Pauline

[David M]

Now don't go getting all pedantic on me David Am I not allowed a little poetic licence?

Bien sur, Pauline! Just don't put Dukes in with the Fritillaries!

[Pauline]

Thank you Goldie - I agree they are very photogenic. Hopefully you'll have that boot off when you next come South and will be much more mobile

Hi Jack - I am indebted to both Mike and Maurice for all the help they have given me in the past. Good to know I have a great team I can turn to

Cheers Wurzel - my problem has been purple this year!

Bien sur que non David! I wouldn't dream of putting the Metalmark in that category (and please don't try your 'basic German' on me as I didn't even study that at school! )

[Pauline]

I think it is time for a quick update on the immature stages I have been following/rearing. The 5 wild Brimstone fat cats I was following have now all gone one way or another. You might recall that one pupated on the plant and one was eaten by a spider. A further 2 went AWOL, either predated or wandered off and the last also pupated on the bush. It is all very time-consuming:

My Puss moth cat continues to grow at an alarming rate and I don't think it will be long before he pupates. A real eating machine this one:

It is hard to believe that on 10 June they looked like this:

That tiny Black Arches cat that I had a panic about and which both Allan and Vince correctly identified for me has only just pupated. These are the last few shots I took of him before he/she turned into this strange looking pupa:

.... and the little Common Blue is doing just fine, although as far as camouflage is concerned he is already a master of the art:

[Pauline]

Yesterday I visited a friend and took advantage of her location to check out the PH in and around her garden. I easily found a couple of dozen, many in fair to good condition but it was too cloudy for them to descend. Each time the sun briefly came out I could see them opening their wings but could not get anywhere near - very frustrating! The next couple of shots are illustrative shots only as they were taken on full zoom and very heavily cropped as you can easily see by the quality:

[Pauline]

It's good to see the Chalkhills out on my patch:

but it isn't just purple I'm struggling with at the moment - it's Dark Green (Fritillaries, no Dukes anywhere )and every colour in between it seems. I watched a couple of females egg-laying today and I was surprised at just how deep they go into the vegetation and how long they stretch their abdomen down to deposit the egg. I have seen and photographed this before but I was so involved in watching and didn't want to disturb so didn't get a shot of the actual deed:

I very nearly got the shot I have always wanted to get. I was just waiting for her to turn a bit more towards me when a male spooked her:

Quite a few mating pairs around - many on the tall grasses and with the slightest bit of breeze it became impossible so I gave up - well, I had just done an hour of Pilates!

[Wurzel]

Crikey are the Chalkhills out already ? Soon it'll be the Brostreaks Love the DGF almost in alignment shot Pauline - it makes the whites spots look all silvery

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Hi! Pauline, love your shots hope fully I'll see some Chalkhills soon myself Goldie

[David M]

Chalkhill Blues on the wing? That means summer is half done.

Nice to see them though - such attractive butterflies.

Unlucky with the DGF, Pauline. Hopefully you'll get further opportunities with this species soon.

[Jack Harrison]

I knew a human couple like your Marbled Whites. She was about ten foot tall; he was a mere five foot.

I’ve always thought that Marbled White is a poor name. It should reflect the fact that it is a “brown”. Old names like “Chessboard Brown” are much more useful.

Jack

[David M]

I wouldn't like to see the word 'brown' incorporated for obvious reasons. 'Checkerboard' would do just fine!

[Pauline]

Keep up Wurzel! Yep, 3 weeks til BH - those DGF have to be one of the hardest butterflies to photograph!

Thank you Goldie - I'm sure you will and I shall look forward to seeing your shots.

The size difference is quite marked isn't it Jack? Re names, I have a book somewhere I'm sure that lists the old names - I must look it out.

More than half done for me David . Don't forget I started early this year on 1 April with that Duke - the short time I have with the butterflies goes so quickly that I try to cram as much in as possible. Take today for example, once he'd tasted me there was just no getting rid of him :

Reckon I've been well and truly 'purpled' despite all the Jungle formula Only the second time ever that I've had 2 down at once and not another soul around

PS I shall book in for a manicure first thing tomorrow

[David M]

Excellent, Pauline. Can't be many things greater than having an Emperor all to yourself!

[Wurzel]

Absolutely fantastic Pauline and so far removed from my audience this year (one flying up high for about 7 seconds)

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

Thank you David - Mmmmm, I can think of 1 or 2 things perhaps

I don't think you're alone on that score Wurzel - it has been a difficult season for them. I just got lucky - had to go to Tesco and decided to spend 30 mins just on the off-chance

I have Graylings within a couple of miles of me in several directions but what better excuse for a morning near the coast:

The sun was harsh and this lovely bleached shot taken into the sun shows how bad the glare was (Well, there was nothing of interest in the opposite direction )

How I miss the long, wild, deserted sandy beaches of the NE where I grew up

Enough nostalgia! On my return I couldn't find a Gilkicker Weevil but noticed that there were webs covering a lot of vegetation. I think they are spiders and many will know that I really don't like spiders. I hope the birds eat them all!

[Maximus]

I've just seen the shots of the PE on your hand, Pauline, fabulous, you did very well taking those shots with one hand, while the Emperor was on the other
Now it's Grayling time already summer is moving along at a fair lick

[Jack Harrison]

Graylings, Small Blues as well as Purple Emperors will land on smelly clothes - so I am told

Jack

[bugboy]

Hi Pauline, I think your 'spiders' are actually Tetranychus lintearius, the Gorze Spider mite. An Arachnid but not actually a spider and they won't get any bigger than what you saw. They are species specific to Gorze.

[Goldie M]

Fantastic shots Pauline, especially the Emperor on your finger, your shots of the Grayling are out standing, I never seem to get good shots of them
I like that shot of the beech, where was it Pauline ,? your weather seems much better than ours, I'm off to Kent on Monday so fingers crossed I'll be in East Blean Woods looking for the Purple Hair Streaks next week Goldie

[jenks]

I agree with the others; great shots of the PE, Pauline. And speaking of His Nibs, does anyone know if they are flying at Bentley Wood yet. I feel a trip down there looming up.

Jenks.

[David M]

...I have Graylings within a couple of miles of me in several directions but what better excuse for a morning near the coast..

Sounds like a plan, Pauline. I love coastal sites and I must check one or two of them for this delightful species real soon.

Shame you can't let your chickens loose amongst those spiders' webs for an hour or two.....they'd put a dent in the population.