Pauline

[Pauline]

Before I turn my attention to the Purple Hairstreak I thought I would have one last look at the WLH as I have yet to see a female this season. This is an absolute gem of a site and waiting for my arrival were 4 female WLH nectaring on thistle. They were all pristine except for one. I think it was a female based on her large abdomen and the fact that she was fairly fresh but all tails were missing. They were all very relaxed and 2 were still there when I left 90 mins later, reminiscent of behaviour usually seen when the season is almost over for them. Much later a male (well, half a male) joined them but he had seen better days. It was a joy to behold and many photos were taken; all quite similar - Hairstreaks just being Hairstreaks, twisting and turning whilst nectaring and climbing around the thistle. A few (hopefully) not too repetitive images:

[Pauline]

Just a quickie to record that yesterday I saw my first Gatekeeper of the season:

Lots of fresh Essex and a couple of old Large Skippers were also present:

Of more interest was seeing a Marbled White actally egg-laying. Unusually she was perched on a single strand of grass by a path edge in the egg-laying pose for about 15 seconds. Why haven't I got any shots of it I hear you say. I have been asking myself the same question since yesterday!!! As I watched, thinking I should be taking photos, she actually produced an egg which dropped down into the vegetation. I figured that if I could see it fall from some feet away I could surely find it - but I couldn't!!

[Pauline]

It's getting to be a bit of a habit - setting out in the rain to look for butterflies. However, I had little choice as today was one of the few days that Browndown was open. The local weather forecast suggested that the weather would be better on the Solent but I'm not sure that was the case. This was the view I was met with:

Before I saw any PH I met up with another enthusiast who had already located a couple. It was good to meet you properly Mark even tho' you assure me we have met twice before After Mark had moved on to look for Grayling I probably saw at least another dozen Hairstreaks, most fresh but some quite worn and battered:

As usual in this location the breeze was strong, and what should have been great shots were often blurred and sometimes only partly in the frame!!! Thankfully I did manage a few shots of both male and female butterflies:

Several Spitfires circled overhead and Mark informed me that if you can afford it they will fly you round for 20 mins or so. Just looked this up online and depending where you go (eg IOW), it costs between £3k and £12k

Never ddid get to check out the Grayling - as usual ran out of time!

[Pauline]

An early evening walk on the Common with a friend in an attempt to locate a Black Admiral that had been recorded a little earlier produced plenty of gold - but no black.

[Pauline]

Today I went to a local site where the Chalkhills are usually out by the end of June. There were loads of butterflies and I got some reasonable DGF and Marbled White shots along with a few Skippers. I shall not post them as they are nothing exceptional and just repeat what many other (better) photographers have already posted. I shall however post something that I have not seen before. Looking at the Aberrations on this site I see that Nigel Kemp has posted an identical one in 2013 and states 'any yellow/amber pigment has been replaced by white'. It was certainly a striking Small Tortoiseshell so here are a few shots of it together with one of the several 'normal' ST that were also present, by way of comparison:

[Allan.W.]

Hello Pauline ,
I posted a Small Tort ,very similar to yours ,in the general forum ,earlier in the year ,under the title "A couple of overwintered oddities "
Regards Allan.W.

[Wurzel]

Those Whitters were absolutely cracking Pauline I'd love to know the name of the site as Bentley can be a bit tricky now the Wytch Elm suckers on the corner have succumbed to DED Interesting Small Tort - I've seen one like that before and it is a named ab. but for the life of me I can't recall what it is - I don;t know if that's age or the after effects of a wedding I was at the other day

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[Pauline]

Hi Allan - lovely to hear from you. Don't know how I missed that post (well, actually I do as I usually just look in 'Sightings') but yes, it is exactly the same aberration. Of more interest to me is that strange Comma. I have never seen one like that either!

Cheers Wurzel - I've been quite pleased with some of the Hairstreak images that I've achieved this season. Next on the list, PE!

[Pauline]

It was overcast but warm this afternoon at Alice Holt and it seemed like many species were in egg-laying mode, including Meadow Brown, Marbled White, SWF, Red Admiral and White Admiral. I watched as the SWF laid eggs on the moss on the bark of a tree but couldn't get close because of a ditch. However, the White and Red Admirals were a little closer. The first is the WA egg and the second is the RA:

I also watched this huge fly lay an egg - it looked something like a huge bee crossed with a horse fly. It flew before I got a shot:

A Longhorn beetle was spotted - I think it is Alosterna Tabacicolor (but you know what my ID's are like )

A few more shots of immature stages:

Common Blue:

Painted Lady pupating:

Painted Lady pupa:

In the garden, the last Brimstone larva decided to pupate on-site. I was delighted until I realised he may be parasitised. Before and after pupation:

I have also noticed that there are several moth larva on my nettles. Not yet sure what they are but quite distinctive, albeit with great camouflage:

... and another Painted Lady larva from out and about. Good to see so many of them:

The last of 'my' Orange Tips have pupated:

So much of interest that doesn't depend on the weather thankfully

[David M]

Those early stage images are mightily impressive, Pauline, as are the White Letter Hairstreaks. However, to go out in weather like that and manage to get those shots of the Purple Hairstreaks is just amazing.

