millerd

[Wurzel]

One of those Brown Argus has the look of Snelleri about it (if that's the correct term?) Dave Cheers for the SSS reassurance, Saturday looks good for them so long as I can make an early start before they get too silly Cracking Jersey Tiger - I've not knowingly seen one in the UK

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Thanks, Goldie - Jersey Tigers are generally a southern English species I think, and for some reason are increasing in the London area. I've certainly seen more round here this year than ever before.

Cheers, Trevor - it was a pleasant surprise to find pretty fresh Walls at Steyning, making up a bit for the lack of Hairstreaks. Your informant was correct - Shipton B. provided a good number by way of compensation. There will be plenty more Holly Blues in the coming posts too, including a very friendly female I encountered yesterday.

You could be right with the name for that one, Wurzel - that variation on the Brown Argus seems to crop up fairly regularly on my local patch.

As Saturday's weather improved, for the afternoon of 3rd August, I headed up to Aston Rowant. It was pretty well perfect for seeing Silver-spotted Skippers, with a mix of sun and cloud, not too warm, not too windy. They were around in excellent numbers, every couple of paces along the paths criss-crossing the slope, basking on rabbit scrapes and sitting on flowers.

There was a lot of interaction, with many courting pairs seen (though most females must have already mated, judging by the large amount of rejection of male advances).

But not all...

They really are a very attractive and engaging butterfly.

Dave

[millerd]

In fact there were other butterflies out and about at Aston Rowant, and I also began chatting with a fellow enthusiast who seemed vaguely familiar. She had a bit of a Glasgow accent, and the penny dropped - we had encountered each other a year back, up at Arnside Knott, where we had been entertained by a High Brown Fritillary. Very pleasant to meet again. The other principal species on the wing today was the Chalkhill Blue. Both males and females were flying, and with no Adonis around yet to confuse the issue, all the females had to be Chalkhills.

The males were generally not as fresh...

...but there were one or two shiny new ones.

Amongst others, there were a few Common Blues...

...and a number of Brimstones feeding up prior to their long hibernation.

Dave

[millerd]

From 4th to 10th August I was staying with my friend in Holmfirth. The weather was a bit mixed, but there were some sunny and warm spells, during which it was apparent that the Painted Lady invasion had comprehensively annexed this part of Yorkshire. They were everywhere, along with good numbers of Peacocks too.

I had a couple of days left to my own devices, so on Thursday 8th August, which luckily looked pretty favourable from a weather point of view, I headed up to Cumbria for the day. The plan was look for Scotch Argus, firstly at Arnside and then at Smardale Gill if the first spot failed to deliver and/or if time permitted. As it turned out, as I approached Arnside the clouds parted (though clearly remained to the north) so I became ever hopeful. My first stop was once again the Heathwaite meadow, which had burst forth with flowers since my last visit a month earlier. It had also burst forth with Painted Ladies, and I counted over 30 before losing track. They were immensely variable in depth of colour and degree of wear, but there were one or two paler ones that caught the eye. I concentrated on the most extreme of these individuals, which almost looked white in contrast to some - this normal one for example.

It was stunningly different.

Also flying in this area: Common Blues...

...a couple of female Dark Green Fritillaries...

...a brand new male Brimstone...

...and a female Wall Brown

Lots of interest already, and I hadn't even ventured up the Knott itself to seek out my target for the day.

Dave

[millerd]

8th August: Arnside continued.

With the sun shining and it becoming warmer, I set off up the path to the top of the hill. There were still plenty of Gatekeepers around, nectaring on the abundant flowering marjoram, and then I noticed something else amongst them - firstly a very faded Grayling...

...and then both male and female Scotch Argus.

I continued to the trig point at the top of the hill, and found a further little concentration of this species in sheltered spots up here.

In this three species shot of ragged butterflies, there is a Ringlet, a Scotch Argus and what looks like a Brown Argus - but this has to be a NBA, surely (though it doesn't look much like one with such prominent lunules).

Up here I also came across another Wall, a male this time.

Wandering back down to the car, I meandered across a scree-covered area just above the woods at the bottom of the hill. There were lots of flowering scrubby brambles, and as it turned out at least a dozen Scotch Argus. Mostly quite worn, there were nevertheless one or two fresher ones. I had a bit of camera trouble here, with the clever autofocus resolutely deciding the brightest bits were the important ones. This meant the big dark brown butterfly in the middle was ignored in favour of a bright white bramble or one of the yellow flowers the butterflies also liked. That said, I did manage a shot or two.

