Neil Hulme

[Neil Hulme]

Migrant Alert!

Fortuitous circumstances on Tuesday (13 August) led to the discovery of three Long-tailed Blue (LTB) eggs on one of the Broad-leaved Everlasting-pea (BLEP) plants in my Worthing garden. Having noted an impressive BLEP plant tumbling over a garden wall on the way to my son's pre-school, about 600 metres from my house, I set off for a discreet look, and could see two LTB ova from the pavement. We are undoubtedly enjoying a significant influx of this species and all of the Sussex sites which have produced this species in 2013 and 2015 are worth searching, NOW!

Today (15 August) I visited the BC Park Corner Heath & Rowland Wood reserves. Highlights included two second brood Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, a photogenic Holly Blue (seen laying eggs on heather), some very blue female Common Blue, a Painted Lady caterpillar, and the stunning scenery we've created here!

A later visit to Cissbury Ring produced 20 - 25 Silver-spotted Skipper (now on the wane), 2 male Adonis Blue and a female Brown Hairstreak.

[Allan.W.]

That's excellent news ,concerning the Long tailed Blues Neil ! I had about an hour looking at the Pea plants at Dungeness yesterday(late afternoon ) but no joy (as yet ) ,but there were several eggs on the Bladder Senna (as you mentioned ) . A question ……...does the pea plant ,need to be in flower for the females to lay ,or will they still lay on plants with just the seed pods ?
Regards Allan.W.

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Allan, that's a really good question, but one that I can't answer with certainty. However, all of the LTB eggs I've ever found (which is several hundred) have been laid on either buds, flowers, or stalks in their vicinity. The caterpillars will happily move on to/into the pods once they've demolished the flowers, but I'm not sure whether a female would lay eggs on a pod.
BWs, Neil

[essexbuzzard]

Great news regarding the LTB eggs, Neil. Allowing a six week turnaround, there is every chance of an emergence in early October, given reasonable weather. Please keep us updated!

[trevor]

Sounds like a busy Autumn ahead. Bring it on!.
Last time ( 2015 ) it was LTB and garden centres full of festive cheer, all at the same time!.

[bugboy]

I still have 10 days leave to book from work, looks like it'll be sometime in October. Southern rail will be reaping the benefits from me if we get a good Indian summer!

[Maximus]

Looks like we may have a repeat of the Autumn of 2013, as far as LTB,s are concerned, Neil, lets hope so

[Jack Harrison]

Goodness Neil – LT Blues in your garden. And I thought I had done well when I lived in northwest Norfolk eight years ago: White Admirals on bramble and Purple Hairstreaks on the overhanging oaks. As a child in east Norfolk, I once had a SW Fritillary in the garden.

Neil. How big is your Worthing garden?

Jack

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks, all.

Mark - if we get hot weather I reckon we could see UK-born LTBs in late September, as we did in 2013. The 2015 UK brood was later, as the influx was held up by poor August weather. I reckon the return to better conditions next week will see more crossing over from France. I'm not sure how long the eggs have been on my plant, but I suspect it was only a matter of a few days before I discovered them.

Trevor - without checking, I recall seeing the last of 2015 on Armistice Day. This year, they'll hopefully all get South before then, as I suspect many didn't make it back in 2015.

Bugboy - I reckon the first two weeks of October should be ideal for some holiday.

Maximus - a re-run of 2013 would be better than the last big event in 2015, when they left it rather late!

Jack - I only have a small garden, but size doesn't matter ... it's what you grow in it! The other garden I've found the eggs in is even smaller, but the butterflies seem to be able to detect pea plants with impressive efficiency!

BWs, Neil

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Neil,

Just catching up on your diary.

What can I say, Camberwell Beauty and now Long-tailed Blue eggs in your garden. I am going to have to think about moving down south.

...The Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries were surprisingly difficult to spot. As is sometimes the case with second brood butterflies, the two we saw were minute (not much larger than a Small Heath), but very fast in flight...

I was interested to read your comment above. I saw second brood Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries last week in Cornwall and some of the males by Kynance Cove were really tiny, the smallest I have ever seen. Much smaller than second brood I have seen here before. Interestingly, I also saw them at Upton Towans where they were much closer to normal size, not much smaller than the average first brood.

Cheers,

Neil.

[David M]

Great find with the LTB ova, Neil. Hopefully we'll get a decent emergence in a few weeks time.

Nice female Holly Blue too, an image that has eluded me thus far in 2019.

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Neil F. I suspect that many of the second brood SPBF are small simply because they have to rush through the instars if going down the bivoltine route. Feeding activity and food availability may be dependent upon microclimate. Great report on your Cornwall visit; always a great time to be down that way!

Thanks, David. I'm hoping that many more LTB (and other migrants) will make it across the water this week.

BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

Long-tailed Blue Egg Hunt

A search for Long-tailed Blue (LTB) eggs yesterday (18 August) produced mixed results. Newhaven Tidemills was hard going, but I eventually found three ova on the abundant Broad-leaved Everlasting-pea (BLEP), much of which is in perfect condition for egg-laying. I suspect that the recent very windy weather and exposed nature of the site has discouraged any incoming LTBs from hanging around for too long here. However, that may change this week, with a return to more suitable weather conditions; I'm hoping that more butterflies will make the crossing.

A sheltered site within the town was more productive, with nine eggs found (thanks, Dave, Sue and Pete) and probably many more present. I also found several boreholes which looked like good candidates for where hatched larvae have entered the flowers to feed.

A visit to Whitehawk Hill (potentially the best LTB site in Sussex) was disappointing. Unfortunately the key compartment had been grazed from mid June to late July, removing the BLEP (and more 'appropriate' chalk grassland wildflowers) at a critical time. I also visited Beeding Cement Works, where two more eggs were found.

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks for the report, Neil. Many of us might be considering a trip to Sussex this autumn, so any updates are welcome. It’s amazing the females find the same plants and sites as in previous years. I’m sure BLEP plants grow on many other south coast sites, so many LTB no doubt go unseen.

[trevor]

Superb stuff, Neil, and very encouraging. Those LTB already here have been widely scattered,
judging by the distance between egg finds.
At Steyning on Saturday, there was speculation as to whether you would turn up or not.
My guess that you were performing the role of ' Pea inspector ' was right!.

Here's to LTB and Clouded Yellow taking us well into Autumn.
Trevor.

[David M]

Good effort with the LTB ova, Neil, although the grazing at Whitehawk Hill is disappointing.

Like you say, with benign weather conditions for the next week or so ought to see a few more tempted to cross the Channel. Here's hoping.

[bugboy]

Excellent stuff Neil. I've booked the first two weeks of October off (before I read your reply, great minds ) and Newhaven was very high on the agenda for a foray this week before I head of to Dorset for a few days. It's now on the top of my list!

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Mark. I'm finding LTB eggs just about everywhere I look (as in 2015), so they're probably there to be found along the entire South Coast.
Hi Trevor. Although I was there for a different reason today, I won't be spending much time at the Rifle Range this year. Unfortunately, the cattle ate most of the Brown Hairstreak caterpillars .
Hi David. LTBs are still arriving with more due this week .
Hi bugboy. I'd save your money and stay in Sussex .
BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

A Day With Will

I spent today (20 August) with UKBer Will Langdon from Somerset, who is visiting Sussex for a few days. We didn't see everything on our wish list, but we did see some good stuff which wasn't on it.

Our first stop was a private area on the Wiston Estate, which didn't yield the rare moths we were after, but did produce four Brown Hairstreak.
Just before heading up to Steyning Rifle Range, I recalled seeing a Broad-leaved Everlasting-pea plant in a private garden nearby. A quick check from the pavement revealed three Long-tailed Blue eggs.

We finished the day at Anchor Bottom, where Autumn Lady's-tresses are now flowering in abundance. Adonis Blue numbers were modest, but I suspect that the second brood is still far from peak here, with just one female seen. Will then spotted what for me was the highlight of the day - a mating pair of Hornet Robberfly.

[John W]

Hi Trevor. Although I was there for a different reason today, I won't be spending much time at the Rifle Range this year. Unfortunately, the cattle ate most of the Brown Hairstreak caterpillars .

Hi Neil,

Is anything been done to remove the cattle from the site? I was there on Sunday and the cattle were munching on this year's eggs as well. I've spent 11 hours at the Rifle Range this year and only seen one Brown Hairstreak I fear that if the cattle are not removed soon then next year it will be none

Cheers
John W