Neil Freeman

[Allan.W.]

Nice Toadflax Brocade Neil ,I had my first down here in Kent last year ,a fluke really ,I hadn,t even had the trap on!
Lynne ,came in one morning to tell me that a moth was sitting along the washing line...………..did I want to have a look , imagine my surprise
a Toadflax Brocade !
They have been caught in traps on Romney Marsh for some years ,and judging by all the local records this year they are certainly spreading out ,all over Kent ,I,ve had one so far this year ! They are cracking little moths for sure ! and that is an excellent photograph of one !
Regards Allan.W.

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks Alan. A great moth to bring in with the washing
It seems, like a number of moths that until recently were confined to the south, they are spreading steadily north.

Tuesday 26th May

I was just shifting some stuff about in the garden this morning when I spotted a little Zebra Spider on one of the bits of wood that sometimes use take photos of moths on. I gently laid the wood down and grabbed my camera to take some photos. Luckily I already had the Sigma 105 lens attached in readiness to take some photos of moths from the trap. I am sure he watched me throughout with those beady eyes. Great little spiders, full of character and quite cute.

Zebra Spider - Coverdale 26.05.2020

Zebra Spider - Coverdale 26.05.2020

Later on I decided to go for a walk to Sheldon Country Park. When I set out around midday there was a fair bit of cloud around and this was forecast to continue through the afternoon with temperatures rising to the low teens. Well, I didn't take long for the cloud to practically disappear to the point that we ended up with yet another sunny and very warm afternoon.

Butterfly numbers are now low around here and we are into our 'June gap' albeit it is more of a 'May gap' this year with all the warm weather we have had leading to an advanced season.
Nevertheless I did find a few butterflies including a surprising half a dozen Peacocks in various states of wear. These were very active and when they settled their wings shut almost immediately which did at least give me the chance for some underside shots.

Peacock - Sheldon Country Park 26.05.2020

A single Small Tortoiseshell was spotted later which, despite a chunk of hindwing missing, would otherwise have been in remarkably good condition still. Having seen a few early summer brood reported from other areas I did wonder about this one...

Peacock - Sheldon Country Park 26.05.2020

I was also on the lookout for larval nests and found four, all of which I think were Peacocks in either 2nd or 3rd instar.

Peacock Larvae - Sheldon Country Park 26.05.2020

Peacock Larvae - Sheldon Country Park 26.05.2020

Peacock Larvae - Sheldon Country Park 26.05.2020

Following the single Common Blue I found here last week I found four today, all fresh looking males chasing each other about one of the meadow areas.

Common Blue - Sheldon Country Park 26.05.2020

Another species I have seen here in the past and was on the lookout for today is Small Heath and found just two in another meadow area.

Small Heath - Sheldon Country Park 26.05.2020

As is often the case at my local sites at this time of year, day flying moths outnumbered the butterflies by some margin. These were mostly Burnet Companions again with a good sprinkling of Mother Shiptons.

Burnet Companion - Sheldon Country Park 26.05.2020

Mother Shipton - Sheldon Country Park 26.05.2020

Mother Shipton - Sheldon Country Park 26.05.2020

In one of the meadow areas I also found at least half a dozen Grass Rivulets. These small day flying moths are quite local in Warwickshire so it is always good to find them. They can be little s*ds to photograph though being not only very flighty but usually settling on the underside of leaves.

Grass Rivulet - Sheldon Country Park 26.05.2020

After wandering most of the way along the length of the country park I circled back taking a slightly different route and headed back home.

Bye for now and stay safe,

Neil.

[essexbuzzard]

Another cracking set of Mother Shipton and Burnet Companion images there, Neil. Must have taken a bit of patience, we know how difficult they can be.

You’re right, a very early season, probably the earliest I can remember. The hawthorn and horse chestnut blooms are long gone, replaced by elder and wild roses, which I always associate with June.

[Pauline]

OMG! A Zebra spider - whoever knew there even was such a thing? Interesting I'll grant you Neil (and beautifully photographed) but cute I suppose they're a good source of bird food but apart from that ........... Having said that my Grandad used to have a 'pet' spider which he called Molly and no-one was allowed to move it from under the sink in the scullery!!!! Mad or what!!!!

[Wurzel]

Cracking images Neil especially the Boris I reckon you;re right about the Small Tort being a newly emerged individual - it does like very bright and fresh

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

You really DO have the knack with those Mother Shiptons, Neil.

This latest one looks more like the ones I see here in south Wales, though they never pose like that for me.

You're right, that zebra spider is a darling. Certainly doesn't have the 'spook' factor that most arachnids possess.

[Pauline]

You're right, that zebra spider is a darling. Certainly doesn't have the 'spook' factor that most arachnids possess.

How can you say that David? I've just looked them up - they jump (over 14 times their own body length!!!) and they bite!!!!! Good job they're only 6mm!!!! Good find Neil tho' I'm not disappointed that I've never seen one.

[jenks]

I too have to confess to not liking spiders very much ! In June 2019 I spent 3 days in Dorset and visited the RSPB Arne reserve. I saw and was able to photograph 2 Great Raft Spiders on one of the heath pools. Now they are big (Britains biggest spider). I was just grateful they were in the open and not lurking in my bedroom. That was a "lifer" for me as was seeing Sand Lizard, a male, which was bright green.
Memories of being able to travel to observe wildlife. Hopefully this can be resumed soon.

Jenks.

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks Mark. It helped that there were plenty of them to choose from .

I'm not keen on most spiders myself Pauline but have liked those ever since I first saw one when I was a kid. Yes, they are jumping spiders, good job they are so tiny I am sure if you look hard enough you will find them in your garden, they are quite common

Cheers Wurzel. I've seen a couple more sparkling new Small Torts since then.

Thanks David. Most of those I saw this time were that colour form which I believe is the most common.

Thanks Jenks. I have never seen the Raft Spiders at Arne although I have been there a couple of times before and was due to be in Dorset again next month and would probably have visited again. Maybe next year now.


Wednesday 27th May

A morning walk down to my local spot by Wagon Lane park produced a fresh next brood Speckled Wood and a couple of brand new summer Small Tortoiseshells. These were already fully warmed up in the bright sun so I didn't bother trying to get any photos. A couple of Green-veined Whites were the only other butterflies seen on what was a quiet morning, very typical of around here now.

The only thing I bothered to point my camera at was another larval nest which I thing are 1st and 2nd instar Peacocks.

Peacock larvae - Wagon Lane 27.05.2020

Thursday 28th May

A nice fresh Speckled Wood was flitting about the garden this morning but with it being even hotter than yesterday it was very flighty right from the start.

The surprise of the day however was a large orange coloured butterfly that flew in later in the morning and made a beeline for one of my bowles mauve plants...a Painted Lady.
It stuck around for about 20 minutes or so flitting about the bowles mauves and occasionally doing a circle of the garden before returning for some more nectar. This gave me the chance to get some photos before it suddenly took off over the neighbours gardens at high speed.

Painted Lady - Coverdale 28.05.2020

Painted Lady - Coverdale 28.05.2020

Painted Lady - Coverdale 28.05.2020

Interestingly, a Clouded Yellow was reported from a location just a few miles away from me in South Birmingham yesterday. I have also heard of a few more Painted Lady sightings and apparently a couple more Clouded Yellows have been seen in Northamptonshire so it looks like a few migrants are coming in.

Bye for now and stay safe.

Neil.

[millerd]

That's a lovely Painted Lady, Neil. Let's hope this is the vanguard of another migration, and that it includes Cloudies as well. The latter were a bit thin on the ground in 2019.

Fingers crossed!

Cheers,

Dave

[Wurzel]

That is a stunning looking Painted Lady Neil - really, really dusky looking As Dave says hopefully a taster of things to come

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[trevor]

Your Painted Lady is a lovely fresh looking specimen.
This warm/hot spell is bound to bring migrants up from the South.

Lovely shots as usual!.
Stay well,
Trevor.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Neil, I'll keep an eye on my Bowles Mauve from now on, that's a lovely Painted Lady, Spiders you can keep I saw Tarantulas
In Hati and they can jump nine feet, that was enough Goldie

[David M]

That's one of the most striking Painted Ladies I've ever seen, Neil. Those hindwing submarginal spots stand out like a set of beacons!

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks for the comments Dave, Wurzel, Trevor, Goldie and David. Appreciated as always

Friday 29th May

Friday morning, we drove over to the other side of Solihull to drop some stuff off for Jane's Mom. With it being yet another beautiful sunny morning, she had put some chairs out in her front garden, socially distanced of course, so we could stay for a while and have a chat. After a few minutes Jane suggested I could go off for an hour or so whilst they carried on with their women's chatter, so I decided to drive down to Blythe Valley Park which is not far from here.
Having been there last week on a similar cloudless and warm morning, I had originally hoped to return on a day that was a bit less warm with a few clouds about, but with day after day of the same incessant bright sun, and more of the same in the forecast, I don't know when this will be.

