Pauline

[Allan.W.]

3 absolutely brilliant Black Hairstreak images there Pauline ,particularly like the middle shot !
We,re off to Ditchling area next week ,and I,ll settle for just seeing one or two on the wing ,that,ll do me . A picture would be a bonus ,
one of my missing 4 species . Regards Allan.W.

[John W]

Hi Pauline,

I'm sorry that you didn't have much luck with the Black Hairstreaks on Sunday. I had to leave early (about midday) but it sounds like I didn't miss much.

Strangely, it was much better for them on Saturday, despite the cold wind.

Cheers
John W

[millerd]

That Black Hairstreak is actually quite a fresh one - it's just really annoying a bird got to it before you did! It just shows the value of those tails and the false "head" they create in a bird's mind. Otherwise you wouldn't have seen a butterfly at all!

Good to see that SSB are just starting to appear. Those shots showing brilliant turquoise studs are terrific. If we see some sun again after today's effort that resembled January more than June, I imagine they'll be out all over. Interestingly I think my first sighting two years ago was of a female with no males around.

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

Mating bees? I'm certain I've never seen that before.

I was sure that only the queen could reproduce and that such activity took place in the hive?

No need to feel short changed regarding your wild Black Hairstreaks, Pauline. Just having them a 3 hour drive away is compensation, although that doesn't detract from those near perfect shots you achieved with your earlier specimens.

[Goldie M]

Pauline, at least you got one shot which is better than none I've never even seen one yet!!!!!
Love the shot of the Hedge Hog but look out for Flea's, the last one I saw and took in was covered in them, that was it's problem,
let me know how you get on with it, e-mail Goldie

[Pauline]

Thank you all so much for your comments. I eventually steeled myself to look at your diary Trevor - you did amazingly well under those conditions.

Good luck at Ditchling Allan. I imagine the females will be out when you get there and they seem to be much more placid than the males so I rate your chances of a photo quite highly. Please let us know how you get on.

Thanks for that John but there will be other times. It was just good chatting to yourself and the others I haven't seen for a while which is what makes the day really.

Yes, lots of SSB now

Thank you David. I shouldn't think many folk have seen mating bees. The female was quite large, presumably the Queen and they were still there when I left after about 10 mins.

You know what I'm like Goldie - if I see damaged I want perfect, if I see a male I want a female, if I see a female I want a mating pair, if I get a mating pair I want ..........

[Pauline]

Given the relentless, unremitting rain yesterday I thought it was time to provide an update on the immatures. The PH have now pupated - a couple below:

and the couple of Brimstone I 'borrowed' out of the 62 I found are now also looking to pupate. I took the largest I could find so that when I look for a pupa in the wild I shall have an idea of what I'm looking for:

(this one seems to have a couple of tiny insects on it but I do not intend to interfere in case I damage it as this crucial stage)

Conversely, the Puss moth eggs have now hatched and both are eating well:

The Black Arches has today shed his skin yet again so I reckon he is now in his 4th instar. I have been loathe to disturb him just for the sake of a photo so that will follow. He rests in a vertical position on the twig and seems to become invisible!

[Pauline]

On the way to Sainsbury's this morning I couldn't resist the temptation of stopping off to see how the SSB's were doing. There were plenty of them about and I started by trying to compose a few nice shots but the strong breeze and the lack of time meant that I resorted to taking a few snapshots of them going about daily life. In no particular order:

A bit of help needed now - question for all the expert photographers. I assume this is a depth of field problem. Rubbish shot I know but I tried to grab a shot of CB and SSB together, one behind the other. There was no way I could get the 2 of them in focus. The camera was probably set to about f4 but only goes up to f8. Would it even have been possible to get these 2 in focus (assuming I had managed a half decent composition)?

[Goldie M]

Simply beautiful shots Pauline of the SSB's wish I was there again with you, lovely memories of our trip to see them Goldie

[Pauline]

Thank you Goldie - SSS have to be my favourite of the Blues and so photogenic........apart from these fascinating multi-coloured female Common Blues. I saw a few more yesterday including this stunner: not sure she should be described as blue, brown or pied!

and the 4th instar Black Arches:

[millerd]

Beautiful SSB again, Pauline - I will have to go and find some now, just as soon as the sun actually comes out for a bit longer...

Cheers,

Dave

[Pauline]

Cheers Dave - today I toyed with the idea of going back to Bramshott to take shots of them covered in rain drops. However, days like this are perfect for looking at immature stages and other bugs so I thought I would go and re-count those 62 (well, actually 60 now as I have 2) Brimstone larva as it’s almost a week since I saw them. It’s not far to go. A 30 second walk down the lane past 4 other houses, across a little road and you’re there! Here it is for those that like scenic shots. Locals tend to use this area as a communal compost heap and I have had several nice plants from here that were obviously surplus to requirements and just dumped. Some have rooted and there are several very nice little patches of garden plants. But, it is the Alder Buckthorn we are mostly interested in. You can see that those down the centre of the ‘ride’ are small and discrete and although there are larger bushes/trees at the side of the woodland, it is these smaller plants that the Brimstone seem to favour.

