September 2008

[Susie]

A couple of red admirals were on the buddleia over the weekend, which makes a nice change from the large, small and green veined whites I normally get.

I counted half a dozen brown hairstreak eggs when I had a quick look at the blackthorn in the front garden this morning.

[Jack Harrison]

y jackharr wrote:At the very bottom of that slope below the White Horse there used to be (1970s) a good colony of Duke of Burgundy. Are they still found there at the appropriate time?

Ah, my error. Wrong White Horse. I was thinking of the Duke of B colony below Westbury White Horse, not Pewsey. Apologies (but of course, they might well be a colony of Dukes at Westbury - don't know)

jack

[Simon C]

Hi Jack,

I am not aware of Dukes at either site but that does not mean they are not there. I have never been to Pewsey at the right time of year, and I have only ever passed above the Westbury white horse. Something to try for next year, maybe, in which case I'll be sure to let you know.

Simon

[Jack Harrison]

Westbury Duke of Burgundy WAS at ST896516 - last visit circa 1976. A drive past on the road at the bottom of the hill a couple of years ago didn't seem to show any change in habitat so good luck next season.

You can bet your life it's round the edges of that big quarry to the southwest of the White Horse, but doubtless access is difficult.

Jack

[Gruditch]

The Autumn sun brought plenty of butterflies out today. In one garden alone I saw 1 Red Admiral, 2 Peacocks, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Comma, 1 Brimstone, several Large and Small Whites, plus in the adjoining paddock 2 Common Blue.

Gruditch

[Jack Harrison]

SpWood-courtship-1.jpg (94.09 KiB) Viewed 1291 times

Speckled Wood courtship.

I've observed courtship a few times lately. The male flicks his wings presumably to spread scent over the female. But today, the female showed an unexpected response. She played dead (well, she lay back and thought of England). Unsurprisingly, the male soon got bored by this and flew off. The female flew away strongly later.

Jack

[Padfield]

Been there.

Guy

[Jack Harrison]

Guy

Is there an equivalent: "Think of Switzerland"?

I recall a friend's (now a noted wildlife writer) reaction many years ago when I showed him a photo I had taken of a pair of DG Fritillaries in cop.

"Hmmm. At least he gets his.........(vulgarity deleted). More than I can."

Jack

[Jack Harrison]

I am contemplating a visit to Languard (Feliixstowe )on the Suffolk coast later this week. Last year on 15th September, I found good numbers of Clouded Yellow.

Languard is a long way for me so I have to take into account the cost of a long journey. Are there any reports of Clouded Yellow from the East Coast after the recent benign easterly winds?

Jack

[Shirley Roulston]

These little moths called Silver 'Y' are all around my garden, masses of them. My first photo wasn't very good, this one is much improved.
Shirley

Picture 425.jpg (52.72 KiB) Viewed 1194 times

[Jack Harrison]

I published this picture last week with the poser - what garden plant is it on?

It's a fig tree.

Jack

[Shirley Roulston]

Did anyone know that Jack.

[Jack Harrison]

Did anyone know that Jack.

No, it was a bit of a trap question.

Jack

[Padfield]

So if I guess at a huge hollyhock, will you tell us the real answer, Jack?

Guy

[Jack Harrison]

Just revealed (not Hollyhock), two or three posts up the page. Repeating here - it's a Fig, not exactly a native for Speckled Wood.

Digressing. In about five weeks we are having a family holiday in Malta for a few days. Butterflies will be incidental (I have to do all that boring culture stuff, know what I mean, like?)

I used to go to Malta regularly in the early 1970s when I was in the RAF and would you believe, I even gave a talk to the local Naturalists' Society about the Butterflies of Malta!!! (It needed a Brit to tell them what was found on their island). That was all a long time ago and I struggle to remember locailites. Does anyone have up-to-date info about Malta?

Jacke

[Shirley Roulston]

Do they have Ragwort in Malta

[Jack Harrison]

Do they have Ragwort in Malta

Do you want me import some seeds for you fields? It might technically be against the law but we could agree to share the fine in the unlikely event of me getting caught

Jack

[Denise]

It needed a Brit to tell them what was found on their island.

Jack

Likewise Jack. Kos has no Bird or Butterfly list that I can find anywhere, and believe me I've tried.
Does anyone have any idea on where I could find such a list? I have found lists for Samos, Rhodes and Lesvos which are all on the same coastline, but perhaps Kos is just too small.

Cheers
Denise

[Padfield]

I almost went for fig - then I rejected it. Silly, because I've eaten figs in a garden in London (they were disgusting - do yours actually ripen, Jack?) so I know they can grow in England.

I took this picture shortly after my blackberry shock, earlier this month - and having just seen the 'poison' sign I decided not to pick one and try it!!



No - I've never heard the expression, 'Lie back and think of Switzerland'! I think there are good reasons for that...

Nor do I have any inside info on Malta, though if you wanted to know whether any particular species flies there I can tell you - I have an excellent, up-to-date atlas of butterfly distributions.

Guy

[Shirley Roulston]

Why is every thing sprayed with poison in Switzerland, maybe they are trying to get rid of Ragwort, it gets everywhere. I've been on the internet to see what Jack can do in Malta, drink and dance mostly and there are 19 species of butterfly not one I know because all the names were in Latin. Have a nice holiday, send us all a postcard with a butterfly on.