July 2019

[badgerbob]

A 2nd brood Dingy Skipper at High and Over, Seaford on the 11th July. By the look of it it had only just emerged.

[Andrew555]

Thanks a lot Pauline. The Dorset butterflies are always good to me!

Cheers David. Here is an underwing shot I managed to get.

[jenks]

A couple of local patch trips for me. On Friday, 12 July, to Aberbargoed grasslands. The attraction at this time of the year is Grayling which like the bare earth of the old coal spoil tip. I had 20 sightings between 2 and 4 p.m of 16 to 18 separate individuals. Also seen were numerous Meadow Browns, Ringlet, Small Heath, Small and Large Skippers, and 1 each of Common Blue, Small White and Speckled Wood. No Wall Brown seen unfortunately, I have had them here in previous years. A bird/butterfly colleague visited here in the morning and had a Marsh Fritillary on the grassy fields. How late is that for this species ?!
Today from 9 am to 11 a.m. I went to Ewenny hoping for White letter Hairstreak. The gun club was firing, so quiet and peaceful it wasn`t. I told them I didn`t have a bounty on my head and they let me in to scan the elms and bramble thicket (this is a private site but access can be made by climbing over a gap in a low wall). I saw 4- 5 WLH flitting around the canopy and spiralling in pairs up from the canopy and away. Also had my first Silver Washed Fritillary for the year here. Plus 1 Red Admiral and 3 Comma nectaring on the bramble blossom. I was surprised to see 2 Mountain Ash trees covered in berries. It seems Autumn arrives earlier every year.

Jenks.

[David M]

...A bird/butterfly colleague visited here in the morning and had a Marsh Fritillary on the grassy fields. How late is that for this species ?!

That's quite extraordinary, jenks. Never heard of any at the beginning of July, let alone the middle!

[David M]

100+ Meadow Browns seen at Whiteford Burrows on the NW Gower coast this morning. Plenty of Ringlets too, along with a dozen or so Marbled Whites.

Quite a few Small Skippers on the wing, and singletons of Speckled Wood, Large White, Red Admiral & Dark Green Fritillary:

[jenks]

David M wrote " That's quite extraordinary, jenks. Never heard of any at the beginning of July, let alone the middle!" And the person who saw this came here on 20 May and saw and photographed Marsh Frits in abundance so I have no doubts that her ID on Friday was correct. I spent very little time going round the field, I concentrated on the spoil tip for Grayling and Wall, didn`t see the latter, then made haste for home to see Federer v Nadal.

Jenks.

[Andrew555]

Dingy Skipper and female Wall Brown from Portland. From the 10th and 14th respectively.

[Testudo Man]

Yesterday (Saturday 13/7/19) i went searching for Chalk hill Blues.
But, i didnt arrive on site until almost 7.00pm! it was a late one for sure!
I sighted just 3 males, they were going to roost. 2 of them were normal looking, whilst the 3rd had unusual markings.
Location - Darland Banks, Gillingham, Kent.

Several images of 2 of the fresh males seen. Images are not cropped.
Cheers Paul.

One of the "normal" males.

These images are of the male, with its unusual markings.

Other side of that same male. He had flown to another perch!

[MrSp0ck]

The Glanville Fritillary larvae in the Cutting at Hutchinsons Bank have grown near to hibernation size in the 2 webs found so far, here is a picture from today. There is a very small chance of a few 2nd brood as they were flying early this year.

23rd June 2019

15th July 2019

Just had a Dark Green Fritillary in my garden too

[Ian Pratt]

Enormous clouds of chalk hill blues at Arreton Down,Isle of Wight today. Hundreds if not thousands!

[downland boy]

Purple Hairstreak (female ab. flavimaculatus) on 10/7/19 near Hailsham, East Sussex.




http://eastsussexwanderer.blogspot.co.uk

[David M]

Purple Hairstreak (female ab. flavimaculatus) on 10/7/19 near Hailsham, East Sussex.

Great sighting. This is not a species prone to regular aberration so it's nice to see something exotic.

[downland boy]

Hi David,

Thanks for your comments. This is actually the second flavimaculatus that I have seen in recent years and I think that it is probably quite a regular aberration in quercus. I suspect that quercus is probably one of our commonest butterfly species in the UK but because we only see a tiny proportion of the population come down from the canopy, this reduces our chances of coming across aberrations, which of course makes it all the more exciting when we find one.


All the best, Nigel

[Ian Pratt]

Some of the chalk hill blues at Arreton Down.

[David M]

...This is actually the second flavimaculatus that I have seen in recent years and I think that it is probably quite a regular aberration in quercus. I suspect that quercus is probably one of our commonest butterfly species in the UK but because we only see a tiny proportion of the population come down from the canopy, this reduces our chances of coming across aberrations, which of course makes it all the more exciting when we find one.

Yes, that's perfectly plausible, Nigel. One isn't likely to see too many aberrations if a species generally does not allow itself to be closely observed! That doesn't meant these aberrations are few in number, of course!

[Ian Pratt]

Topside and underside of white admiral in very good condition seen at Kemphill Moor Havenstreet.

[Jack Harrison]

“Large” Tortoiseshell north Scotland. Sadly, not what you might think. A fresh Small Tortoiseshell in the garden today, 18th, was huge being the size of a female Peacock.

Jack

[Lawts]

I'm only casual on here, (mainly a birder), but surprised there's no mention of the Pale Clouded Yellow that was present the other day. Likely to be the real deal or not?

[bugboy]

I'm only casual on here, (mainly a birder), but surprised there's no mention of the Pale Clouded Yellow that was present the other day. Likely to be the real deal or not?

First I've heard of it. Do you have any more details/links?

[David M]

I'm only casual on here, (mainly a birder), but surprised there's no mention of the Pale Clouded Yellow that was present the other day. Likely to be the real deal or not?

First I've heard of it. Do you have any more details/links?

Indeed. This would be most interesting.