Pauline

[Pauline]

I was praying that you'd be right Wurzel and it would emerge in a couple of days but I think David and Pete are right. It has been far too long and although I thought I saw it move a couple of days ago (unless I was hallucinating!) there has been no movement since. I am beyond disappointed - gutted really to have come so far - and totally bewildered as I thought I had done everything right. They definitely have not been exposed to direct sunlight (thanks again for that Pete). At one point I used a fine, tepid mist spray as I thought perhaps they were getting too dry. Clearly I have done something wrong. I am keen not to repeat my mistakes so if anyone can suggest any mis-management please feel free to comment.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Pauline, you must be so disappointed, but don't get too down hearted, you can also try again, I know you'd to get permission to take them but these things happen, the weather also as been very cold for April and the Butterflies are really slow to get moving, may be this is a factor also.

Go get your hair cut Goldie

[Pauline]

You're being much kinder than I deserve Goldie but I have decided I must stop beating myself up and get out there again. I feel I have let a lot of folk down and I have been feeling quite demotivated - but on a cool, cloudy afternoon I ventured up onto Noar Hill today. I reckon there were more visitors than butterflies but I did see 5 Dukes, a single Green Hairstreak and Dingy Skipper - lots of Orange Tip eggs. (PS hair very short now!!!)

[Chris L]

Wow ! Cracking photos Pauline. Hard to choose a favourite but I am going to go for the Dingy Skipper. It is in such pristine condition. It looks sort of fluffy.

[Pauline]

Thank you Otep - I'm pleased you like them.

I was able to spend a little more time at Noar Hill today and can now fully appreciate the extent to which the blackthorn has been decimated - along with the Brown Hairstreak eggs. I found many more eggs (stopped counting when in double figures) on branches scattered around but sadly they had already hatched with little chance of survival I guess

It will be really interesting to see how this has impacted on that butterfly later in the year.

Close to where a lot of work had recently been carried out I found 3 nests which had all been abandoned. One had a dead baby chick inside. They were all the same type but I do not yet know what they are:

This Blackbird nest which was very low down seems to have fared better:

Despite some sunny periods not one person I spoke to could find a Duke today. I do hope it was nothing to do with the guy and his son who were hanging around yesterday where Dukes had been spotted. They both had large nets and gave the usual rubbishy excuse of catching day flying moths for identification but I didn't see them once try to catch any insect. As I was leaving I took a quick shot of a roosting Orange Tip - right next to the plant that had the eggs on it:

I'll just finish with a request for an ID of this lovely beetle that was on one of my plant pots this morning most attractive in his finery of blue and gold:

[Chris L]

I haven't got a clue what that beetle is Pauline but it is a lovely colour. One wouldn't mind a car that colour. 'Introducing the new Ford Focus in Unknown Beetle Blue.'

Being quite new to this hobby, what should I do if I see people catching butterflies in nets?

[Wurzel]

Stunning Dukes Pauline I'm kinda glad that I didn't venture over there yesterday now - it sounded like Picadilly Circus up there Lovely Orange-tip as well but I can't help with the beetle apart from mentioning that it's brilliant that you caught it un/folding it's wings - the way that they pack and unpack there wings is fantastic and amazing to watch

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[Benjamin]

Hi Pauline -

What a shame that the Dukes failed but you mustn’t be so hard on yourself! I’ve flicked back through your diary to see their development and have been blown away by your commitment and attention to detail! You document the immature stages so thoroughly and with such beautiful photos (the montages of last year are particularly brilliant IMO) that I’m sure your posts are of great interest to many and your experiences (good or bad) are highly instructive for those embarking upon similar projects.

We all have mini disasters with this kind of thing - it just comes with the territory of experimenting and learning. You could fail 10 times in a row but if on the 11th you figure out why, then you may have just uncovered a particular vulnerability that could inform future habitat management (not a very good sentence but you know what I mean!).

Keep at it, as I’m sure you will - I will certainly be looking forward to your posts.

[David M]

..What a shame that the Dukes failed but you mustn’t be so hard on yourself...

Agreed. This forum is full of similar examples of early stages failing to make it to maturity. You're certainly not alone and most on here know how much painstaking effort you put in to rearing this along with other species. I hope you will get another opportunity soon.

[Pauline]

Hi Otep - you're probably asking the wrong person as my cynical answer would probably be to ignore them. I guess it depends on what they are catching and where, and what evidence you can obtain without putting yourself at risk. The only person I know who has managed to get a prosectution is Neil H and he would be far better placed to advise.

