-studded Blues, I may well pay more regular visits here in future. Today, there were quite a few blue butterflies flying over the flowering heather, but every single one was a male Common Blue and some were pretty fresh. Curiously, when the Silver Studs are out, there are very few Common Blues amongst them, if any. They can however be found just outside the boundaries of the heathland where the SSB don't venture - it's as if there is an invisible line between them in June which disappears after the SSB season.

I probably saw at least ten Common Blues, all males except for one solitary female which did not oblige with a photo.

The other species on the site was, inevitably, the Small Copper. Six were seen, including females looking to lay. There is currently a lush covering of sorrel seedlings in otherwise bare patches between the heather and gorse, no doubt responding to the recent rain, and the Coppers seemed to be making the most of this well-timed bounty.

The guest moth spot today was taken by this one. There were dozens flying up all over the site, very unapproachable and very good at hiding from view. This one wasn't quite quick enough...

However, the Blues were the stars of the day here.

Dave

[ernie f]

Dave - I recently went to Binswood near me and found 5 Small Coppers but absolutely no flowers to nectar from. I wondered how they were sustaining themselves. Your pics of a Copper on a Blackberry opened my eyes.

[Neil Freeman]

...Tuesday 25th September. After a really chilly start this morning (there was even a little wet ice on the car windscreen at 8am and the temperature had sunk to 3 degrees)...

A cold one here as well on Tuesday morning and our first frost of the autumn, just a light one but I had to scrape the car windscreen at 06.00am when I left for work. Its' been a bit warmer since then though.

Your moth is either a Treble-bar or a Lesser Treble-bar, difficult to separate these two but I think I would go for the latter with that one.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

WPCs indeed Dave Some nice and fresh individuals in the mix there hopefully they'll keep safe during the little cool snap, they're even threatening frosts in some places The (Lesser) Treble Bar is a good find as you say they are very unapproachable

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Rotting blackberries seem to provide a welcome alternative to nectar for lots of species, Ernie, but I think that's the first Small Copper I've seen indulging.

Thank you for the moth ID, Neil - I was surprised at how numerous they were.

Cheers, Wurzel - it does look a bit nippy in the overnigt forecasts, but it does mean sunshine during the day by all accounts, which can't be bad.

Wednesday 26th September. A case in point: it was quite chilly overnight, but it swiftly turned into a beautiful warm late summer day. I set off once again to the south coast and the slopes of Mill Hill in particular. I was not the only one with this idea - I soon came across Katrina, Trevor and Dave Cook amongst others, and we were joined not much later by Bugboy who had been down at Southwick with a Clouded Yellow or two. Great to see all of you again in such terrific surroundings.

A wide variety of species were seen again today, though some (like the last few Adonis females) were getting very worn. There were perhaps half a dozen Clouded Yellows in various spots - one demonstrated for me what good camouflage their markings are at this time of year.

Plenty of Walls were flying, though most seemed too be females lower down the hillside.

I did find a mating pair of Meadow Browns - they do seem to leave this activity till very late in the year here.

There were still good numbers of quite fresh Common Blues...

...and the surprise of a Brimstone woken from its winter slumbers by the sun and warmth.

However, the highpoint of today was the large patch of flowering hemp agrimony I'd seen last week with a couple of Peacocks on it. Today they had been joined by several very fresh Red Admirals and Painted Ladies and made a splendid sight in a season that has been largely lacking in all three nymphalid species.

Finally, Dave Cook located the famous Peacock chrysalis for us down in the nettles.

Bugboy and I followed up with a look down at Widewater Lagoon (Lancing) where Vince recently reported Clouded Yellows - we managed to see one (it may have been two), but not close to.

There were a few Common Blues and Small Whites as well.

Another splendid day out.

Dave

[trevor]

It certainly was a splendid day, Dave. It's not often that four UKB'ers meet on one site.
You mention the late season mating Meadow Browns at Mill Hill, that could explain the
fresh November specimen we found there last year.

Good to spend time with you all,
Trevor.

[Goldie M]

WoW! Dave, you did well to spot that Clouded Yellow, looks like it was hiding You seem to have seen loads of Wall's we don't seem to have had too many a round here this year. Goldie

[Wurzel]

What a cracking day Dave I see what you mean (or should that be didn't see )about the camo - I've never thought of Clouded Yellows as having camouflage before now Lovely set of vanessids as well

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Wonderful selection there, Dave. Strange that a few vanessids have finally decided to make an appearance having been so scarce these last two months.

I'm pretty envious that you've still got the likes of Common Blue & Meadow Brown. My area has dried up significantly this last 10 days or so - even Whites have practically gone now.

[millerd]

Cheers, Trevor - Mill Hill really is a splendid spot, holding on when almost everywhere else has given up. There were still good numbers of flowers around, which must help.

I watched where that Clouded Yellow landed and never would have seen it otherwise, Goldie!

The camouflage only really works when the leaves are turning, Wurzel, so I wonder why it has evolved like that? Brimstones are a bit similar, but they match the shady bits of ivy in which they roost and hibernate.

Thanks, David. All three - Peacock, Red Admiral and Painted Lady - were very new and likely just emerged locally. I imagine the individuals from the second two species may well be in France by now! Common Blues are into their third brood down here in the south (though not everywhere - I've seen none at Denbies for example), and Meadow Browns always linger into October here too with there being still a few fresh females around even now. The warm southeast... Your sightings from the Pembrokeshire coast were pretty good, though!

I've slipped slightly behind again - soon to be rectified.

Dave