Neil Hulme

[Neil Hulme]

Hi John

I've already had the conversation with the Steyning Dowland Scheme manager, but they can't be moved in time to rescue this season. The same thing happened in 2016. Unfortunately, the Dexters seem to prefer browsing Prunus to grazing the ranker grasses, which is what they were told to do! The site will recover quickly once the issue is resolved, but from my wider observations recently, it's probably time to revisit the management plan.

BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

Trainspotting

Another great day (21 August) spent in the company of UKBer Will Langdon. We started by looking at some nice Broad-leaved Everlasting-pea (BLEP) plants in a communal garden in Lancing, where I found Long-tailed Blue (LTB) ova in 2015. A far-from-thorough search produced 15 LTB eggs.

We then moved to Lancing Station to observe the vast stands of BLEP through the security fence around a supermarket car park, using binoculars. We agreed to masquerade as trainspotters, to avoid being labelled as social outcasts/anoraks/weirdos, and I think we got away with it. Despite being frustratingly remote from our quarry, we got rather excited, as we could clearly see three female LTBs frenetically laying eggs; I suspect there are hundreds of ova present here, or there soon will be. A male LTB was also briefly present, as were several Holly Blues. PLEASE NOTE: the accompanying image was taken through a gap in the security fence and there is absolutely no access to the BLEP plants on this site.

Searches for adults and eggs at Southwick Basin and Brighton Royal Pavilion were unsuccessful, but the species may well turn up at these locations in the next week or two.

[trevor]

A very successful train spotting trip, Neil, as you managed to capture the oldest 313 unit left in service.
It was painted in the old BR blue and grey to commemorate that fact.

Back to butterflies, with the amount of LTB eggs located so far, and the widely scattered sightings
of adults, how do you think this Autumn is going to compare with 2013/15 ?.

Trevor.

PS. I have never owned an anorak!!. .

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks for the info, Trevor. I got my camera settings all wrong, as this was the background composition I was hoping for:

A4 Pacific 60019 'Bittern' crossing the Arun Valley in 2008

Too early to say just yet, but this is already on a comparable scale.

BWs, Neil

[David M]

Talk about being caught in the act....those cattle are eating the very thing we wish to protect!!

The railtrack site looks very promising, Neil. Looks like there should be quite a few LTBs in a few weeks so long as the weather remains benign.

[Neil Hulme]

More Long-tails

My final day out with UKBer Will Langdon, before he returned to Somerset, turned out to be an epic. We started off at a site in Brighton where there is no public access, after being invited along by our generous host. We immediately made contact with male Long-tailed Blues (LTBs) as they clashed and performed their characteristic vertical jousts, reminiscent of the Duke of Burgundy. It wasn't long before we were treated to a chase of three.

We then performed an egg count over three areas where Broad-leaved Everlasting-pea (BLEP) was growing, finishing with a total of 54 ova. Just before leaving, I decided to check a different part of the site, where we again saw three male LTBs in combat.

Our next port of call was the meadow near the TV mast at Whitehawk Hill, although I didn't hold out much hope of success, as the BLEP has been heavily grazed. However, we found a further three male LTBs here, bringing the day's tally to nine.

[trevor]

Your taste in blue butterflies is equalled by your taste in locomotives !.
Seriously, your last report is amazing, as are the images.

I'm tempted to visit Southwick today,
Trevor.

[bugboy]

Hi John

I've already had the conversation with the Steyning Dowland Scheme manager, but they can't be moved in time to rescue this season. The same thing happened in 2016. Unfortunately, the Dexters seem to prefer browsing Prunus to grazing the ranker grasses, which is what they were told to do! The site will recover quickly once the issue is resolved, but from my wider observations recently, it's probably time to revisit the management plan.

BWs, Neil

I can only speak as a casual observer on this but Belted Galloways, which I see on several sites i visit through the season, seem to avoid browsing altogether and stick to grazing. They are allowed to roam the Brown Hairstreak habitat at bookham throighout most the year and as far as I can tell the Blackthorn, along with the other shrubbery seems to remain untouched. Also they are extremely docile.

[MrSp0ck]

But at Denbies the Belted Galloways have eaten most of the Horseshoe Vetch on the hillside and there are very few 2nd Brood Adonis flying there now, it seems the Chalkhills were pupae, when they started Grazing the hillside, but being later the Adonis larvae were Galloway Breakfast, we shall see if the numbers havnt increased in the next 2 weeks, the Adonis will be in trouble again. Ponies grazed the hillside a few years back, causing similar damage to the Adonis population.