Fabulous job.

[Benjamin]

Interesting posts as ever Pauline.

I think you have a spectacle moth cat on the nettles - I keep accidentally adopting them this year - actually more like a temporary placement as they soon get returned!

Is that small tort not just faded? I see them too, and just assume they’re old timers - but perhaps not?

[Pauline]

Cheers David - I must be mad to go out in weather like that but it's surprising how often it pays off.

Thanks for that ID Ben - reckon you are spot on but I'm surprised I've never had any in the moth trap. Re ST, it was a little worn but I'm not sure any fading was responsible for the colour difference. I think it may be a lack of some pigment but it is clearly not rare as I have seen 2 others posted on this site recently.

Today was very much a social event over at Chiddingfold. It was good to catch up with Dave and Trevor but I arrived late to the party and the only PE I saw grounded was very skittish, hence only record shots. However, he did at one point land on my leg!:

Possibly of more interest to me was a female Purple Hairstreak whose flight was very weak (newly emerged?) and had to be rescued from the middle of the path. She provided great views for several admirers:

[Katrina]

Great photos of the PH
Also good that you saw a purple emperor on the ground.

[Pauline]

Thank you Katrina - Sadly, I actually think there was something wrong with the PH as I am told that she literally fell out of a tree onto someone. Her flight was very weak and several times she had to be rescued as she fluttered down, landing in unsafe places. Certainly whilst I was there she was handled carefully and treated with respect by all present. Hope she makes it. Today I just didn't have time for another trip to Chiddingfold (much as I would have liked to) so I decided to catch up on the Chalkhill Blues. There are 2 sites near me (and therefore near each other) but I consider one of them to be an early site (Chalton) and the other a couple of weeks later. I usually see Chalkhill Blues at Chalton at the end of June but up until 13 July there was no sign of them. Now both sites are teeming with males and a few females around also. I won't be returning to the Chalkhills so this post is dedicated to them. Cloudy, very windy, changeable weather:

[Pauline]

I went for a walk over my local common the other night, primarily to look at immature stages. However, the SSB are still going strong and the Meadow Browns seem to be doing fantastically well everywhere I go:

I am disappointed with the Painted Ladies. They must choose their egg-laying sites more carefully. Of all the eggs I saw her lay, and all the larva I was monitoring, only one exists. It seems to be of a different colour form:

I checked the patch where the Dingy Skipper laid her eggs. These 'tents' are easy to find once you know what you are looking for and it seems that the larva don't stray too far from them, popping out just to eat. I found one that wasn't tightly closed and it is just possible to see the larva inside:

Whilst checking the thistles for the Painted Lady I came across this strange creature which initially looked like a larva carrying a load of frass on its back. I have no idea what it is and I doubt anyone else will either but this is it:

Last but not least the Common Blue:

[Butterflyboy]

nice images, I'd like to see ssb some day

[Pauline]

Thank you Butterfly Boy.

Too hot to go out today but plenty of action in the garden, many butterflies being too active to photograph. I have seen a fresh Comma and Red Admiral both egg-laying on the nettles I believe. Both Large and Small Skipper whizzed through together with my first SWF of the year. When these started to visit some years ago I planted loads of wild violet around the moss covered Oak trees but no luck yet. Whites have invaded the garden in large numbers, mostly Large and Small with a single GVW. A few shots from the garden:

One of many eggs laid by the Small White on herbs that I planted for the rabbits to eat!!

The fox moth eggs that were laid in my moth trap duly hatched and shed their first skin on 8 July. I don't think they have shed again so that makes them second instar (all 40 doing well so far):

Common Blue (not sure which instar):

[Benjamin]

Great to see Chiddingfold finally kicking off Pauline - unless anyone has anything pre Wednesday then I’d say you were there for day 1. I made my first visit in good weather the day before - just a touch out. I was surprised not to bump into anyone, but it seems you all knew Wednesday was kick off. I don’t know of any reasonably well monitored site that started any later than this - even Sherwood Forest was up and running before Wednesday.

Always interesting to see how your various caterpillars are coming along, and those CHB are stunning!

[Benjamin]

Oh and you were right about that strange creature being a larva carrying its frass around - a green tortoise beetle larva or something very similar. I didn’t know either - but we do now!

[Pauline]

Thank you Ben for the ID and glad you liked the CHB. Re PE, I saw 7 that day, most at the Oaken Wood end as I was on my way back. I was sprinting back as I was late and nearly stood on the freshest one (when will I learn not to run thru the woods!!!). Unfortunately he didn't return (can't blame him) but 2 of the others were in a sorry state indicating they'd been out a while? I didn't post any shots of them as they were so tatty but this is the better of the 2:

Well, another day, another site. Today I managed to catch up with the WA Ab. that I mentioned a few posts back:

as opposed to:

It was quite difficult to photograph as it stayed in the shade of the trees for most of the time but many Purple Hairstreaks kept me entertained: