May 2019

[David M]

A quick half hour stop off at Welshmoor yesterday (11th) yielded 9 Green Hairstreaks, including this one nectaring from a bluebell:

A couple of Small Coppers seen along with this mating pair of Small Whites:

[Jack Harrison]

A fellow Senior Citizen having a Sunday outing.

Jack

[David M]

LOL! I saw an even more bedraggled one this morning, Jack. Almost had no hindwing spots at all but was still able to fly freely.

[Wurzel]

Surely that first one is an aberrant Pete? Nice find

Martin Down yesterday - Brown Argus, Small Blue, Adonis Blue, Common Blue and 14 Marshies. Cracking afternoon with 17 species
Bentley this morning - lost count of Pearls easily double figures possibly up to 20. Other butterflies of notes included Grizzled Skipper, Holly blue, 3 Marsh Frits and my first ever Bentley Small Copper. Also Argent and Sable moths, a Chris and a Dave Miller

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Good day for small butterflies at the dune site, Crymlyn Burrows, in Swansea.

Small Blues numbered over 3 dozen:

Small Coppers came in with a creditable 14:

7 or 8 Brown Argus were about:

Brimstones & Orange Tips topped 20 each, although only 3 Small Heaths and 3 Common Blues were seen:

A handful of Small & Green Veined Whites were about, along with 2 Peacocks, 2 Speckled Woods and a solitary Large White.

[Allan.W.]

A few shots of the weekends butterflies ,to go with earlier post. Regards Allan.W.

[petesmith]

Surely that first one is an aberrant Pete? Nice find



Wurzel

Quite possibly Wurzel! There is such a spectrum of forms at this site that it is hard to know when one individual qualifies for aberrant status! I shall look into it...
All the best!

[Sylvie_h]

Kenfig dunes on 12th May:

Small blue, Small heath, Dingy Skipper, Wall brown, Brimstone, Large white, Orange tip, Treble bar moth and Cinnabar moth.

Sylvie

[Jack Harrison]

Monday 13th May has been a gorgeous late spring / early summer day in the Moray / Inverness area. Orange Tips are everywhere.

I was transported back 73 years ago (1946!) to another fine day. As a seven-year-old I had just got “into” butterflies and wandered the lanes near my east Norfolk home armed with my little net. I caught a few Orange Tips and then a most peculiar one – it had no orange wing tips. The only “guide” I had was a very poor colour plate in a Children’s Encyclopedia that did not show a female Orange Tip. So today I was delighted to photograph this one so many years later

Jack

[David M]

Nice, nostalgic story, Jack. Butterflies are certainly capable of taking you back in time (quite a lot of time, in fact).

It took me a while to realise that female Common Blues were the same species as the males (I did eventually get a book by Robert Goodden which explained the difference)!

[millerd]

A gathering of Small Blues seen at Pitstone Quarry yesterday (13th May). A small fraction of the numbers flying there.

Full report in my PD (eventually! )

Dave

[Jack Harrison]

Had you just "watered" the ground Dave?

Jack

[David M]

Had you just "watered" the ground Dave?

Are you suggesting it was Pisstone Quarry, Jack?

[millerd]

No artificial inducement used, I assure you, though there was something noxious in the middle of all that. I've seen Chalkhills and Adonis gather like that, but it's the first time I've seen Small Blues so engrossed.

While I was taking the photos (requiring grovelling at ground level) several other Small Blues came and sat on my camera, my hand and my arm, Wolfson (who was there as well) took some shots of this I believe. Very entertaining - though I imagine they were after salts.

Dave

[Jack Harrison]

I have had several butterfly species land on my trousers or [trainer-type] shoes: Purple Emperor, Grayling, Small Blue. I’ve never actually tried the “Pisstone Quarry” technique but I believe it can be quite successful.

Jack

[bugboy]

A busy few days for me (I managed to pick the right week to book off work!). Popped up to Ivinghoe Beacon to see the Dukes on Sunday 12th. They've been out since the 17th April but still fresh ones emerging, they look to be having a good year. Also lots of Dingies and Grizzlies, Green Hairstreaks, a fresh flush of Brown Argus and a sighting of my first Common Blue of the year.

Monday 13th I popped down to Denbies. Adonis were about, mostly males but a few females have emerged now along with Common Blues (only males) and Brown Argus.

Today (14th) I went to Abbots wood. Lots of egg laying PBF, including a nice ab. a few other odds and ends included a nice female Common Blue. Then I popped over to Malling Down for the afternoon. Very windy and didn't see much until I found a sheltered gully where Brown Argus were plentiful (lots of egg laying going on). Common and Adonis Blues are also starting to emerge here to (males only). Pictures and full report will appear at some point in the future in my PD

[Jack Harrison]

Orange Tips continue to amaze by their abundance in 2019. This is the area I am referring to.

Yet in 2016, 17 & 18, they were very thin on the round: so much so I can almost remember the exact places I saw them. So where have they come from this year?

I offer a suggestion. My captive breeding has shown that OT pupae sometimes over-winter twice (or maybe even more). This is clearly a clever strategy as if they always emerged after one winter, the emergence that year could coincide with very poor weather. By staggering emergence over several seasons, the chances that at least some will encounter a long enough spell of adequate weather to start the next generation. Maybe this year things are just right for a catch-up emergence.

Having said that, not one of my present batch of chrysalises (from 2018 eggs) is showing signs of colouring. Two or three have died but in general, they look fine.

Jack

[A_T]

Plenty of White-faced Darters at Fenn's and Whixall Moss today

[Wolfson]

The Small Blues at Pistone were the highlight of a very productive day. At one point Dave had four on his forearm and hand. They were also making photography difficult.

[Jack Harrison]

My first captive (well now free to fly off) that was taken out of the fridge on 27 April emerged this morning – lovely male Orange Tip. Other chrysalises are colouring up well.

For those who missed my earlier posts, I over-winter in the fridge to avoid premature emergence which does seem to happen if kept in the shed.

I am actually rather smug about getting the timing right this year. Their truly wild cousins are now peaking.

Probably going on an egg search this afternoon having just come across a nice patch of Hedge Garlic (not as common up here as in the south). Cuckoo Flower seems to be confined to a few spots beside the River Spey.

This riverside plant is however quite common and clearly appeals to Orange Tip females (with my limited mobility, I can’t scramble down the banks these days). Habitat and close up of the cruciferous flowers. i/d please.

Jack