September 2020

[MikeOxon]

Nice clothes pegs, Jack

The RA obviously thought so, too. The colours reminded me of those feeding platforms, set up in butterfly houses, with brightly coloured patterns on them. The butterfly doesn't seem too miffed at having been fooled, as the extended proboscis shows that it's finding something worthwhile!

Mike

[Allan.W.]

After the excitement of this mornings Kent Long -tailed Blues ,i decided on a short trip just up the road from us , on this small site Common Blue numbers are now rising as well as many fresh Small Coppers ,and numerous Whites ,but unfortunately no Clouded Yellows ,best find
was a mint fresh Brown Argus female .

This female Brown Argus also had reduced wing markings.

Regards Allan.W.

[Stevieb]

Clouded Yellow back on the Common this morning. Also Brown Argus, Small Copper, Large & Small Whites. Bewley Common

15th Sept

15th Sept

15th Sept

15th Sept

15th Sept

[Padfield]

On the Suffolk sandlings today, no exciting migrants or rarities but still plenty of butterflies about, including dozens (I saw maybe 50) of graylings ...





... dozens of small coppers ...


(male)


(male)


(female)

... as well as peacocks ...



... brown argus ...



... small heath ...



... and comma:



I saw only my second painted lady of the year a couple of days ago, at Shingle Street:



I didn't even see any of these on my trip to Spain at the beginning of August.

Guy

[David M]

...but still plenty of butterflies about, including dozens (I saw maybe 50) of graylings ...

Amazing! How are you hanging on to them for so long, Guy?

I've been walking the Swansea coastline for the last few days given the unseasonably balmy conditions, and have seen precisely none, and nor would I expect to in mid-September.

Are the rocks made of kryptonite round your way?

[adrian riley]

September off to a decent start with lots of fresh butterflies on the hill this lunchtime. Beacon Hill

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Hi, Stevieb.
Your Southern Hawker Dragonfly is actually a female. Note only two anal appendages rather than three. Also the last few spots on the abdomen are green rather than blue.
Cheers, Adrian.

[adrian riley]

Not much on the wing today at Drum Castle near Aberdeen. Weather was overcast. No idea what the dragonfly is!!!

Hi, Bertie
Your dragonfly is a Common Darter.
Cheers, Adrian.

[Bertl]

Thanks Adrian

[Stevieb]

Your Southern Hawker Dragonfly is actually a female. Note only two anal appendages rather than three. Also the last few spots on the abdomen are green rather than blue.
Cheers, Adrian.

Many thanks Adrian

[Padfield]

From 8 green-veined white eggs, laid on 26th August on annual wall rocket and hatched on 4th, 5th and 6th September, I was able to find 6 caterpillars today - all now 4th instar I think:




(note the 3rd instar head capsule still adhering - this one must just have moulted)


(the third instar head capsule is on top of the leaf on the left of the picture)





4 of these are in small pots and 2 in a big pot. The ones in the small pots - with smaller plants - are slightly smaller. I may put these into a single, bigger pot so they don't decide to go roaming if they think their plants are too small:



Guy

[David M]

Thursday 10th, Port Eynon, Gower coast:

Small White c100
Large White 20-30
Small Tortoiseshell 10-15
Meadow Brown 6
Common Blue 3
Red Admiral 2
Brown Argus 1
Speckled Wood 1

[Stevieb]

Clouded Yellow nectaring on sunflower this morning. Bewley Common

17th Sept

17th Sept

17th Sept

[aeshna5]

Around Whitehawk Hill, Brighton today I saw 5 Long-tailed Blues, but probably more about.

Also:

m Common Blue
Small Heath
3 Wall Brown
2 Speckled wood
2 Red Admiral
2 Large White
c20 Small White

[NickC]

I'm really enjoying all the clouded yellow photos posted in this thread.

[Deborah]

Can’t quite believe I’ve just seen a pristine White Admiral in my garden. I didn’t have my camera and of course by the time I’d run and got it, it’d gone. I’m going to be patrolling all afternoon in the hope it returns. Unfortunately the amazing weather ends tonight and a week of showers is forecast. Unlucky timing.

[millerd]

Long-tailed Blues are still flying in Brighton, enjoying the sunny but windy conditions today - though they are starting to look rather worn.

Dave

[Padfield]

Nice sighting, Deborah!

On the sandlings today, the graylings were going great guns again, and though they were all old and grey the love juice was still flowing:





Other than that, I saw mostly small coppers, with a few peacocks and single small heath, brown argus and common blue.





My green-veined white cats have put on a growth spurt over the last few days. All 6 (that I can locate) are now 4th instar and some will soon graduate to 5th. Just as older orange tip caterpillars leave the seed heads occasionally to feast on leaves, so these cats have been leaving the leaves to feast on seed heads:







This one, photographed yesterday, still has its 3rd instar head capsule adhering:



There is another 3rd instar head capsule visible in this picture, on the leaf on the left:



This species certainly races through the instars!

Guy

[Deborah]

The White Admiral hasn’t re-appeared, but a single Wall has been around a lot. Also this intriguing caterpillar on an apple tree. I went to pick it off thinking it was a dead twig and it felt squishy so I dropped it! I think it’s a Geometer moth but which one?

[Allan.W.]

Queen of Spain Frit ,seen and photographed today at St.Margarets ,Kent ,originally repoerted as a Dark Green Frit !!
Allan.W.

[Stevieb]

Still plenty about on the hill with good numbers of whites still. Beacon Hill