ernie f

[ernie f]

Dave, nope it wasn't me you saw. I visited in the afternoon.

Thanks for the comment re the pics though. I consider myself lucky, because even in the afternoon it was gusty.

You are right about the entrance to the Glanville site. It is accessed via a small lane at the back of the cricket pitch.

[Janet Turnbull]

Hi Ernie - those are wonderful photos of Glanvilles! And I thought they lived only on the IoW. - Janet

[Wurzel]

Cheers for the PM Ernie - I've now got to try and wrangle a visit - are there any good garden centres nearby, ones that would be worth a 1hr 15 journey?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Nice work with the Glanvilles, ernie. Sure beats a boat trip and a drive to the south coast of the Isle of Wight.

They're doing well to hang in at Wrecclesham. It's been nearly 10 years now since the colony was transplanted there.

[ernie f]

David - I wonder if in fact someone may have introduced those Glanvilles to Wrecclesham twice over the last decade because I have been informed by two separate people that they were not seen there by them for a couple of years. This is of course hearsay. They may just have been unlucky on their visits.

Wurzel - I think I can say without fear of contradiction that there is NO garden centres worth travelling 1 hr 15 for!

Janet - Thanks. Even though I can see Glanvilles within 10 miles of where I live I would still like to see them on the IOW. Firstly there are a lot more of them there and I saw a TV programme where one person was surrounded by them. Fantastic. Also, on that same IOW south coast I am told there are imported Green Lizards roaming wild PLUS there is one beach not far from both of these where you can find real prehistoric dinosaur foot-casts (Iguanodon) right beside the remains of fallen prehistoric fossil trees!

[ernie f]

I didn't go butterflying today. Rain forced DIY on me!!!

However I neglected to post my pics of two moths seen over the last week. Nothing rare - but nice enough.

Silver-ground Carpet at Noar Hill

Speckled Yellow at Alice Holt

[David M]

David - I wonder if in fact someone may have introduced those Glanvilles to Wrecclesham twice over the last decade because I have been informed by two separate people that they were not seen there by them for a couple of years. This is of course hearsay. They may just have been unlucky on their visits.

Wouldn't surprise me, ernie. I know the population that used to exist at Sand Point, near Weston-Super-Mare was occasionally topped up.

[Wurzel]

I know the feeling Ernie - Lime plastering the cracks and chips this morning - mind you this has cleared up Sunday so I won't need to worry about using the garden centre tactic now

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[ernie f]

30th May 2019, 10.30-12noon, Beacon Hill, Mostly Sunny, 19 degrees

Well that was a surprise. The weather forecast said overcast with light cloud all day but it cleared for a while this morning and the sun burst through.

4 Greenstreak, 12 Small Heath, 39 Common Blue, 16 Dingy, 6 Brim, but only 1 Brown Argus, however also 1 Clouded Yellow, my second this year and its still only May (just)!

Also, 1 Mint Moth, 2 Cinnabar and 1 Yellow Shell

3 Man Orchid

And 1 Hare!

It was only there for a moment or two. A case of Hare today, gone tomorrow. Ho, ho.

[Wurzel]

Great shots of the Man Orchid Ernie and the Hare, a very Bunny joke too ...A Clouded Yellow

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

...however also 1 Clouded Yellow, my second this year and its still only May (just)!

That's noteworthy, ernie. We seem to be seeing more and more of this species earlier in the year. I don't wish to force the words 'global warming' down anybody's throat, but I'm struggling to see how else they can be appearing in the earlier part of the season if it isn't due to more amenable conditions in southern parts of the UK.

[ernie f]

1st June 2019, 9-10am, Wrecclesham, Full Sun, 16-20 degrees

I thought I'd get here early today as the forecast is going to be "A Scorcher". I was not the only one. I bumped into Jenks while there and yes we both got Glanvilled. I counted a total of 7 today. Two males were having a sparring session. Its quite startling if you don't know they are there, then all of a sudden they leap up off a shrub and soar together up into the sky at speed, split and then drop back down again.

It was very sunny so I didn't expect to get to get too close but I did OK.

Jenks was on an ambitious round trip of central southern England so he said his goodbye's and departed, but I stayed a bit longer and I am glad I did...

I have never seen mating Glanvilles before and don't expect to ever again. What luck. I did not see them court and connect but I did see them disconnect. I expected them to just fly off but they didn't. They hung around for a while (sharing a ciggy?) and a couple of minutes later they flew off in different directions.

[ernie f]

Same day 10.30-11am, Broxhead Heath

Tried for SS Blues but as usual at this time of year I was too early. This is not one of the earlier sites for them. However did get 2 Greenstreaks that were still hanging on in there. This one was a bit worn but somehow the colouration was still pretty spectacular.

Then I gave chase to a lovely Grass Wave moth.

And then up-close and personal to a Gorse Shieldbug

[ernie f]

Same day, between 3-4pm, Alice Holt Woods, Full Sun, 24 degrees

Another "garden centre" trip today.

You don't expect much from Alice Holt at this time of year but its a nice shady walk on a hot day like today. Nevertheless...

1 GV White, 1 Common Blue, 1 Comma, 1 Sp Wd

Lots of Banded Demoiselle, 1 Cuckoo heard but not seen, 1 Common Lizard scuttling across the path, 1 GSWPecker, 2 Pyrochroa serraticornis Beetles and a Roe Deer.

Not bad for less than an hour in total.

Also we went to the pub late afternoon and sat in its garden. A Holly Blue visited the flowers repeatedly while we were there.

[Wurzel]

Great shots of the Glannies Ernie Fingers crossed for tomorrow - thank you for the directions

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

There aren't enough hours in the day for you right now, ernie!

Well done with the Glanvilles, though my favourite image is the fleeing roe deer.

[ernie f]

2nd June 2019, 9-11 am, Wrecclesham, Full sun, 19 degrees

Nice to see Dave Miller, Philzoid and Wurzel getting their fill of Glanvilles today. Another couple joined us and it was getting pretty busy.

So number of humans counted was 6, BUT the Glanvilles outnumbered us I am pleased to say. For the first time ever I circuited the field and quartered it too and my count of Glanvilles came to 19. I was regularly coming across them in twos and threes in flight and nectaring.

Also plenty of C Blues and yet another Green Hairstreak (getting quite late in the year for them now of course).

[bugboy]

Great stuff Ernie, I'd heard there had been a small UKB gathering there today

[Wurzel]

Brilliant posting Ernie from a brilliant morning it was great to meet up and put a face to the name Cheers for the detailed OS Grid co-ordinates - it was like there was a big red arrow hovering over the first set of Glannies that we saw

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Good to see the Glanvilles thriving there, ernie. This is such a common and widespread species on the near continent that I find it strange that it is so restricted in its range in the UK.