Butterflysaurus rex

[David M]

It's not so much the extended season with regard to the migrants, James, it's the extension of the calendar by way of certain species fitting in additional broods!

I don't think I've ever known so many. Maybe it's in response to the hot summer but one wonders whether the instinctive shifts (good and bad) within certain UK butterfly species were in anticipation of warm years like this becoming progressively the norm?

[Butterflysaurus rex]

It's not so much the extended season with regard to the migrants, James, it's the extension of the calendar by way of certain species fitting in additional broods!

I don't think I've ever known so many. Maybe it's in response to the hot summer but one wonders whether the instinctive shifts (good and bad) within certain UK butterfly species were in anticipation of warm years like this becoming progressively the norm?

Ah sorry David I miss-understood you there yes we live in interesting times. Hopefully the majority of species can cope with these changes in a way that is not deleterious to their long term survival.


Autumn 2018 part 3

Well this is probably the last of my highlights form 2018, and considering that I did not stray from the confines of Sussex I had an excellent year. Easily the most notable surprise of 2018 was the Black Hairstreak colony in Sussex discovered by Dave Cook! Other than that the scorching hot weather saw many species thrive. It certainly didn't make photography easy at times, but who cares when our woodlands, heathlands, and the south downs are full of butterflies!

Thanks to a bad back I went out with my little camera last week to see what I could find close to home. I was surprised to find some very fresh Meadow Browns even a mating pair - being bothered by a second male. I also saw a perfectly fresh Brown Argus but unfortunately it flew before I pressed the shutter. Other than that there were good numbers of Red Admirals, Commas and Speckled Woods. In all a very enjoyable couple of hours to finish off my year.

Thanks for looking,

James.

[Wurzel]

A fantastic set of photos Rex those Meadow Browns are ridiculously fresh looking for this late in the season Looking forward to your reports in 2019 - have a great rest of the year and who knows perhaps in 2019 we might meet up somewhere in the field Saying this, there might be some LTB action still to come - you've pulled it out the bag before

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Fabulous to see mating Meadow Browns at this time of year, James. Perhaps even better is that you have provided us with all these wonderful images/commentaries from Sussex alone!!

[Andrew555]

The open wing Brown Hairstreak and backlit Clouded Yellow are my faves James. But they are all really good!

Cheers

[Butterflysaurus rex]

A fantastic set of photos Rex those Meadow Browns are ridiculously fresh looking for this late in the season Looking forward to your reports in 2019 - have a great rest of the year and who knows perhaps in 2019 we might meet up somewhere in the field Saying this, there might be some LTB action still to come - you've pulled it out the bag before

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Cheers Wurzel, some of the female Meadow Browns looked brand new! Yes it would be great to meet up at last
Seeing as the weather was so warm this week I did manage to get out for a while on Wednesday. I took what is almost certainly my last Butterfly photo of 2018 - see below. No sign of any LTB’s I’m afraid, most of the pea shrivelled up a long time ago, maybe that’s the reason? Only a few green shoots and flowers are now emerging. With this cold snap arriving over the weekend I think it’s very unlikely we’ll see any LTB’s here. Hopefully next year will be better for them. Likewise, I hope you have a great winter and an even better spring.

Fabulous to find mating Meadow Browns at this time of year, James. Perhaps even better is that you have provided us with all these wonderful images/commentaries from Sussex alone!!

Thanks David I was really surprised to see such fresh looking Meadow Browns this late in the year - let alone a mating pair! I’m so pleased you liked my images from this year. I certainly found it easier to post up my highlights near the end of the season. In fact I may do it again next year, being so busy I find rapidly sorting through hundreds of images at speed can get a bit stressful.

The open wing Brown Hairstreak and backlit Clouded Yellow are my faves James. But they are all really good!

Cheers

Very kind of you Andrew, I was thrilled to finally take an ‘open wing’ Brown Hairstreak image of that quality after many years of trying. In fact I managed to get quite a few images that I’ve been dreaming of getting for a long time this year! Here’s to a great season in 2019

Once again, thank you all for commenting - see you all again soon for my traditional Christmas post.

Best wishes,

James.

[David M]

...see you all again soon for my traditional Christmas post.

Are we really that close!!

Many thanks for what you've posted on here this year, James. Along with Peter (Art Frames) I think you have produced consistently the best images.....with much interesting behaviour as well!

[Maximus]

Lovely images to complete your seasons posts, James

I agree with David about the quality of the images posted by both yourself and Peter during the year.

Mike

[Butterflysaurus rex]

...see you all again soon for my traditional Christmas post.

Are we really that close!!

Many thanks for what you've posted on here this year, James. Along with Peter (Art Frames) I think you have produced consistently the best images.....with much interesting behaviour as well!

Less than two months until Christmas now David! I wish the years wouldn’t roll by so fast. As ever you are extremely kind and very generous, your comments are always hugely appreciated. The wonderful summer we’ve had was a great help - and a bit of good luck too. 2018 was quite a year! I don’t recall ever seeing so many mating pairs before. I was most pleased to finally see mating Graylings, a sight I’d been hoping to see for a very long time. The photo was a fantastic bonus!! Our only Sussex colony of Grayling has dwindled in range and distribution in recent years. Thankfully Sussex BC are now working hard to reverse the trend. If successful my hope is that the sight of mating Graylings will be a more common sight in the future.

Lovely images to complete your seasons posts, James

I agree with David about the quality of the images posted by both yourself and Peter during the year.

Mike

Thank you very much indeed Mike it’s lovely to know my efforts are appreciated. As you know I wasn’t sure if I would be posting this year, life and stress in general had me down in the dumps. Both Badgerbob and Neil Hulme encouraged me to think again.

My very best wishes to you both,

James.

[David M]

...If successful my hope is that the sight of mating Graylings will be a more common sight in the future.

I hope so too, James. Perhaps it's now time to concentrate on species that have hitherto gone under the radar?

[Butterflysaurus rex]

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Well here we are at the end of yet another year, and what a fantastic year it's been! Today is the shortest day, so it's all uphill from here . In a few months time we'll be feeling the warm spring sunshine on our backs, witnessing the joys of new growth and life all around us.

Every year I try and remember to hold a couple of photos back for my Christmas / mid winter entry. Last year it was Emperor Moths, not sure I can top that! However while out searching for Brown Hairstreaks at Stayning this year I came across this impressive beast. One of our largest Caterpillars right out in the open! It would have made a nice meal for any predator/scavenger. So after I'd taken a few photos I decided to repay it by moving some bits of vegetation to obscure it from view. I was really delighted to find another Privet Hawnk Moth Caterpillar and I believe these are my best photos of one to date. I love that it was resting in that classic rearing pose, if it was trying to look like a part of that surrounding flora it was doing a very bad job!

Here's to a fantastic 2019.

A very merry Christmas and a happy new year to you all.

Best wishes,

James.

[Wurzel]

Fantastic shots Rex - I've only got shots of the adult and not the cat I hope you and your family have a Merry Solstice and a Happy Christmas and New Year!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Butterflysaurus rex]

Fantastic shots Rex - I've only got shots of the adult and not the cat I hope you and your family have a Merry Solstice and a Happy Christmas and New Year!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thank you Wurzel a very Merry Christmas and Happy new year to you and yours too.

Best wishes,

James

[David M]

Thanks for sharing your traditional Christmas post, James. That is one very special moth larva!

All the best for the festive season and beyond. I look forward to seeing more delightful images on your PD in 2019.

[Butterflysaurus rex]

Thanks for sharing your traditional Christmas post, James. That is one very special moth larva!

All the best for the festive season and beyond. I look forward to seeing more delightful images on your PD in 2019.

And thank you for being so kind David Yes they really are spectacular caterpillars aren't they!

I hope you're having a great Christmas.

Best Wishes

James

[Butterflysaurus rex]

BLOOD MOON

Here's my best effort at trying to photograph this mornings SUPER HUGE BLOOD HAMSTER MOON or whatever they are calling Lunar Eclipses these days!

James

[Wurzel]

Great set of shots Rex Didn't they decide to call it Moony McMoonface?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

I heard someone call it a ‘wolf’ moon. What does that mean? Anyone...

[Butterflysaurus rex]

Great set of shots Rex Didn't they decide to call it Moony McMoonface?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel, I was quite pleased with my effort. I only have a 300mm lens but I still got quite good detail. I used a wide crop to keep the stars in the image, although many stars disappeared when I downsized the photos for posting . They might as well have called it Moony McMoonface I like to think the moon was blushing, embarrassed by the increasingly dramatic and silly names people were calling it.

I heard someone call it a ‘wolf’ moon. What does that mean? Anyone...

Hi Mark, a Wolf moon is another name for a January moon, other ‘moons’ include Hunters moon, Blue moon, Harvest Moon. My favourite has to be Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon.

Best Wishes,

James.

[Goldie M]

Great shots of the Moon, it really looks red, it wasn't too cold here, I didn't take my shots until morning though Goldie