Neil Hulme

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks, Mark, much appreciated. Plenty more to do!
BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

Daily Exercise

On Friday (27 March) I took my daily exercise on two wheels, using the old mountain bike given to me by my brother last year. It hadn't moved since then, but the opportunity to travel a little further in the hope of seeing a few butterflies couldn't be missed.

I can't recall the last time I rode a bike, but it's probably the best part of 40 years ago! By the time I'd traveled from Worthing to the top of Lancing Ring and back, I had rediscovered some muscles that I forgotten existed.

Having read some visit reports by Lindsay Morris on the BC Sussex website, I was specifically hoping to find a few Comma; I wasn't disappointed. In such challenging times even this common species provides a welcome distraction. Just being outside, in contact with nature, feels like a real treat at the moment.

[trevor]

You've obviously forgotten your one time Japanese commuter bike,
it's not that long ago since you hurtled around Chiddingfold forest on it!.

Lovely Comma shots, they've done us proud so far this Spring.
It's not long now before I'll be exercising over at Abbots Wood.

Take care and stay well,
Trevor.

[Old Wolf]

Hello Neil, I love reading about your work. Best of luck on your new adventure

Lovely shots of the Comma and enjoy those rediscoverd muscles I always find that the day after they are so much more fun!!!

[David M]

You've obviously forgotten your one time Japanese commuter bike,
it's not that long ago since you hurtled around Chiddingfold forest on it!.

Yes, you beat me to it, trevor! I remember in 2013 being all alone with a grounded PE when suddenly I heard the noise of an approaching bicycle. I stood up to prepare myself to slow the rider down, only for Mr Hulme to appear and immediately dismount when he saw another Emperor had been located!

Happy days!

[Neil Hulme]

Many thanks, Old Wolf. I'm hoping there'll be plenty of good news to tell, once we're out of the darkness.

Hi Trevor and David. You're right; I'd completely forgotten about that machine, probably because its use was entirely restricted to the rides of Chiddingfold and Fermyn, and because it bore little resemblance to a bicycle (no brakes or gears and driven by an elastic band). Let's hope we can get out looking for emperors by any means this summer.

BWs, Neil

[trevor]

Echoing your last sentence, Neil, lets hope we can!. There are species I can find locally
up until May, but not Dukes, Wood Whites, Small Blues and Emperors etc.
One way or another this b****y virus is going to cramp our style this year.

Keep safe and well,
Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Good to see you're making good use of the 'exercise allowance Neil Fingers crossed we can have a butterfly summer, only 12 or so days til the peak so I've heard

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Matsukaze]

Echoing your last sentence, Neil, lets hope we can!. There are species I can find locally
up until May, but not Dukes, Wood Whites, Small Blues and Emperors etc.
One way or another this b****y virus is going to cramp our style this year.

Keep safe and well,
Trevor.

It may have some unexpected side-effects and opportunities. Exploring the darker recesses of our garage looking for supplies of food amongst our camping equipment, I turned up a jar of shrimp paste with a use-by date of 2009. I am hoping it will encourage the Emperors to travel the 15 or so miles from the nearest colony - or maybe even a visit across the Channel from ilia!

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks, Trevor, Wurzel and Matsukaze.
I believe that there are some upsides to staying local. With restricted opportunities to travel, we may end up appreciating our commoner species more, by spending more time with them and getting to know them better. My next post provides an example of this!
BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

Comma Courtship

For such a common and widespread species, little is known about the courtship and mating behaviour of the Comma. Most authorities simply state that pairing usually occurs high up on a shrub or in the tree canopy, and this might be true. However, my recent observations suggest that the species' courtship and mating habits are, at least on occasions, very similar to those of the Small Tortoiseshell.

On Sunday (5 April) I stopped at Ferring Rife for my daily walk, while returning from a shift as a Tesco driver. The idea was to take the linear route I have been following for many years, to count post-hibernation Small Tortoiseshells. Sadly, numbers remain pitifully low, with a total of six falling well short of the 194 I recorded here in 2013, when the species recovered to historic levels in SE England, at least for a year or two.

However, I soon became distracted by a pair of Commas. Their chase was not the high speed dash seen when males clash, climbing high into the air, but a much slower, fluttering pursuit; clearly a male and female interacting. For twenty-five minutes this went on (and quite possibly for some considerable time previously), with the female repeatedly leading the male back to the same small area of young nettles and old umbellifer stalks on the bank of the stream.

At times she would crawl deep into the vegetation, in an apparent attempt to spurn his advances. But, as with Small Tortoiseshell females, this seems to be a test of the male's resolve. The male would not give up, chasing her through the tangled stems while fluttering his wings excitedly. Time and again she would take to the air, on several occasions crossing the stream, but always returning to the marital bed she had probably already chosen.

I was beginning to doubt that this would result in a pairing, but at 3 pm she finally gave in to his prolonged wooing. The image appears to show the couple in an exposed position, but was achieved by suffering numerous nettle stings and shooting across the stream bank drop-off. They were perched about 10 cm above the ground and would have been impossible to pick out without having seen them land.

I carefully marked the spot with a stick and continued my walk. They were still there when I made the return journey and I'm sure they would have remained there until morning.

Without the restrictions imposed by COVID-19, I would probably have been chasing Large Tortoiseshells, but I went home equally as happy.

[Wurzel]

Really interesting to read about the courtship behaviour Neil something I'd not considered before and a fantastic image to boot

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[millerd]

Fascinating, Neil - I've observed the chasing behaviour and interaction before, but never witnessed the culmination. As you say, incredibly difficult to spot if you didn't know that they were there. That's a great shot to get, and definitely worth the nettle stings.

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

Great work, Neil. You're right, being unable to travel makes you concentrate your mind nearer to home....and for longer!

This theory regarding late-afternoon pairings does seem to have substance. I'll take note of your description of the flight patterns during all this and remember it if I happen to see similar behaviour.

[Neil Freeman]

Interesting description on the Comma courtship Neil.
I have seen Small Tortoiseshells, Peacocks and Commas all indulge in the low level fluttering type behaviour that you describe but in every case the female has ended either giving the male the slip or up taking off at high speed with the male in pursuit. I have yet to see any of these in cop.

Also a great description of the kind of patience and field-craft required to get images of that standard.

Cheers,

Neil.

[trevor]

It is interesting how the wings are displayed, spaced apart.
This gives them the appearance of dead leaves rather than mating butterflies.
No doubt a survival strategy, less likely to become a snack for a bird, whilst vulnerable, in cop.
We have all learned something from your observation, and superb image.

Stay safe and well.
Trevor.

[Sij]

I saw the exact same thing a few days ago....this time the pair vanished (after alot of chasing) into a dense bramble clump....this was afternoon, so i assume they mated there as they never reappeared...

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks, all. I just need to find a pair of mating Large Tortoiseshells now!
BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

Large Tortoiseshell!

At 3.15 pm today (15 April) I made a brief stop for a vape at Beach Green in Shoreham, while delivering groceries for Tesco. I immediately noticed a large butterfly heading towards me, over an open area of green space. As it passed me, now only a couple of metres away, I realised that it was a Large Tortoiseshell!

A few have turned up in Sussex over the last week or two, and others further afield. I wonder how many more would have been spotted if we weren't locked down?

[Wurzel]

Great news Neil - I'll keep my eyes open when standing in the queue across the car park for the supermarket

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel