August 2020

[Bertl]

Half a dozen tortoiseshell and a couple of red admirals in my garden in Aberdeen this evening. Red admirals just wouldn’t land for a decent photo.

[Allan.W.]

Today i spent the morning on a Dragonfly hunt ,our own Dave Brown put me onto a small site ,consisting of partly dry marshland
(Romney Marsh ,Kent ) roadside dykes where he,d found 11 Southern Migrant Hawkers ,a dragonfly ,seemingly in the process of colonising the
UK ,and now being found regularly in Kent ............and are probably breeding ,i,ve had three visits and have seen three stunning males, on
two occasions ,trying to get a picture is another story ......................Do the b##### s ever settle,well they don,t for me (see Marc Heaths dragonfly
blog ..............stunning images !),i was surprised to see a good number of Common Blues along this dyke ,until recently ,i was only seeing very few
also Several Small Heath and Red Admiral.
In the afternoon ,after dropping my father in law at the doctors i headed down to Dungeness ,too hot for butterflies ,but a few Brown Argus
Common Blue ,braving the heat . Dungeness is known for its birding ,plants ,butterflies and also Dragonflies ,and is one of the top sites for the Lesser
Emperor Dragonfly in the UK ,One had been reported ,in one small area ,several times over the last few days ...................but try as i might ,I couldn,t find it !
Compensation though ,was a fresh 3rd brood Small Copper ,a male already guarding his little patch against all-comers ,he was the only one i found today ............... its very dry ! lets hope he,s not the last!
When i was almost back to the car i stumbled across three Cyneada Dentalis ,a cracking little moth ............and quite scarce .
Regards Allan.W.

[David M]

...When i was almost back to the car i stumbled across three Cyneada Dentalis ,a cracking little moth ............and quite scarce.

What a fabulous little moth, Allan. The camouflage is incredible.

[Allan.W.]

Yes they are very striking ,well camoflaged little moths David ,and luckily seem at home ,and fairly numerous on the shingle at Dungeness. Regards Allan.W.

[MrSp0ck]

IT seems the Glanville Fritillary has had a good breeding season, so far we have found 9 larval webs at Hutchinsons Bank, more than we have ever found, ive found 6 of those the last 2 days, still have most of the reserves to check, will be interesting to know larval web numbers elsewhere. I think we wont hear the wrecclesham count though.

[Bertl]

Explosion of scotch Argus at Cambus o may on Deeside this morning

[Allan.W.]

This morning ,I had another trip up onto the North Downs ,near Dover .My main quarry was the very scarce Straw Belle (moth)
a species that i have seen before on this site ,but they take some finding ,amongst the massed ranks of Chalkhill Blues ,by the time that i reached the area i was sweating buckets ! and sat down for a drink ,as i sat i was entertained by several Silver-Spotted Skippers tearing around ,and unusually
a mint Large Skipper..................very odd (and late ) ,after a while i managed to find 12(moths ) ,they don,t sit for long ,and in the heat ,quite a challenge !

As i,ve said ,huge numbers of Chalkhills flying ,the first to take wing 6.40 am ,i found 5 pairs and numerous mass orgies (for want of a better description !) Common Blues ,One or two Small Heath ,Brown Args and Dingy Skippers ,but apart from the Straw Belles ,the Silver Spots ,stole the show !

By 9.15 am it was time to start back for the car ,a slow uphill slog ,as i reached the top of the down ,i met a chap with a clip-board ,and asked him
if he was doing a butterfly transect ..................no,he was doing a Wartbiter Cricket survey ,apparentley they,re difficult to see ,and he listens for the singing males ,and so far he,d heard one "up near the gate " he said they also had a habit ,of just dropping into the undergrowth on approach .
We said our goodbyes ,and i went up through the gate ,as he diissapeared Downhill ,as i mooched along ,looking for butterflies as i went,i heard something "drop" ,and sure enough .......................a huge cricket ! I tried to make it a Wartbiter,but it wasn,t ,it was a Great green Bush cricket,still a very pleasing find !

Regards Allan.W.

[Testudo Man]

1st week of August, an its all about female Chalk hill Blues for me...Ive never seen so many females on the wing, at once!!
A couple more Ab's amongst the normals too. Some highlights, cheers Paul.
Location - Kent. Images are not cropped, shot late afternoon/early evening times (after work).

Note - all of these females are fresh, with very little, if any wear to them.

I wish i had more time with this beauty, a couple of shots, an she flew off!

A shot of 2 normal females.

Another female, which has larger black spots/thinner outer rings, on her hind wings. Overall duller in colouration.

A beauty, basking at sunset.

Another beauty, getting ready to roost.

[Testudo Man]

In case anyone was wondering where all of the Small Tortoiseshells have gone. My Northampton garden on Monday. (Yes I know the fence needs painting!)
P8030082_st2.jpg

Chris

That is a very impressive sight! well done.................its probably more Small Tortoiseshells, than im likely to see all year!
Top left is a bonus Red Admiral too.

[Allan.W.]

A Monarch was recorded in a garden at Lydd-on-sea (right on the beach front ) on the 6th August.
Allan.W.

[Pauline]

Hi Allan

I really like that Small Copper but that moth shot is something else! I had to look hard to see it. Wonderful photography!!

[Allan.W.]

Thanks Pauline ! interesting little moths ,which feed on Vipers Bugloss ................which grows en-masse at Dungeness.
Regards Allan.W.

[Allan.W.]

As a footnote to the "monarch at Lydd on sea " post from earlier, there is a picture and information on a superb local (Romney Marsh)
blog......................."Plovers Blog" .Regards Allan.W.

[zigzag_wanderer]

First - just to agree with everyone on Allan's ear of wheat moth. Amazing !

It was too clammy to go on a very long walk today. So I just stuck with the fields over the back. Did a few circuits in late morning into early afternoon and then went back around 4:30pm.

A few butterflies braved the earlier heat, but I saw more on the later jaunt including 3 hairstreaks. Two female brown hairstreaks and a purple.

Just like one posted by Greenie today on the Brown HS in Kent discussion, one of mine had also seemingly suffered a bird attack, but lived to tell the tale.

As a side note, the better preserved one was holding her antennae in the gun barrel straight way I'd queried on an earlier thread...

[Testudo Man]

Having sighted just the two SSS, back on the 29/7/20, i needed to re-address that situation, so yesterday afternoon/evening, i made the trip to a localish hot spot, to see what was about. Location - Queensdown Warren, Kent.
Sure enough, the little blighters were on the wing, an as rapid as ever, so it took some time, to get some good images.
Other species of note were 2nd brood Adonis(just males) CHB's, Common Blues, Brown Argus, Small Heath etc.
But it was all about those SSS's, such little beauties.
Some highlights, cheers Paul. Images are not cropped.

SSS.

Adonis Blue (2nd brood).

Adonis Blue roosting (after 8.00pm).

[zigzag_wanderer]

Brown Hairstreaks seem to congregate in the biggest and oldest oak that sits at the corner point of all 3 fields behind us. This tree is Purple central too.

Much fresher Small Copper than yesterday's.

[Matsukaze]

Brown Argus roosting in the garden this evening.

[walpolec]

Speckled Wood in the Isles of Scilly. Supposed to look a little differentl?

[millerd]

They are different! Pararge aegeria insula: Somewhere between the northern subspecies we are used to seeing (tircis) and the southern European one (aegeria). A great image.

Dave

[Matsukaze]

Aberrant female Common Blue in the garden this evening. Only one shot and then she flew, but I am hoping she will return and lay eggs.