Maximus

[Katrina]

Yes swallowtails in the garden deserve a few

[Maximus]

Thanks, Wurzel, Dave and Katrina





Today was the first day of the females for us, with several Orange-tip and Brimstone females seen at last Also multi males of both, and a flythrough by a Queen of Spain Fritillary (no shots alas she was too mobile ) and a single Red Admiral nectaring on dandelion.

Orange-tip female on honesty.

Orange-tip female ovipositing on the unopened honesty flowers.

Red Admiral nectaring after checking out the nettles.

[Wurzel]

That female it a cracker Maximus - those eye spots like crescent moons are really eye-catching I'd tried to skim past the QoS bit

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Lovely Female Orange Tip Maximus, pity about the Queen Of Spain Frit , at least you've seen one Goldie

[David M]

..The first of our reared Swallowtails emerged this morning. A quick few photos, with a Cuckoo calling in the background, and she was away

How idyllic is that? Watching a beautiful, reared Swallowtail take flight with a cuckoo calling in the background.

Makes me want to relocate to France as well!

[Maximus]

Hi Wurzel, that OT female was a real beaut and I do understand why you skimmed past the QoS bit, i'd have done the same

Thanks, Goldie, and as you say, at least we've seen a QoS, in fact we see one or two a day, but they're not stopping at the moment

It was idyllic, David, perhaps you will relocate to France in the future?





The second of our reared Swallowtails emerged this afternoon, and what a beauty she was.

Waiting to be released.

A beautiful female.

I managed a couple of shots before she took flight, it was lovely to watch her fly around our garden before disappearing over the hedge and be lost to our sight

[Wurzel]

She's a real looker Mike, what a stunner You're living my dream

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

What a stunner, Mike. Your comment regarding how lovely it was to watch her flying round your garden is an understatement.

As for relocation, that'd be tricky for me post-Brexit. I fancy it from April to October but I'm sure it can be quite grim in winter.

[Maximus]

She was (a stunner), Wurzel, six more to go, but I hope they hold-back a bit, given that we've got rain coming

Cheers, David, didn't mean to understate her release, it was a joyous occasion I understand why it would be tricky for you to relocate here post-Brexit, and the winters can be grim, we've just been through a bad one



Due to the constant north easterly airstream providing warm days, but with a chilly breeze and cold nights, butterflies have been a bit thin on the ground here. However we have seen a few Orange-tips (male and female), and a couple of Green-veined Whites over the last few days in our garden. Lets hope that we get some proper warm spring weather before too much longer

Orange-tip female on grape hyacinth.

And on periwinkle.

Male Orange-tip, with slight wing damage, not affecting his flying though.

Male Green-veined White on unopened dandelion flower.

Male Green-veined White on honesty.

[Pauline]

You've taken it to another level now Mike - Swallowtails in the garden You would not have wanted to be at Noar Hill today

[Wurzel]

Lovely Orange-tips Mike and a beautifully captured Green-veined White, I love seeing the ashen triangles on the fore wings

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

...Due to the constant north easterly airstream providing warm days, but with a chilly breeze and cold nights, butterflies have been a bit thin on the ground here.

plus ça change....

You've escaped Britain but not the British weather, Mike. Seems to be following you because you've been subjected to exactly what's been served up to us these last few weeks. Looks like things should be warming up over the next week or so though, so hopefully there will be a marked improvement for all of us very soon!

Love the Orange Tips on the blue flowers (they DO seem to like this colour) and the Green Veined White underside is beyond enviable.

[Maximus]

Hi Pauline, I hope that you are well? I know what you mean about Noar Hill, it could get really busy at this time of year, and there was always a chance of bumping into that robot

Cheers, Wurzel, Orange-tips and Green-veined Whites are normally (for me) associated with lovely spring weather, so what has gone wrong this year

Hi David, the weather here has been total rubbish through winter/spring Although it's warmed up a bit now, the wind has taken over and a thunderstorm the other day chucked down hailstones the size of marbles
Yes, Orange-tips do seem to like the colour blue, and freshly emerged Green-veined Whites are a joy to behold



Swallowtail number three emerged a couple of days ago from our reared batch.


This was the pupa 48 hours before emergence.

And last September just after pupation.

The freshly emerged adult (I missed it by about ten minutes).

It was a full two hours before it was ready to take flight, the gale force wind blowing at the time might have had something to do with it.

[trevor]

What a beauty Mike. Love the tapestry effect in the last image, amazing.
Hoping you'll include some French specialities as the season progresses.

Stay safe and well,
Trevor.

[Wurzel]

I think Spring and Summer decided to have some time off - so we've gone directly to Autumn/Winter Fantastic photos Maximus - the closeup is stunning!

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[Maximus]

Thanks, Trevor, I will certainly will try to add some French specialities, if the weather ever lets me

Thanks, Wurzel, it's certainly autumn like here at the moment


We have seen Orange-tip females egg laying on some Honesty plants growing in our garden. When I recently checked the plants I found several eggs. There were probably others, but the wind made searching difficult.


This egg was laid on the edge of a seedpod.

This was laid in the more usual position, on the flower stem.

Not sure if the cats will feed on the seedpod or resort to the leaves, I will keep an eye on them.

[millerd]

That Swallowtail is a glorious butterfly, Mike. How incredibly rewarding to have reared it - it makes my past efforts piling a few dozen Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars in a box with a bunch of nettles look very amateurish (which to be fair they were... ) Exquisite photos too.

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

Another delightful Swallowtail sequence, Mike, especially that last image.

It'll be interesting to see how the Orange Tip cats get on with Honesty, rather than Cuckoo Flower or Garlic Mustard. I'll look forward to reading any future updates.

[Maximus]

Thanks, Dave, it is really rewarding to rear Swallowtails here, we are lucky to have them in our garden We've all piled cats in a box with a bunch of nettles, that's how it all started for me too

Thank you, David, glad you liked that image The Orange-tip cats are doing alright on Honesty, I must take some photos showing their progress.


A couple of male Sooty Coppers seen in our garden today, not the best shots but they were taken during overcast conditions, although the weather has(at last)warmed up considerably

The two males were fighting all of the time we watched them! Sooty Coppers would surely do well in the UK, shame they're not there

[millerd]

Sooty Coppers would surely do well in the UK, shame they're not there

I'm sure they'd be here if it wasn't for the English Channel! Maybe they should take flying lessons from the Long-tailed Blues...

Cheers,

Dave (and a for the Coppers too!)