Cheers Wurzel - no, there was only 9 visitors there (including myself) but there were only 8 butterflies!!!!! Either way, you can be pleased you weren't there. I haven't managed to ID the beetle either but I think the eggs are either Bluetit or Great Tit - probably the former. I was informed today by some bio-diversity manager who works from Basingstoke and does some stuff in Pamber Forest that a £5000 fine can result from disturbing nests. Quite shocking if these abandoned nests are related to all the clearance work done.

Thank you for your kind words Ben. I am fascinated by the immature stages and always care for them the best I know how. I try to learn as much as I can from each experience and use photography to record findings and progress, particularly transitions. You can imagine how flattered I felt to have a whole page devoted to one of my transition shots in Martin's new book - bit disappointed that my name was omitted in the acknowledgements!

Thank you David. I am not sure if I shall rear a Duke again but you never know..... there weren't many around today. I could only find 3 and they were all hunkered down in the vegetation given the very strong wind. A single Dingy Skipper and Peacock complete the list of butterflies seen today:

The area they were found:

Back home 'my' Brown Hairstreaks are starting to emerge:

and a family of Siskins:

[Wurzel]

More cracking Dukes Pauline I think I recognise that area, although saying that I always find it a bit of a Labyrinth so it could be anywhere in Noar Hill

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[Katrina]

I am loving the first Duke shot.

[Pauline]

Cheers Wurzel - I can hardly recognise it myself there has been so much cut down!

Thank you Katrina - it took a bit of persistence to find them because of the gales. It is still massively windy out there today so just a couple of shots of one of the Brown Hairstreak eggs hatching. They take absolutely ages to eat their way out (usually between 2-4 hours) and in the end I went to bed. Perhaps I'll catch one of the others as they emerge:

When I go out to check it this morning I doubt whether I'll be able to find any sign of it.

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Pauline, just catching up on your diary.

Sorry to hear about your duke pupa but it probably wasn't anything to do with the way you looked after it. These things happen all the time in the wild with not just predators and parasites, but all sorts of pathogens all taking a hefty toll. It is why the females lay so many eggs so that at least a small proportion hopefully make it through.

Suburb photos as usual, keep it up

Cheers,

Neil.

[millerd]

You did well to find anything out there in yesterday's weather, Pauline - those Dukes are hardy little creatures for all their small size. Some great shots of them braving it out. My brief trip to Noar Hill ten days back echoes the things you've described: the place looked very barren from the combination of very dry cold weather and a great deal of scrub "management". I did see some Dukes though! (Apologies for not getting in touch before popping in there - it was a bit of a late decision to go on my part...).

Cheers,

Dave

[Pauline]

It's very kind of you to say so Neil - much appreciated. You won't believe it but I have that squirrel back (or perhaps it's his offspring)! He's swinging off the branches of my new apple trees and decimating the 'real' herbs that I planted for the rabbits:

Apologies for not getting in touch before popping in there

It's not compulsory Dave Just be nice to have a proper chat if you're in the area . There's always something of interest going on at Noar Hill and despite a mixed bag as far as the weather was concerned - quite windy, mostly overcast with the threat of rain, a few bits of sun, generally chilly - I managed to find a few butterflies including Dukes:

[Pauline]

This weather in unbelievable. Since returning from Noar Hill there has been thunder, hailstones, torrential rain, some sleet and that wind!!! Is it really May?????

I shall have to start widening my search for butterflies as I have only seen Dukes, a couple of Dingies, a single Green Hairstreak and a few Orange Tips. As I was leaving NH there were 4 male OT's pestering a single, ragged female who was desperately trying to get on with the important business of egg-laying. She really looked worn out. A few shots of the OT's below. I'm sure you can work out what's what because if I describe each one I shall miss The Repair Shop!

[Pauline]

OK, The Repair Shop is finished now so I can continue I have noticed recently a lot of Garlic Mustard (at least I think that's what it's called) which has orange eggs on the upper and under side of leaves quite low down on the plant. I was beginning to question whether they were in fact OT eggs but that has now been clarified thanks to Katrina's diary. I note that Buggy has seen this before but I have never noticed it - I always thought females had the ability to be quite specific about where they laid their eggs, but hey, there's always something new to learn which is why this is so addictive:

[Wurzel]

Cracking shots Pauline - was the Repair Shop good - what did they make as good as new?

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[Chris L]

I am absolutely mesmerised by those Orange Tip wing close-ups Pauline. It is a beautiful intricate design from a distance - but I have never seen it at that close range. It is fascinating looking at it. Thank you for sharing those photos.