[Neil Freeman]

...We agreed to masquerade as trainspotters, to avoid being labelled as social outcasts/anoraks/weirdos, and I think we got away with it...

Seriously though, it is great to see all the LTB reports coming in. I will be in Dorset in a couple of weeks and will have to keep my eye out for BLEP down there.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Neil Hulme]

More Long-tailed Blue Eggs

I discovered another 22 Long-tailed Blue eggs in private gardens on the outskirts of Bognor Regis this afternoon. Meanwhile, others are finding them at numerous locations in the Ouse Valley, upstream of Newhaven.

[David M]

Great to read all this, Neil, and also to see so many images of this attractive little migrant.

How many years have we had an influx recently? Is it three out of the last six?

[MrSp0ck]

They seem to like odd years at the moment, 2013,2015, &2019 dont know why they missed out on 2017, there were a few in 2014 and other years, but only in ones and twos.

[David M]

They seem to like odd years at the moment, 2013,2015, &2019 dont know why they missed out on 2017, there were a few in 2014 and other years, but only in ones and twos.

That's an illuminating set of statistics, MrSp0ck. Seems like they've got over here every year since 2013, even in years when conditions have been unfavourable.

This would have been unthinkable 15 years ago. Proof positive that climatic conditions are becoming more benign in the UK for this species.

[Neil Hulme]

Even More Long-tailed Blues

We are yet to see the UK brood of Long-tailed Blue get going (although I believe the first are now emerging in Devon), but I suspect that 2019 will trump both 2013 and 2015, based on primary immigrant and egg numbers so far.

Today (27 August) I enjoyed another good day with the Long-tailed Blue in Sussex; I managed to see eight individual adults (5m, 3f) at four locations. First up was the Lancing Ring male (TQ17960661) discovered by Lindsay Morris. I then moved on to Whitehawk Hill TV mast, where three males are still present.

I took lunch in an undisclosed public house (never let your family know where you drink), which had at least 30 eggs on a couple of pea plants in the beer garden (scampi & chips with a Long-tailed Blue side salad in late September). Next on my hit list was Rowland Wood, where a male was located close to the Big Beech. I finished the day at Lancing Station, where three females are still pumping out eggs.

[millerd]

It's all very encouraging news, Neil. We could be in for a real treat. I admire the hardships you undergo to acquire the data as well...

which had at least 30 eggs on a couple of pea plants in the beer garden

Do you think that LTB should now be accepted as a fully British species in the same way that other regular immigrant species (that also breed here) are? Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow spring to mind, and I can't see how you can really draw any kind of line to differentiate between these two and the Long-tailed Blue. What criteria actually qualify a species for the British list?

Cheers,

Dave

[Andy Wilson]

What criteria actually qualify a species for the British list?

I don't think there are any "official" criteria. This web site itself is a resource that many people use, but the species listed in dark blue on the home page include such things as Mazarine Blue, Large Copper and Black-veined White, all of which have been extinct in the UK for many years. However, if you adopt the criteria "species that regularly breed in the UK", then I agree that in the 21st Century, the Long-tailed Blue should be considered as "fully British".

Jolly good show too, I say!

Andy

[Jack Harrison]

Andy:

Jolly good show too, I say!

They have made it just in time. After 31st October, they won’t be allowed in.

Does anyone know if Guy Fawkes has any descendents? They could be useful now

Jack

[Wurzel]

I was thinking almost the same thing Jack Any ideas on what sort of time frame we're looking at Neil for the next set of pristine adults? Also what happens if we get some terrible weather - will they get knocked on the head?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pete Eeles]

Do you think that LTB should now be accepted as a fully British species in the same way that other regular immigrant species (that also breed here) are? Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow spring to mind, and I can't see how you can really draw any kind of line to differentiate between these two and the Long-tailed Blue. What criteria actually qualify a species for the British list?

There is no hard-and-fast criterion that can be applied - just vague adjectives such as ‘regular’, ‘rare’, ‘occasional’ being used, and I took a stab here: http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/distributions.php

I guess that one boundary is ‘resident’, which would apply when a species has been proven to successfully overwinter over a number of consecutive years. On this basis, both Red Admiral and Clouded Yellow would qualify, but not Painted Lady or Long-tailed Blue.

My 2p worth!

Cheers,

- Pete