Pauline

[David M]

Those are tantalising views of the White Admiral aberration, Pauline. Well done for finding it and I hope you can do so again (especially if it behaves more amenably for your camera).

Nice to see a few Purple Hairstreaks at human being level as well. This is a rare event in Wales even though the species is not particularly scarce here.

[Pauline]

I am not sure I shall be persuing the Ab David as I'm sure it will be well past it's sell by date by the time I find it again. However, it has been a good week for catching up with things, including one of the Skippers whizzing around the garden. I can't recall having seen a female here before:

and I finally caught the Comma in the act of egg-laying on my nettles:

and on the subject of eggs, I watched these being laid by a Small Skipper at a local site - comes with my usual warning: please take great care if you ever try to see these as they are not attached and can easily roll out and be lost:

The Skippers weren't the only ones egg-laying. About half a dozen DGF were secretly depositing their eggs, nectaring in between each batch:

Last but not least a very photogenic second brood Brimstone:

Another find which I can't identify: shed skin of DGF? dead larva? something else?

[Wurzel]

Cracking ab.White Admiral form a couple of posts ago Pauline And even though you didn't have that much luck with His Nibbs you saw more groundings that I did this year

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[Pauline]

I'm not really bothered about the PE Wurzel - at least not as much as the attitude of some photographers who I have found blatantly sexist and very patronising. You would (hopefully) be shocked at some of the comments directed at me in the last week including being berated for putting the image on my diary as apparently others wanted 'to keep it secret' that the PE was out at Chiddingfold. I have been prevented from getting shots and told that if I only have a little camera I must compromise and not go near the butterflies or 'they will just fly off'. At the same time I have heard Trevor being praised by the same folk for getting in close. Another female returned on Saturday because she had been subjected to similar comments and had to walk away 'because there was too much testosterone'!! I could go into much more detail but perhaps I'd better stop there. I think I may be better off at home with my larva - or perhaps chained to the kitchen sink and doing domestic chores!!!!!!

This is the WA egg hatching and the little larva doing exactly what he is supposed to just 2 hours after hatching:

[millerd]

Those are terrific WA caterpillar shots, Pauline. It's hard to imagine that (fingers crossed) that little chap in nearly a year's time will have transformed into a splendidly graceful and beautiful black-and-white flying insect. Marvellous.

It was great to see you last week and catch up (at some length I remember!), and I think I mentioned to you then that I have also been on the wrong end of pointed remarks about getting close to butterflies because of the inadequacy of my humble little camera. It has its limitations, but I have yet to find a species that cannot be approached to within an inch or two if a bit of care is taken. Shrug off the daft remarks - you get a great variety of cracking shots of all kinds of aspects of this hobby and folk should appreciate the skill involved in doing so.

Cheers,

Dave

[Pauline]

Hi Dave - you are now officially my new BFF Seriously tho', imo it bordered on bullying and boasts about their sophisticated cameras taking 20 shots per sec etc sounded both arrogant and childish. I met a lovely lady today (Sandra) who was interested in both butterflies and birds and she too had witnessed such behaviour. I'm beginning to understand why there are so few females out there. Anyway, a few more shots of that cute little larva building himself a bridge and covering himself in frass:

On another serious subject (this site is like therapy for me ) I am wondering when anything is going to be done about collectors at Alice Holt. There seems to be a lot of discussion and procrastination and indecision about the law on this topic within various organisations but the reason these collectors come here is because it is easy for them - they are just not challenged. The one below told me that last season! There are no notices up, no ranger patrols and the public are largely unaware of what is happening. Anyone who says it is not making a difference is wrong. Today I had yet another conversation with one of them (below)who says in the 30 years he has been going there, this is the worst in terms of numbers of PE. He proceeded to tell me the best place to find PE both locally and at Knepp and pointed me toward the Purple Empire for the best place to find out where the action is.

The best thing today was watching SSB egg-laying. One of their eggs below:

[Pauline]

Well, I've now been in touch with various organisations re collectors. We shall see what, if anything, happens. I really hope some deterrants at least are put in place.

I had to go back today to watch more egg-laying by the SSB. I saw about 6 eggs being laid. The female would land on various plants and 'test' them by tapping her abdomen up and down on them and dragging it along the surface. If not suitable she moved onto something else until she landed on some Bramble. Quite often she would remain very still for 3-4 mins in an egg-laying position and then the tip of the abdomen would change position prior to egg-laying. One female seemed particularly clumsey and one egg was just dropped into the vegetation. When first laid the egg is green but within about 30 secs becomes more white with just a tinge of green.