One individual seemed rather sluggish and may well have been newly emerged.

Arnside is an amazing place, with a terrific range of species and always a surprise or two. I had inevitably run out of time, so Smardale Gill would have to wait for another season.

Dave

[trevor]

Send a couple of those this way, and save me the journey.
That last Scotch Argus does look very fresh.

Well earned images, Dave,
Trevor.

[Maximus]

Nice to see those Scotch Argus, Dave, some look very fresh That's one we've yet to see

Mike.

[Wurzel]

That Painted Lady has to be an ab. surely Dave? The wings look in really good condition with all the margins in tact? Those Scotch Argus I really need to get 'opp North' one year - that last one is in mint condish, lovely and velvety

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

You took the risk, and you were rewarded, Dave. Fair Play.

Interesting to see the degree of wear on those Scotch Argus even on that relatively early August day. Just shows how far advanced the seasons have become generally.

[millerd]

Thanks, everyone. It was worth the return trip to Arnside for the Scotch Argus, and I was lucky I had the opportunity. In fact though, the day was made by the shining pale Painted Lady - as you say, Wurzel, it must be an aberrant. It certainly wasn't particularly worn.

As I've just been north again, I've slipped well behind with this diary. There were some surprises on this latest trip too, but I'll get round to them in a week or two...

So, back home on Sunday 11th August. Nearly mid-month and still no Brown Hairstreaks definitely seen, so I headed down to Bookham again in warm sunshine, though more in hope than genuine expectation. However, At 1115, I spotted a female down in the foliage. She looked very new, and could well have been freshly emerged, especially as when she finally took off, it was straight up into the trees. Underside views only, but very nice for all that.

After an hour of searching the hedgerows, I managed to find another. This was also a female, the difference being that she was much more worn - but she did oblige with an upperside view.

Shortly after this one had sailed away down the track I found another new-looking one, but failed to get anywhere near it before it too made a swift exit from the scene. Feeling pretty satisfied with the day so far, I then came upon an unsurprisingly disgruntled Bugboy, who had been searching high and low far longer than I had, but with no luck. We continued to search and I did spy another quite low down along the hedge, and at least Bugboy managed a glimpse before this one escaped our gaze.

Lunchtime arrived and we called it a day. I counted myself quite lucky in the end to see what I did.

Dave

[bugboy]

I remember that frustrating day! I wasn't that far away when you saw her but i had my phone off

[Wurzel]

Cracking set of Brostreak shots Dave There's definitely been something amiss with the Brostreaks this year as they have been really hard work Hopefully things will be better next year

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

I think you were really unlucky that day, Bugboy. Those are the only ones I've seen down at Bookham all season, mind.

Cheers, Wurzel - more Hairstreaks to come from the morning at Shipton B. a couple of days later.

However, I also had to catch up with my local patch later on 11th August. The second brood Brown Argus and Common Blue numbers have been noticeably hit by the mowing of their habitat, but there were a few reasonable specimens around.

Red Admirals are increasing in numbers...

...and I was surprised to see a reasonably fresh hutchinsoni Comma so late in the season.

However, for the first time in a while, Holly Blues were the most numerous species today: I counted 22 altogether.

Top of the pile was this very dusky female.

Dave

[trevor]

Two outstanding images recently, Dave.
That pristine female Brown Hairstreak, and that last female Holly Blue image.
I found a rather special Blue this morning.

All the best,
Trevor.

[Goldie M]

Just catching up Dave on my posts, we set off for the Lakes on the Bank Holiday and had to give up on the journey and settle for Brockholes, the traffic was horrendous , Fantastic shots of the SA Goldie

[millerd]

Thank you, Trevor. She was a particularly fresh Brown Hairstreak, and I wish I'd had a glimpse of the upperside. The Holly Blue was a very nice one as well, with the second brood now in full swing.

Thanks, Goldie - the Scotch Argus weren't pristine, but at least there were one or two that were fairly fresh.

Very little sunshine to be had on Monday 12th August, and noticeably cool. However, it was bright, and though most species on my local patch were down in numbers on the previous day, there was a surge in sightings of Meadow Browns (I counted 29 against only 6 yeasterday - most curious).

As well as the usual small selection of Brown Argus and Common Blue...

...I tried my hand at some of the Whites flying...

...and then some of the Painted Ladies and Red Admirals.

Dave

[millerd]

The plan had been to meet up with Wurzel at Shipton Bellinger on 12th, but the lack of sunshine on the day mentioned above meant a postponement for 24 hours. So on Tuesday 13th August instead, I headed southwest to a spot renowned for good numbers of Brown Hairstreaks.

Coming from the London side, it was easier to park in the village and wander up the track to the hotspot. With large amounts of blackthorn on either side, I wondered whether I would have an early sighting. However, I was soon distracted by the somewhat unexpected sight of a Wall pottering along the path in front of me, always keeping a little way ahead as usual.

After that surprise, only a few minutes later I caught sight of the familiar chocolate and orange colours of a female Brown Hairstreak, half-hiding in the hedgerow.

First success, only 20 past 10, and I hadn't even met up with Wurzel yet!

Soon afterwards, the rendezvous was accomplished, and we set about scouring the various hedgerows for further butterflies. There were a number of other folk on a similar quest, and though some Hairstreaks had apparently been seen distantly, it wasn't until midday that one came close enough for me to try a shot or two. This particular butterfly had been in the wars somewhat too.

Whilst searching the site with Wurzel, it became clear that there was quite a lot else to see. The number of Wall Browns probably reached double figures - apparently they are on the increase again, and this is exciting stuff as technically these were Hampshire butterflies, not by any means a common occurence at all.

There were an assortment of Blues...

...fresh Brimstones...

...Meadow Browns basking with open wings...

...and new Speckled Woods in the shady bits

It was getting on for two o'clock before more Hairstreaks appeared in positions were some reasonable shots could be attempted. We had seen a number of others in a variety of very brief encounters, and were beginning to wonder if that was all we'd get to see. There were certainly just into double figures of actual sightings. However, all came good at this point, and the ripe (and more particularly, overripe) blackberries proved to be the main attraction.

There were other aspects of behaviour too - in fact, this individual was egg-laying.

I managed to locate the result.

Though it was hard work today, the rewards (eventually!) were really worthwhile. Good to meet up again, Wurzel! We've seen some cracking butterflies this year.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Cracking stuff Dave - great set of shots and you did really well to capture the War Veteran, my lens just couldn't do her justice It was hard work wan't it? And a week or so later it was just as difficult - it seem that the Golden Zone was from 10-10:30 and the from 2-2:45 this year

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Cheers, Wurzel - I was surprised at how well the shots of that very torn individual came out. Those two anyway... The deletions were manifold. The species has been very tricky this year, and I havene't seen another one since.

In fact, I tried again at Bookham on Thursday 15th August and failed. Truth be told, butterflies were hard to find altogether with only tired-looking Gatekeepers being around in any numbers.

A Painted Lady brightened things up...

...as did a female Common Blue.

There was one curious Brown Argus: it initially looked worn but actually wasn't particularly so; its subdued markings gave it the appearance of a kind of dull wash over the top.

The only other thing that caught my eye was this dragonfly pairing.

With so little to be seen here, I moved on.

Dave

[millerd]

From Bookham down to Denbies is only about 8km as the butterfly flutters, though by road it's quite a bit further and can take surprisingly long. Nevertheless, this is where I headed next on 15th August. Halfway through August now, and the downland had begun to have the feel of approaching Autumn, and the butterflies were no longer fresh. Scattered across the slopes there were a dozen or so Silver-spotted Skippers. They are never at the density found at Aston Rowant, and seem to fly further and more energetically between flowers.

A single Small Tortoiseshell had also found the marjoram.

Most of the interest was, unsurprisingly, provided by various Blue butterflies. Neither Common Blue nor Brown Argus were numerous, but popped up singly here and there.

Chalkhills were probably the most frequent, and although most were worn...

...there were one or two newer ones.

Most striking, and generally fresher, were the Adonis. Numbers this year have taken a hit - one theory (as expressed by Mr Sp0ck elsewhere on UKB) lies with the browsing habits of the Belted Galloway cattle grazing the hillside. I'm not sure why they are let out on the hill so early on, as I'm sure grazing used to start later in the year.

I have not included female butterflies in either of the selections of Chalkhills and Adonis above. The two species are amazingly difficult to distinguish, and were flying together today. Here is a selection - I have made a guess for each as relected in the captions and filenames, but am not really 100% sure of any of them! Happy to be corrected on any or all of these assumptions...

75% Adonis

55% Adonis

55% Chalkhill

95% Chalkhill

95% Chalkhill

Dave