Long-tailed Blue - Favourite Photo of 2020

[Wurzel]

Long-tailed Blue - Favourite Photo of 2020

Week 10

As it's Christmas week this one is a Bonus - normally I'd leave this species until the 'Vagrant' thread - Happy Christmas

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos as then it will be easier to keep track of things? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As in previous years details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome as would any accompanying stories and anecdotes or other observations of behaviour and interesting other points.

Just a reminder - it might be a good idea to select your Overall Favourite Butterfly Photo of 2020 now so that you’ve got something to post when the series of threads culminates in 20 weeks time…


Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[Padfield]

I have a hilltopping site near Málaga where I invariably see successful LTB couplings. On my one trip out of the UK in 2020 I caught this pair in the act:



That was 2nd August. This is the view from the same site on 7th August, looking down towards the lake just north of Málaga. It's one of my favourite places in the world ...



Guy

[bugboy]

Tons to choose from but I'm going with this one on account of the eye watering appendages being wielded by the male, it's no wonder the females need persuasion to mate!

[millerd]

I slogged up and down Whitehawk Hill to and from Brighton Station three times to see this species during September - well worth it, even on the third day when the LTBs were worn and difficult as there was a cooperative Cloudie instead. As ever, it was also a very sociable gathering on each day, and no one went away unhappy. People had come long distances and were seeing the species for the first time.

My first visit on 11th was the best, with good numbers of butterflies - enough for all present to have undisturbed time with.

A week later on 18th, it was windy and the action had moved to a sheltered area with an abundance of wild michaelmas daisies. Things were complicated by the presence of male Common Blues and a particularly argumentative Small Copper, so shots were more difficult.

This species seems to have firmly consolidated itself on the British list now (in the "regular migrant" category) - across the three visits to Whitehawk I saw more LTBs than I saw Painted Ladies elsewhere in the entire season.

Dave

[David M]

Missed out on the UK extravaganza this year but got to see plenty in Spain in late July/early August, as well as this single female in the French Alps in early July:

[Allan.W.]

First ,i,d like to wish everybody a Happy and Healthy new year !
A late picture for this thread ! back in 2013 ,like so many others i was lucky enough too see a few Long tailed Blues ,on British soil and reasonably close to home ,here in Kent , and in the intervening years i,ve re-visited the area on several occasions ,although i have found spent egg shells and probable feeding damage on a couple of occasions i,ve seen no adults .
This season i had three visits to the site ,the mid August visit ,was probably too early ,although the Pea was in fine flower ,and it was quite clear that others had also been looking !
On my second visit ,i was more successful ,and after a while i managed a "probable " that commuted between Pea clumps ,but was very reluctant to settle .We sat down for a short while on one of the cliff top seats ,and as we sat a Blue shot by us ,and i was fairly certain that this was a Long Tail.
We were joined by a couple of other enthusiasts ,we spread out ,and finally one ( of about 4 ) settled ,and "bingo " a male Long-Tail ,joined shortly afterwards by another male that settled close by ,very briefly . I managed 5 Shots .............. 2 were rubbish , and this is one(cropped ) the best i managed .
I had another slightly later visit in glorious sunshine ,but unfortunately it was also blowing a gale .......................So that was it for me and the Long tails for 2020. Regards Allan.W.

[David M]

Glad you caught up with them, Allan. The way things are going, I don't think it'll be too long before they're turning up in south Wales.

[Allan.W.]

Thanks David .
I was Pleased to have seen a few ! and with luck you may get to see them over your way ..............in the near future .
Kent seems to have had a bit of a "Purple patch " this year with Long Tails here and there, good numbers of Large Tortoiseshells ,including three different individuals in one day at Lydden ,and at least one (possibly 2 ) Queen of Spain frits , egg laying Swallowtails reported ( and a few over the border in East Sussex. ) add to this Brown Hairstreaks making a comeback ,and rumours of Glanville frits from somewhere in Kent , but where they,re
from ............who knows
Regards Allan.W.