New member from Norfolk and New York

[_robin]

Hello from autumnal, rural New York State.

I first became a butterfly enthusiast when Brooke Bond introduced their British Butterflies tea cards in - 1964, was it? Then my father gave me a copy of Richard South’s field guide, and I haven’t looked back since.

Now retired, I divide my time between northern New York State and rural North Norfolk. (Or I did, pre-pandemic.) We are still seeing monarchs, preparing for their southward migration, also plenty of clouded yellows still around. Other prominent butterflies we see during the season are swallowtails (two species,) mourning cloaks (Camberwell beauties,) painted ladies and red admirals. I was in Norfolk until late June this year, and I’ve come to the conclusion that what I love about England is orange tips. A lowly, common species, but it makes me happy to see them! Last year, I saw swallowtails in Norfolk for the first time, in Strumpstraw Fen. Yes, I’m used to seeing big, showy swallowtails in my garden in the US, but seeing machaon in England was something special.

I only just discovered this site - I read Patrick Barkham’s recent article in the Guardian about the Mazarine Blue and reintroductions of extinct species. This led me to the article about the Mazarine Blue in Dispar, so I found this site.

So, hello!

[Pete Eeles]

Hi Robin - and welcome! Yes, you can't beat an Orange-tip in spring!

Cheers,

- Pete

[millerd]

A welcome to UKB from me as well, Robin! Looking forward to you sharing with us what you see over the other side of the Atlantic.

The Brooke Bond cards (followed by the Observer's Book of Butterflies) were what got me hooked too - they make interesting reading even now.

The Monarchs are still with you, are they? At this time of year I watch out for one of those hurricanes which graze the Eastern seaboard of the US and then head over towards the UK as a vigorous depression, in the hope that it will scoop up a few migrating Monarchs and carry them over to us!

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

Welcome, Robin. I look forward to seeing what you have got for us.

[_robin]

A welcome to UKB from me as well, Robin! Looking forward to you sharing with us what you see over the other side of the Atlantic.

The Brooke Bond cards (followed by the Observer's Book of Butterflies) were what got me hooked too - they make interesting reading even now.

The Monarchs are still with you, are they? At this time of year I watch out for one of those hurricanes which graze the Eastern seaboard of the US and then head over towards the UK as a vigorous depression, in the hope that it will scoop up a few migrating Monarchs and carry them over to us!

Cheers,

Dave

Monarchs behave strangely in late season, that is, October. They can fly really late in the day, at dusk. One year, this was ten years ago or more, we found them assembling in their hundreds on certain maple tree branches - like their behavior in Mexico, I think. That I’ve only seen on the one occasion.