As with my previous visit, I soon started seeing Common Blues with another blue female being one of the first ones spotted. This was in the same spot I had seen the blue female last week and it did cross my mind that she may have been the same one. A closer look soon dispelled that thought as she was too fresh looking to have been flying for a week in the warm weather we have had. Comparing photos back home later also showed slight differences in markings.

Common Blue female - Blythe Valley 29.05.2020

Some of the males were now looking a bit worn and I saw fewer today than last week, around a dozen this time which was about half as many as last time.

Common Blue male - Blythe Valley 29.05.2020

On the other hand, there were more females around today and I watched a number of instances of males chasing females around, usually unsuccessfully. By now, it was late morning and it was getting difficult to keep track of them in flight as they were very quick in the warm sun but I did manage to follow one female after she shook off her pursuer and settled briefly which showed her to be another very blue female.

Common Blue pair - Blythe Valley 29.05.2020

Common Blue female - Blythe Valley 29.05.2020

Another male was more successful as, following a short high speed chase, they landed on top of an Ox-eye Daisy and after some gyrating about they coupled.

Common Blue pair - Blythe Valley 29.05.2020

So far, all the Common Blue females I have seen this year have been similarly 'blue' and I cannot help but think that this is related to the recent warm and dry weather we have had. My impression up until the past couple of years had been that these blue females were more common down south but I am seeing more and more around here, particularly since 2018. The majority of browner females I have seen over the past couple of years have tended to be further north. Of course, this is very much a generalisation and I have still seen blue females up north and brown ones around here and further south. I will be interesting to see what the second brood females look like around here.

Last week I found four different Brown Argus here but today I only managed one tired looking one, quite probably one of those from last week.

Brown Argus - Blythe Valley 29.05.2020

I also saw half a dozen or so new summer brood Small Tortoiseshells, the earliest I have ever seen these locally with my previous record being the first week of June. As with everything else, they were very flighty and getting close was difficult but I eventually managed to get shots of a couple of them.

Small Tortoiseshell - Blythe Valley 29.05.2020

Small Tortoiseshell - Blythe Valley 29.05.2020

A single Meadow Brown was also my earliest ever and the first time I have ever seen one in May. I took a couple of record shots but they were so ropy that I will not embarrass myself by posting here.

Burnet Companion Moths were numerous, along with a few Mother Shiptons, but there was no getting close to them today. I did however manage to sneak up on a Latticed Heath and a Yellow Shell. The latter is a common moth of grassy habitats and although really a night flyer, is often disturbed during the day. I usually get a few of these in my garden moth trap throughout the summer.

Latticed Heath - Blythe Valley 29.05.2020

Yellow Shell - Blythe Valley 29.05.2020

All the days are blurring together at the moment with very similar sunny weather day after day. We really do need some proper rain around here now, the vegetation at most local spots is becoming dessicated and I am getting a bit concerned for the later broods if we don't get a good soaking soon.

Bye for now and stay safe.

Neil.

[Pauline]

Hi Neil - that's a lovely shot of the Blues on the daisy and very nice Painted Ladies. If you see any more of those very blue females and I wonder if you could keep an eye on their behaviour. Would you consider it to be a bit territorial like that of the males? Have you seen any brown females yet or are the blue females emerging earlier?

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks Pauline .
As it happened, with the very active butterflies and the harsh sunlight, I spent more time watching than trying to take photographs. The female Common Blues were behaving normally i.e. they were attempting to be more unobtrusive than the males. Although the females sometimes stick to a given area I have never seen them behave territorialy in the same way as males. This holds true for all female Common Blues I have observed over the years irrespective of how blue they are.
I haven't seen any brown females so far this year. To be honest Common Blue numbers seem to be a bit down here so far this year.

Cheers,

Neil

[Goldie M]

That first shot of the Female CB is lovely Neil, I made a special journey to Brockholes to see CB they spent most of the time hiding from the Sun Goldie

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks Goldie. I think a lot of butterflies have been hiding from the hot sun, as have I on some days

Sunday 31st May

I haven't seen a spring Small Tortoiseshell for about a week now and the new brood are starting to emerge in numbers around here. There are still one or two old Peacocks around though including this tired old individual that came into my garden on Sunday morning.

Peacock - Coverdale 31.05.2020

Bye for now and stay safe,

Neil.

[trevor]

That Peacock really ought to retire!.
I had a real treat this morning ( for this area ) in the shape of TWO Small Tortoiseshells.
Yourself and Wurzel can be a bit matter of fact about them, but for me they are a desirable rarity!.

Getting ready for the silly season.
Stay well,
Trevor.