July 2020

[Padfield]

Despite strong winds and overcast skies - and even light rain at times - the sandlings and woods were alive with butterflies today. These included my first grayling of the year, resting up high in an oak:



There were dozens of small and Essex skippers buzzing about everywhere, completely oblivious to the weather:


(small)


(Essex)

Small coppers were seemingly everywhere too, ranging in condition from world-weary to spanking fresh:




(my camera doesn't cope well in poor light!)

Other species flying on this gloomy day were meadow brown, ringlet, holly blue, lots of commas, large white, small white, green-veined white, peacock, red admiral and large skipper.

Every ragwort was covered in cinnabar moth caterpillars:



Guy

[JimB]

The morning was over cast showing no promise for butterflies, however the afternoon brightened up and gave me an interesting afternoons visit.
https://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com/

A beautiful newly emerged Female ? White Admiral
SEP_8631 3x2.jpg
Two male Commas battling
Migrant Hawker recently emerged,
and a Common Darter.
Lots of Brimstone on the wing

Today 03-07-2020
The morning was promising and gave good sightings along the track.
Small Skipper ? Its the first  I've seen at Shapwick
Ringlet
White Admiral
Two Commas
Red Admiral
Peacock
Speckled Wood

Beautiful photos. The Migrant Hawker photo is in fact a Southern Hawker dragonfly Aeshna cyanea as you can see the two coloured bands across segments 9 and 10 (Migrant has paired dots).

[Medard]

Beautiful photos. The Migrant Hawker photo is in fact a Southern Hawker dragonfly Aeshna cyanea as you can see the two coloured bands across segments 9 and 10 (Migrant has paired dots).

Thanks for the correction, Not doing so well on my ID skills, oh well must now visit speck savers now lockdown has ended.

Here are a few caterpillars that I need help on ,hope someone can rise to the challenge.

https://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com

[Pete Eeles]

Dark Dagger, Lackey, and one of the Burnet moths.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Padfield]

On a very windy day on the heath, this female silver-studded blue was skulking around in the undergrowth. She never opened up properly and was difficult to access, but it was possible to see she had very blue hindwings. The blue was symmetrical - exactly the same on the right wings - and the body was quite blue too:





Purple hairstreaks were flying around high in the oaks, but the wind made it almost impossible to get one in frame, let alone in focus:



Guy

[zigzag_wanderer]

Did exactly what I did yesterday in that I went no further than doing the rounds of my local fields.

But what a difference a bit of sun makes.

Nothing unusual, but very good numbers.

I saw very big numbers of golden skippers, Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, 20+ of both Marbled White and Ringlet, 4 or 5 Commas, similar number of Holly Blues and Small Whites, 4 Peacocks, 2 Red Admirals, 2-3 Purple Hairstreaks flitting around high up when the wind stopped for a bit, 2 Large White.

I haven't noticed any Small Heath there for a little while now. No new Small Coppers there yet either,

[Deborah]

First Purple Hairstreak of the year (and taken with my new Lumix FZ82 bought for that reason! - couldn’t get up there with my iPod!)
Plus Large Tortoiseshells in the garden. A good day. Still no Purple Emperors though... maybe tomorrow.

[Ian Pratt]

I was very fortunate today to find a perfect condition silver-washed fritillary form valezina which stayed around for me to photograph.
I have seen this form several times before but never in such good condition and never so willing to be photographed.

[Stevieb]

A few from this lunchtimes dog walk. Sandridge Common.

Small Copper 6th July

Small Copper 6th July

Small Copper 6th July

Small Tortoiseshell 6th July

♂ Green-veined White 6th July

Comma (form hutchinsonii?) 6th July

Comma (form hutchinsonii?) 6th July

♀ Large White 6th July

Red Admiral 6th July

[David M]

I was very fortunate today to find a perfect condition silver-washed fritillary form valezina which stayed around for me to photograph.
I have seen this form several times before but never in such good condition and never so willing to be photographed.

Fabulous, Ian. What a beautiful specimen!

[Bertl]

Took a wee walk at Fallin Bing nr Stirling this morning. Lots of common blue, ringlet and meadow brown. A huge amount of six spot burnet moth. Spotted a few tortoiseshell. Visited this site to try and spot the large heath, but no joy today.

[Ian Pratt]

I was very fortunate today to find a perfect condition silver-washed fritillary form valezina which stayed around for me to photograph.
I have seen this form several times before but never in such good condition and never so willing to be photographed.

Fabulous, Ian. What a beautiful specimen!

Thank you David.

[zigzag_wanderer]

What was I saying about no fresh Small Coppers in our local fields yet.....

Was also amazed and delighted to see a White Admiral in the same fields on my WFH lunch hour walk. Especially as we're well away from any mature woods.

That takes it up to 29 species I've snapped in those fields. I'm going to be devastated when the diggers move in. Would love to get it to 30 species before they do as some kind of legacy.

[millerd]

A morning visit to Bookham today was full of butterflies despite cloudy/bright rather than sunny conditions. They included a "Black" Admiral, unfortunately well past its best.

Also noteworthy was this really large Comma, approaching the size of some of the smaller male SWF (that's quite a substantial post it's sitting on!)...

...Purple Hairstreaks nectaring on the brambles...

...Several multi-species groups (I was lining up the White Admiral when the other two muscled in slightly further back and out of focus)

...and a mating pair of Silver-washed Fritillaries, with the female half as large again as the male.

A full report to follow in my PD in the fullness of time...

Dave

[JimB]

I was very fortunate today to find a perfect condition silver-washed fritillary form valezina which stayed around for me to photograph.
I have seen this form several times before but never in such good condition and never so willing to be photographed.

Lovely photos Ian, a perfect specimen.

[Ian Pratt]

I was very fortunate today to find a perfect condition silver-washed fritillary form valezina which stayed around for me to photograph.
I have seen this form several times before but never in such good condition and never so willing to be photographed.

Lovely photos Ian, a perfect specimen.

Thank you, Jim.

[David M]

...Several multi-species groups (I was lining up the White Admiral when the other two muscled in slightly further back and out of focus)

Great triple combo, Dave.....not to mention the SWF pair

[zigzag_wanderer]

My lunch hour WFH walk was mostly spent hoping to see the White Admiral paying a repeat visit (no such luck).

Did see this beautifully coloured box fresh Small Copper. Seems to have more yellow on it than the others I've seen.

A quick trip back after work and I got a Ringlet - with nearly the full Mickey Mouse.

[Allan.W.]

A fresh Large Tortoiseshell photographed on a Buddliea on Lighthouse Down ,St Margarets (bay) ,Kent today .
Allan.W.

[millerd]

My first Chalkhill Blue of 2020 seen at Denbies Hillside today. There was just the one as far as I could see.

The striking Small Copper ab. also seen here today I have posted in a separate thread.

Dave