I was disappointed but not entirely surprised to find many fewer Brimstone larva than I did on the previous visit and those that I did find were mostly considerably smaller than the ones I had counted a week ago. In fact, there were only 3 sizeable individuals and one of them looked diseased. Having seen a recent image in Guy’s diary I initially thought it was a fungal problem but then I saw another (unidentified) larva which seemed to have little insects on it.

Clearly these cats don’t have it easy as the Alder Buckthorn was also host to a mass of other creatures including spiders, aphids, Ladybird larva and a multitude of other insects – bees, flies, beetles and even the odd butterfly!

(Don't know what it's got hold of!)

(Don't know what the moth is but if you look carefully you can see the spider's legs holding its head!)

The eggs I had posted previously are almost certainly Ladybird eggs as I suspected, as I found some newly hatched larva just polishing off the last of their eggs together with several new batches of eggs and a multitude of different Ladybirds.

The mating Shield bugs were a bit of a surprise as I haven’t seen these before. Orange Tip larva were also much in evidence ranging from really quite tiny to some looking ready to pupate. I still have not found a pupa. Not an OT pupa or a Brimstone pupa. Now here’s the thing – today I could only count 29 Brimstone larva and I spent 90 mins searching both for larva and pupa. I find it difficult to believe all those advanced larva have pupated and I failed to find a single one. Having read how high the predation level is for all species it was not until I conducted this little exercise that the significance really hits home.

I shall be back to check on the new batch of Brimstone but with a lot less hope. Aside from all the bugs there are a lot of sharp eyed birds out there with lots of hungry little mouths to feed.

[MikeOxon]

.... A bit of help needed now - question for all the expert photographers. I assume this is a depth of field problem. Rubbish shot I know but I tried to grab a shot of CB and SSB together, one behind the other. There was no way I could get the 2 of them in focus. The camera was probably set to about f4 but only goes up to f8. Would it even have been possible to get these 2 in focus (assuming I had managed a half decent composition)?

One way of tackling this problem is by the process of 'stacking'. This can be a sophisticated process involving special software to combine several images focussed at different distances.

In your example, however, it is possible to take just two shots - focussed on each of the two subjects in turn. If you are careful not to move the camera between the shots, you can then select the sharp version of one of the butterflies, with the lasso tool in a photo editor, then cut and paste it over the out-of-focus butterfly in the other photo. Providing you do the selection carefully, while viewing at 1:1 magnification on the screen, this method can be very successful.

Mike

[Wurzel]

Fantastic SSBs Pauline - you really got the oily sheen of the female Looks like I better get out there - but I'm finding this year that everything seems to be coming at once

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

...However, days like this are perfect for looking at immature stages and other bugs...

They are indeed, Pauline, and you have made a fine job of it.

Those Brimstone larvae are particularly interesting with the bugs attached. I wonder what's happening there?

[Pauline]

Hi Mike - Hope all is well with you and Ros. Thank you for that suggestion. If the opportunity presents itself again I shall try to give that a go.

Cheers Wurzel - no June gap down here and yes, everything is starting to come at once (and you say that every year )

Thank you David. I checked again today and more of the Brimstone larva have disappeared including the 3 that looked ready to pupate. Presumably, like Brown Hairstreak larva, they are quite capable of moving from plant to plant even though there is a fair distance between them. Nevertheless, I couldn't find any large cats anywhere Will I ever find a wild pupa?

We've had some rain this week for sure down here in Hants and my physio messes up a large chunk of the day so I only had time to nip up to Bramshott. I was pleased to see my first Large Skipper of the season (d'you know what Andrew, John - I just nearly typed Large Copper That's your fault ). It has been so long since I've seen one I'd forgotten what they looked like especially when they are fresh and very gold. Lovely!

A lovely fresh Brown Argus was another surprise:

Loads of Meadow Brown were hidden precariously in the grass and although they always move away I was cautious where I put my feet.

More of those beautiful females that I just can't ignore:

and of course what I'd come for - the SSB. These must be one of the easiest butterflies to photograph:

[trevor]

Lovely Silver Studs, Pauline. Hope I can get to see them this year.
But I'm really looking forward to a much larger subject!.

Regards,
Trevor.

[millerd]

After your lovely photos, I am now itching to get out with my relatively local populations of Silver-studs, Pauline. The consistent grey cold and wet has been getting me down! Fingers crossed for the days ahead.

It's interesting reading about the Brimstone larvae you've been following. I have never yet found a wild pupa (nor an Orange Tip one for that matter) despite seeing a fair few larvae. I assume that they hide themselves pretty thoroughly, but also unfortunately I also suspect that the process of pupation renders them rather vulnerable to predation. A fat juicy morsel for someone...

Cheers,

Dave

[Pauline]

I wonder what on earth that could possibly be Trevor??? Something bigger than a SSB but still blue??? I just can't imagine! You'll have to give me another clue starting with BB

You need to get out there Dave - never mind the weather! They'll still be there I promise you! I'm really going to put in a bit of effort with these Brimstones. I mean, an easy count of 62 for starters and plenty more little'uns coming thru. How hard can it be??????? The 2 I 'borrowed' are pupating. This is a recent shot:

and my dear little Puss moth cats have both shed their skin at exactly the same time making them 2nd instars. I know I have done this before but I am fascinated by these little guys:

Puss moth beside shed skin.

[Goldie M]

More lovely SSB's Pauline , I must admit though those lovely Female Common Blues take some beating Goldie