June 2019

[downland boy]

Thanks Peter, David & Tom for your appreciation of the mating valezina. I certainly had my heart in my mouth as I crept up on the pair.

All the best, Nigel

[David M]

High Brown Fritillaries on the wing at the south Wales site, with at least two of the 11 large Frits spotted being adippe:

[Allan.W.]

Superb find Downland Boy ! and both in fresh condition too. I,d just settle for seeing a Valezina !!
Regards Allan.W.

[Deborah]

Nothing to match recent postings. Marbled Whites aplenty, ditto Meadow Browns and Ringlets. But I was still pleased with this feisty Comma who has taken up a perching place that he’s defending against all comers.

[millerd]

With doom and gloom reports about a dearth of Commas this year, I was pleased to see no fewer than 13 new hutchinsoni individuals in the space of a couple of hours this afternoon on my local patch near Heathrow.

Full report as ever in my PD in due course...

Dave

[Jack Harrison]

Thursday 27th south of Inverness

Painted Ladies (singles, not seen in groups) moving northwest steadily even through quite dense woodland.

A reliable report (from Heatherlea professional birders) of Painted Ladies earlier in the week in the far north of Orkney (North Ronaldsay).

This migration has obviously been on a very wide front. With adequate rain in many places in the British Isles, the thistles should be in good condition to allow a huge emergence later in the summer. What was the estimate in an earlier bumper year? 10 billion individuals?

Jack

[Jack Harrison]

Jack

[Jack Harrison]

And today, 28th, Red Admiral in my garden announced is presence by briefly landing on my face!

But that was nothing compared to the swarm of bees that stopped play in the cricket at Chester-le-Street:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/cricket/ ... ka-durham/

I happened to turn on the TV at that very moment and of course wondered what on earth was going on with players and umpires flat on the ground.

Jack

[David M]

Good to see the Commas returning in numbers, Dave. Hopefully they'll be commoner than they were in late summer last year.

[aeshna5]

Yesterday went to Chobham Common, Surrey on a breezy but warm + sunny day. Surprisingly quiet for butterflies. Most numerous was 11 Silver-studded Blues- all fresh males. Otherwise 1 Red Admiral, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Ringlet, 4 Meadow Brown, 5 Small Heath + 4 Large Skipper.

Generally few bees too but some other fine insects seen such as Clouded Buff, Beautiful China-mark. Dotted Beefly, Green Tiger Beetles, Mottled Grasshopper + a wonderful Golden-ringed Dragonfly that came right up to me.

Other wildlife included Lapwings, Buzzard with juvenile, Stonechats, Dartford Warblers, Common Lizard, Common Toad +a Raft Spider.

First day this week I've not seen a Painted Lady!

[NickHull]

Spent an hour or so watching PL's egg-laying on thistles in a local park yesterday. Compared to ST's which lay in large clumps, the PL's were laying single eggs....

[P.J.Underwood]

Purple Emperors.
My first of the season. I saw three today-nice fresh specimens.Seen at Chiddingfold.
P.J.U.

[Ian Pratt]

Just back from Madeira. Stunning flora but disappointing fauna. Photos of a few butterflies I saw are attached.

[bugboy]

Very fresh looking Large Tortoiseshell photographed at Portland at the weekend, pictures are on the facebook group butterflies UK.

[Jack Harrison]

pictures are on the facebook group butterflies UK

I have deliberately avoided facebook, twitter and similar as being yet more distractions - I have enough as it is.

Any direct link to the LT reports?

Jack

[bugboy]

pictures are on the facebook group butterflies UK

I have deliberately avoided facebook, twitter and similar as being yet more distractions - I have enough as it is.

Any direct link to the LT reports?

Jack

Here's a screenshot of the relevant pics. Hopefully I'm not infringing any rules by posting these. To clarify these are not my images.

[Sylvie_h]

Good day at Kenfig Nature Reserve on Saturday 29th June:

Dark green fritillary (x10)
Common blues (x5)
Speckled wood (x1)
Painted lady (x2)
Small heath (x5)
Ringlet (x2)
Meadow brown (x5)

I noticed the reduction of the food plant of the small blue (kidney vetch) in an area of the reserve where the butterfly thrives. I think it may be due to the very dry summer last year..... I wonder if this will have a negative impact on the population of this butterfly in the future...

Also found was the very rare 'Fen orchid' - Liparis Loeselli for which Kenfig is a stronghold (maybe the last stronghold) for this orchid.
Marsh helloborine (Epipactis palustris) has flowered in an impressive number this year. Here are some pictures.
Sylvie

Dark green fritillary

Marsh helloborine

Fen orchid with Marsh helloborine

[jenks]

A search for High Brown Fritillary in the Alun valley site in Vale of Glamorgan was held on Saturday 29 June, starting at approx 11.20 and ending 15.00 hours. Jointly organised by South Wales and West Midlands branches of BC, 22 people turned up and a good day it was ! The downs and meadow were searched and my totals were (in order of first appearance); Red Admiral 1, High Brown Fritillary 7 or 8, Small Heath 15, Meadow Brown 5, Dark Green Fritillary 7 including 2 in cop which provided the `toggers with some good photos, Small Pearl bordered Fritillary 5, Painted Lady 3, Ringlet 8, Speckled Wood 1, Large White 1, Comma 3, Holly Blue 1, Small Skipper 3. I didn`t see any White letter Hairstreaks on this occasion but by the time I got to the known spot the wind had picked up considerably and the Elms were blowing about. None seen on the adjacent bramble patch either where I have previously seen them. I`ll have to return here !
Thanks to Mike W and Richard S for organising.

Jenks.

[Allan.W.]

Great find with the Fen Orchid Sylvie ,one I,ve still to find ,and excellent ,getting the Marsh Helleborine in the same shot ! The Helleborines are little stunners ! we have a large colony at Sandwich Bay , (Kent ) and always try to get there at least once a season when they,re in flower …………………...a sight to see (along with hundreds of Lizards !!) .
I,ve posted a couple of oddities from the weekend ,the Small Copper ,was amongst the 50 + I found at Dungeness ,early Sunday morning
and I believe its AB;Remota. The Ringlet ,was from a little site close to home.
Regards Allan.W.

[CallumMac]

Good day at Kenfig Nature Reserve on Saturday 29th June

Sylvie, we have taken almost identical photos of the same individual Fen Orchid on the same day! And now I'm wondering whether you might be the kind lady who pointed me in the right direction among the dune slacks at about 13.45 pm? If so, I have often wondered when I would 'bump into' another UKBer in the field for the first time, but I didn't expect it to be whilst looking for orchids...!