Pauline

[millerd]

That looks like a lovely gracilens female to me, Pauline. The ab only occurs in females I believe. I saw one near the gate a couple of years ago, so maybe they pop up in this bit of the site regularly. Smashing butterfly.

Cheers,

Dave

[Pauline]

Thank you Dave. I didn't know that but I'll try to remember it I know it is not unusual for female Dukes to emerge before the males - it often happens at Noar Hill. Such was the case I seem to remember when Maximus saw that amazing (female) ab along with 2 other females a couple of years ago. I looked hard for it but could not find it. I think it is the one you are referring to so well done.

I know a few folk are at Noar Hill today so I hope you had great success. Me? Well I have started cutting down this hedge:

I could have done with a bit of help Wurzel (hope you got the pressie sorted). Whilst doing this I have been keeping an eye on a pupa which I found on one of the garden gates. At first I thought it was GVW as they tend to breed in the garden. Now I am not so sure. It is quite a small pupa and I have looked at the amazing shots that Vince takes but I can't quite decide. Can anyone confirm what it is and whether I should be watching more carefully for emergence?

[Wurzel]

Sorry I didn't make it to give you a hand and partake of a cuppa and chinwag Pauline that hedge looks like a beast - I reckon you could do with a bit of TNT on that Noar was great and really starting to kick off; I managed to get 3 Greenstreaks and 15 Dukes and totally lost track of time with them as they were so beguiling Luckily my sense of survival kicked in and broke me free from the reverie and I got back just in time to take my wife out to choose her present phew!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Why did you breed them David - show? pleasure? profit? (Sorry, I'm being direct again ). I do have a problem with what many breeders who show their birds are doing to them - shorter lives, poor vision, reluctance to fly far, feather problems etc etc. I have now heard and seen this from breeders in 3 counties so I do tend to steer clear of the 'show' type. I've seen similar in the gundog world, mostly a result of poor knowledge of genetics.

Just for pleasure, Pauline. Like you, I had an aviary with enough room for 6 nesting boxes and I just let the birds get on with it, making sure all the boxes were at the same height, of course!

Female budgies can be remarkably aggressive with one another over this.

We were able to sell the surplus birds both privately and to pet shops.

[Goldie M]

WoW! Pauline, that's a fairly high edge for you to cut, get out while the weather's good and leave the edge until Autumn Look at me with this foot you can never tell !!!!!!! Goldie

[Pauline]

Wurzel, no worries - If I'd been in your shoes I would have done exactly the same. Y'know what they say - happy wife, happy life

Hi Goldie, The prep had to be done as the fence panels are arriving at the end of the week. Don't worry, I have help for that as I'm not much good with concrete posts and 6' panels. I've done all I can now tho'.

I decided to take your advice David and give myself a break. I wanted to see some Green Hairstreaks. I have often heard folk commenting at Noar Hill that GH are a 'morning' butterfly. I have never found any difficulty locating them in the afternoon and early evening but they tend to be females egg-laying low down. So where do the males go in the afternoon? Reckon I found out today between 2.30 and 3.30 - they are traveling around the site presumably looking for females and going at quite some speed. I saw 7 before I saw one that landed only just long enough for a single photo - that was all I wanted

On my travels I saw about a dozen Dukes. I wasn't really looking for them but some were posing so nicely that I couldn't resist:

I also saw about 6 Dingy Skippers and a couple of Grizzlies:

Holly blues were numerous including what appeared to be egg-laying females. I feel my season hasn't really started yet. I've been quite bogged down by so many other issues my time out has been even more limited than usual but hopefully it won't be too long before all that changes

[Wurzel]

That's my mantra Pauline
Lovely Greenstreak and those Dukes are impossible to resist I too have been told that Greenstreaks are a morning butterfly but I've found them throughout the day at several sites now but generally earlier in the season when its cooler so I reckon that you've solved the ,mystery of the disappearing Greenstreaks

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Glad you got out, Pauline....and I bet you were too after seeing all those species.

That Dingy Skipper is to die for. I've paid lip service to this species for a few years now so I'm determined to give them some proper attention this year....if only they'd emerge round my way!

[Goldie M]

You've made me with envy Pauline, you may not be getting out much but when you do your going to the right places
I think this year I'll miss out on quite a few Butterflies, so it's great to see your photos of the ones I'll miss keep them coming, Goldie

[Pauline]

Cheers Wurzel - one just for you in the next batch. Can you guess which one

I really am David. I'd forgotten what I was missing and as there's loads of work just around the corner I thought I'd make the most of it and go out again today!

Such a pity I couldn't get you up Noar Hill when you were here Goldie but time was against us - and we did visit 2 different sites which is about all I can manage in a day. But never say never ..........

