Trevor

[bugboy]

Great shots Trevor, any news about SPBF at Abbots Wood?

[trevor]

Afraid not Paul, I have not been over there for several weeks.

[trevor]

Early this morning I travelled with Doug Neve over to Hutchinsons Bank.
One species I was keen to find was the Small Blue, as I understood the site was heaving with them.
Indeed they were not difficult to find, but really fresh specimens were at a premium.

We also had two bonus finds, a very respectable Green Hairstreak, and something I have
seen before but never photographed, a mating pair of Small Heaths.
Once again I had a tantalising glimpse of the upperside of one of them.

[Wurzel]

Great set of shots Trevor Those Small Blues are brilliant butterflies - really feisty little things often punching above their weght. They remind me of the Wee Fee Men, the Nac McFeegles from Terry Pratchett books as they're small, fiesty, blue and they generally hang out in large groups I have a sneaky suspicion that there may be some of a certain Lady's butterflies in future posts

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[trevor]

Cheers Wurzel. I presume you are referring to Lady Eleanor.

Stay safe,
Trevor.

[trevor]

Of course the attraction of Hutchinsons Back, is in the main, the Glanville Fritillary.
Some say they shouldn't be there, but the fact is they are there. I would prefer to
see them on the Isle of Wight, and indeed have made special trips to the Island
in the past for them. BUT, getting there is expensive, whether by car or public transport,
and either way by the time their hot-spots are arrived at on a day trip, they will be
nicely warmed up and hyper!.
This morning we were early enough to find some still at roost, and were able to capture
their beautiful underside. All were fresh, and we were told that this years brood were
the offspring of last years, and have not been ' topped up ' to boost the population.

Stay well all,
Trevor.

[bugboy]

Nice undersides . That female is very orange, I reckon enough to be an ab.

[millerd]

That female is very orange, I reckon enough to be an ab.

It somewhat resembles an ab. seen there a few years back, with reduced dark markings. Something in the genes!

Great shots there, Trevor, particularly the undersides: the advantage of being there early. Numbers seem to have risen a fair bit in the last week as well.

Cheers,

Dave

[Katrina]

Great photos! How early is early enough for them to still be roosting if you don’t mind me asking.

[Wurzel]

"I presume you are referring to Lady Eleanor." The very same Trevor
Some cracking photos there - I know what you mean about seeing them on the Isle of Wight - I went once and they emerged later than usual, the day after we'd come home in fact That very orange one could be good for an aberrant - it's lacking some of the 'circles in the squares' as well I'd have given you a few more if I'd not found a few myself a little closer to home

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

Lovely Glanville images, Trevor. Your strategy by way of arriving early paid off as underside shots are not particularly easy with this species.

I like the Small Blues as well, especially when the iridescent scales reflect the light.

[trevor]

Many thanks everyone for the comments and pointing out the ab.

It might seem strange, but out in the garden this morning I sensed that the
weather was not right for butterflies. Yes, it was bright and sunny but the air
was dry and a little cool. I well remember similar weather in the midst of the
Emperor season, on one particular day. We saw nothing.
So this proved, in two hours of searching, only a distant Common Blue was seen.

I did have one great find, a Mother Shipton moth nectaring on an Oxeye daisy.
This was the first occasion I have managed to get close to one.

Some humidity is forecast for later this week.
Trevor.

[Katrina]

Nice shot, they can be tricky to get near to.

[trevor]

Any ideas, folks ?.

This green caterpillar was found on a geranium on my patio at 23.00 .
An ID would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Trevor.

[trevor]

Very early this morning I thought I would give Anchor Bottom a try for myself.
Never having been there I had a rough idea where to go.
I arrived at just after 6.30, but was still too late for roosting Blues, as the sun
had already warmed the hillsides up.
I was fortunate to find a male and female Common Blue sharing a grass stem.
The highlight of the visit was a well behaved, fresh, male Adonis Blue.
This butterfly preferred dry Cow pats on which to bask, settling on several
until it was warm enough to fly off.
In all a very rewarding early start, despite very wet feet fron the night's
heavy dew. Before I left for home I popped into my old place of work which
is very close by, for a coffee and chat.

Stay well all,
Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Great work with the Mother Shipton Trevor - they're a tough cookie to photograph especially as they have a knack for sitting between several blades of grass
Lovely shots of the blues, the Common Blue tip-toeing through the dew is an absolutely lush shot - I wish I'd taken that one

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

Great photo of the pair of Common Blues Trevor but that Mother Shipton is superb. They can be very difficult to approach and, as Wurzel, says, when they do settle, they often do it in the most awkward positions.

Cheers,

Neil.

[David M]

That's a corker of a Mother Shipton image, Trevor!

I've never seen one settle like that, much less get an image of it!

[trevor]

Thanks Katrina, Neil, Wurzel & David.
Few butterflies were seen that day, so a moth was the star find.
Funnily enough I realised at the time that I was very lucky to see
Mother Shipton settled and nectaring like that.

I mustn't get into moths, I mustn't get into mo...................

Stay safe and well,
Trevor.

[trevor]

I called in at Mill Hill on my way home this evening, hoping to find some roosting Blues.
In truth it was still far too hot, with the hillside in full sun. However I had partial success.
A high speed, and long lasting chase, of a pair of Painted Ladies completed the evening,
especially satisfying when they landed briefly not far from me.