July 2020

[Deborah]

Finally a Clouded Yellow stayed still enough to get a photo! Have no idea if it’s a male or a female? I saw 4 in the field today, so I’m pretty happy! Also this Sooty Copper in the garden.

[David M]

Aah, female tityrus, a beautiful creature indeed. If only they could cross the Channel....they'd feel at home in southern England.

[Stevieb]

Made the most of todays fine weather with a walk around Bewley Common. Had my first Clouded Yellow in Wiltshire but it was a typical flyby

Small Copper 20th July

Silver-washed Fritillary 20th July

Silver-washed Fritillary 20th July

Silver-washed Fritillary 20th July

Speckled Wood 20th July

Common Blue 20th July

Red Admiral 20th July

Female Brimstone 20th July

Small Copper 20th July

Comma 20th July

Female Large Skipper 20th July

[Stevieb]

Chalkhill Blues this lunchtime. Hazelbury Common

21st July

21st July

21st July

21st July

21st July

21st July

[dilettante]

Managed a phone shot of a CY this morning on my local patch in South Cambs


Clouded Yellow, South Cambs 21-Jul-2020

My wife tells me it's still there so will try with the DSLR later/tomorrow

[Stevieb]

Managed to track down this Clouded Yellow this afternoon after seeing it as a fly by yesterday.

[poppymcclenaghan]

Who can resist a backlit Silver Washed Fritillary?

[David M]

Managed to track down this Clouded Yellow this afternoon after seeing it as a fly by yesterday.

Good persistence, Steve. You're racking the desirables up at the moment.

[Charles Nicol]

Still a few skippers around in the Paxton Pits Reserve... and Peacocks observing the Social Distancing rules on the footpath

[Charles Nicol]

In Deep Dene today checking out the Grayling I came across a Small Copper ab. schmidtii. Not easy getting photos as it was continuously being disturbed by the countless Mecyna flavalis and Chalkhill Blues.


BOB_2629 (2).jpg

BOB_2634 (2).jpg

well done on finding that interesting specimen !

[Allan.W.]

An early morning visit to Temple Ewell Downs to see the Chalkhill Blues waking up,and by 8.30 am there were hundreds,hanging on the grass stems ,everywhere you looked,and so much variation in the males,as usual many were taking sustenance from the piles of dog c@@p
that sadly seems to litter this wonderful site (whats the matter with these owners...............................CLEAR IT UP !!).
I spent ages just sitting ,watching them............one of my 2020 butterflying moments .
Worryingly low numbers of Common Blues flying ,and i only managed four amongst the hoards of Chalkhills + single Brown Argus and Dingy Skipper
No Walls or Clouded Yellows.....................its still early.

The last one is close to AB;Signata.

Regards Allan.W.

[Stevieb]

Managed to track down this Clouded Yellow this afternoon after seeing it as a fly by yesterday.

Good persistence, Steve. You're racking the desirables up at the moment.

Certainly been a good year so far David, starting with your Wood Whites. With Covid19 I thought this year would be a wash out (had Tenerife, Spain and Kefalonia cancelled this year) but It's been excellent to date

[David M]

...With Covid19 I thought this year would be a wash out (had Tenerife, Spain and Kefalonia cancelled this year) but It's been excellent to date

Yes, domestically it hasn't been bad and I've had time to track down some species I usually miss in this country due to being abroad for much of the late spring & summer.

[David M]

Sunday 19th - Eighteen species seen at the Alun Valley site, near Bridgend, Wales.

Quite a few male Hedge Browns:

At least a dozen female High Brown Fritillaries ekeing out their days (enjoying the thistles unencumbered by amorous males):

The Silver Washed are looking a bit fresher:

The last of the Dark Greens are just about hanging on too, although they were too tatty to photograph.

[Allan.W.]

Apologies if this has already been reported on here somewhere . A Large Tortoiseshell was seen and photographed at Strumpshaw Fen (Norfolk ) ,on the 14th July ,found feeding on ripe Cherries.
Allan.W.

[Stevieb]

♀ Clouded Yellow now present for its third day. Obviously the meadow is to its liking. Also possibly ovipositing.(Bewley Common)

22nd July

22nd July

22nd July

22nd July Ovipositing?

[David M]

...Also possibly ovipositing.(Bewley Common)

Certainly looks like it, Steve. Do you fancy rearing a few? Might be worth searching for the ova.

[millerd]

I paid a visit this afternoon (22nd) to Mill Hill in Sussex, where amongst other things I came across an unlikely trio of sightings:

First was a very old first brood male Adonis Blue (mixing it with all the fresh Common and Chalkhill males he could find).

Next were a trio of second brood Dingy Skippers, of which this is one. Seeing them chasing Chalkhill Blues and Gatekeepers looks all wrong!

Finally, I started watching a white butterfly that wasn't flying like the other white butterflies - in fact it was behaving far more like a Clouded Yellow. One fly-past was close enough for me to confirm why this was...

The shots above were all taken at a distance, as in the continuous sunshine the butterfly only stopped for brief moments and there was a fair amount of brisk following of its path!

Still, it's been some years since I've seen a helice form of the Clouded Yellow.

Cheers,

Dave

[zigzag_wanderer]

Enjoying my lunchtime walks in my local fields.

Nothing unusual to see but just so good to break up the WFH day and get out of the house.

Think that's a fully-winged female Roesel's Bush Cricket that's had an accident with its antennae, but I may very well be wrong. It was chunky whatever it was.

The summer brood female Common Blues seem to be pretty blue in our field (I'm basing that on a total of circa 4-5 females seen though). Photo bit out of focus - in my defence I was at a bit of a stretch with my point and click, trying not to trample any of the foliage.

[David M]

I paid a visit this afternoon (22nd) to Mill Hill in Sussex, where amongst other things I came across an unlikely trio of sightings...

Three big surprises in one day! Great finds, Dave. How on earth has that Adonis lasted till now? It's like the mouse in the Green Mile.

Next were a trio of second brood Dingy Skippers, of which this is one. Seeing them chasing Chalkhill Blues and Gatekeepers looks all wrong!

Incongruous. Their usual adversaries are Green Hairstreaks, Common Blues and Brown Argus!

it's been some years since I've seen a helice form of the Clouded Yellow.

What a highlight. They don't crop up often even on the continent so to see one in the UK is a rare treat.