I had a splendid couple of hours this morning in really lovely company. It was a pleasure to meet you Keith and Maurice, well, we really must do this more often. As before my main target was the Green Hairstreak and as before I saw at least half a dozen, all of which refused to descend to lower levels - apart from one which was in the middle of a large patch of brambles. I fought hard to get this shot:

Yet again, the Dukes were a little incidental but a few shots including the one I took specially for Wurzel (apologies Wurzel that half of it is out of focus. I shall try to do better next time )

Inspired by my last meeting with Heather Angel (would you believe it I met her again today and what a lovely lady she is) I tried some shots of the Bee fly:

and last but not least a shot of a sleepy Orange Tips. I would have had some great shots as it opened it's wings but sadly Maurice I had the exposure compensation on the wrong setting

[trevor]

Love the Duke on the Early Purple Orchid, and your Green Hairstreak has an almost complete arc of white spots.
I worked hard to get a GH yesterday. I always lose sight of them when they take off!.

Lovely stuff,
Trevor.

[Neil Freeman]

...Yet again, the Dukes were a little incidental...

Oh! to live somewhere where I could say that. For me Dukes are a species that I have to travel t see and there are many years when I miss them.

Great photos though Pauline...and the Green Hairsteaks

Cheers,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

I had an inkling which type of shot it was going to be before I'd even checked the photos Pauline I wasn't disappointed, only slightly envious You did well with the Greenstreak - that one looks like a 'punctata' as the streaks carry on along the forewing

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

You certainly did right getting out again, Pauline.

That image of the Duke on the orchid was worth several hours out of your day alone!

[Goldie M]

Hi! Pauline, lovely Green Hair Streak shots, I'd love to see them, they're one of my favourites, so delicate and cute, I know where they are at home but I haven't a clue where they are here, may be I'll get lucky like I did with the Wall
I also like the first Duke shot showing the under wings it makes a change , it's lovely. Goldie

[Andrew555]

Quality set of shots Pauline. I enjoyed a day at Noar myself on the Sunday. Good job with the Bee Fly.

Cheers

[Pauline]

Right back at you Andrew. I have seen first hand how you achieve your wonderful images . Glad you enjoyed another one of my local sites.

Thank you Trevor. I know exactly what you mean about them disappearing in front of your eyes!!!!!!!

Cheers Neil - I know it sounds like I take Noar Hill and the Dukes a bit for granted but I really don't. It's just that I'm becoming just a teeny bit obsessed with the Hairstreaks. You know what I'm like - like to be out in all weathers and at all times to see first hand how the butterflies behave. Take yesterday, I got another soaking standing under a tree watching Green Hairstreaks. We've not played this game for a while - can you find it?

Don''t worry, already cropped it:

Cheers Wurzel - I'm pleased you keep reminding me of the names of these Abs as one day I might actually remember

I'm trying to make the most of it David as it may be a little while before I can get out again

Thanks Goldie. As you know I try not to take the same shot over and over again and look hard for something a bit different. The local forecast today said there would be a 'moderate breeze'. I'm not sure exactly what that means but up Noar Hill it was blowing a gale . I left home shortly after mid-day and about 20 mins later I was taking this shot:

I'm not going to moan about the wind making photography difficult. It does. End of! I was there to see how the butterflies were behaving and any photos were a bonus. There wasn't another soul there but the weather wasn't stopping the butterflies. They were staying low down as one might expect in these conditions but as ever it was a joy to see them. My attention was caught by a particular Duke which looked in good condition but was a really odd colour. A bit reminiscent of the colour of a very pale Speckled Wood. I got a few shots and having now looked at this site I believe it might be an Ab. Leucodes. If anyone could confirm or otherwise I'd be grateful

By way of comparison here is a 'normal' Duke and a shot with both of them in:

Furthermore, it seemed to be having a little problem with its proboscis. I seem to remember Martin telling me that when they first emerge it is split in two but soon welds together. If it doesn't it can starve. I do hope it wasn't in trouble:

[Wurzel]

That is an interesting looking Duke Pauline - tricky one as the fringes and tear in the wing suggest that it's not as fresh as the comparison one but at the same time it's a consistent paler colour I'd go with it being an aberrant but my record for being right when making suggestions is roughly 50:50 Either way it's great because it's something a little different but also because it's a Duke

Havea goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

....My attention was caught by a particular Duke which looked in good condition but was a really odd colour. A bit reminiscent of the colour of a very pale Speckled Wood. I got a few shots and having now looked at this site I believe it might be an Ab. Leucodes.

Certainly looks a good candidate, Pauline.

https://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/aberrat ... ies=lucina

[Pauline]

Thank you Wurzel, David. I have seen a lot of worn Dukes in my time and this one just didn't seem to fit the bill. As always I am happy to be guided by more expert opinion and as the concensus seems to be an AB I am happy to go with that.

Thank you also to Vince for confirming that the pupa I posted was indeed a GVW. I say 'was' as Vince thinks it might have died and I agree with him. I am sure it was alive initially so it is such a shame it has got to this stage and not made it. I can't help thinking it may have been from one of the eggs laid in the garden last year.

I'm afraid this weather is keeping me in - it is not just windy it is freezing! - so I thought I would take this opportunity to post a few shots of critters I have found recently that I haven't yet identified just on the off chance ........

Odd looking pupa on heather - perhaps some sort of wasp?

There must be loads of green moth larva on heather at this time of year but these were quite large and I found about 10 of them.

I initially thought that this was a moth. It had a strange habit of jumping when disturbed and then flying so I am now thinking it is some sort of fly or other bug?

Let's hope this weather improves soon.