Testing of various plants and eventual ovi-posting:

Subtle change in position of abdomen:

A few fresh moths (whose names I can never remember) were very eye catching:

[David M]

Frustrating to read about collectors and bullying fellow photographers, Pauline. No individual owns these butterflies - they are for everyone.

Nice early stage images again. I especially like the ovipositing SSB.

I think your moth is a mint moth.

https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/mint-moth

[Benjamin]

Once again a fascinating read Pauline! I do love the mix of early stages, close up wing detail photography, and your own personal experiences out in the field.

Try not to let these photographers put you off enjoying the PE flight season. I completely understand how the experiences you’ve had would have such an effect, but as I’m sure you know, personal encounters with PE can be had in many less frequented woods not far from Chiddingfold, and even though groundings may be less common, when they do occur you have them all to yourself.

I take this option more often than not these days, having become tired of trying to enjoy groundings in the company of photographers who seem desperate to relay, with great confidence, the little they think they know about PE behaviour.

But I also agree that there’s plenty more going on at this time of year, so I don’t blame you for turning your attention elsewhere.

[Pauline]

Thank you for your kind words and humour Ben - much appreciated. Next year I shall take your suggestion and branch out a bit.

Thank you for your support and the ID David. I am so pleased you like the immature stages as there are a lot more to come. As you know, I have reared a fair few species but often it has been from early larval stages and not the egg. I had to put that right hence the shots of the Painted Lady, Common blue and White Admiral eggs hatching that I posted earlier. Today it is the turn of the Comma. I have mentioned that a Comma/Commas have been laying a large number of eggs on my nettles. There are 4 eggs on the leaf below:

I was surprised to see several eggs had been laid on the flowers - unless they are some other, similar typre of egg? (image above). My intention had been to leave them in situ but each day numbers were diminishing - in fact the leaves they had been on which were almost entirely at the very top of the plant, had been completely eaten. There are several Spectacle moth larva on these nettles but I am unsure as to whether these are the culprit. The upshot was that I have brought a few into captivity. These are a few shots of the egg hatching and first instar:

Probably about 2/3 days old:

It would be remiss of me not to include one shot of the cocoon produced by a Spectacle moth, the pupa safe inside:

[Katrina]

I was sorry to hear of your experiences at Chiddingfold. I hope you set them right and told them how experienced you were at photographing butterflies.
Great record of the Comma stages
The spectacled moth cocoon is fascinating-particularly the greenery on it. Perhaps it could be called a spectacle case?

[Neil Freeman]

Sorry to hear about your experience at Chiddingfold Pauline.
I Recently saw a post on a FB group by a female photographer here in the midlands where she described a similar unfortunate incident with a group of photographers clustered around a grounded PE. The irony is, that looking at the location and date of the incident and seeing other photos of the same PE posted on the group, it is obvious that she is a much better photographer than most of the men present. Pretty much like yourself in fact.

Try not to let these photographers put you off enjoying the PE flight season. I completely understand how the experiences you’ve had would have such an effect, but as I’m sure you know, personal encounters with PE can be had in many less frequented woods not far from Chiddingfold, and even though groundings may be less common, when they do occur you have them all to yourself.

I take this option more often than not these days, having become tired of trying to enjoy groundings in the company of photographers who seem desperate to relay, with great confidence, the little they think they know about PE behaviour.

But I also agree that there’s plenty more going on at this time of year, so I don’t blame you for turning your attention elsewhere.

I totally agree with Ben on this. There seems to be increasing numbers of a certain type of photographer, usually the 'twitching' type that just follow all the sightings around the country and who seem only interested in getting their photos and display very little actual knowledge. As the old saying goes, 'All the gear and no idea'

Great shots of the early stages. I particularly like the Spectacle cocoon, get a few of the adults in my moth trap but I have never seen the cocoon before.

All the best,

Neil.

[Maximus]

Lovely shots as always, Pauline just catching up on your diary btw There's always been %£seholes out there, and always will be we've bumped into a few in our time

[Goldie M]

Pauline, I just read your account of being, should I say ( shut out when trying to take shots ) My problem I'm afraid is ignoring that sort of behaviour when i'm told to stay out of the way, I usually give them a smile and ask how many shots they've taken and not to be too greedy, ( very politely of course) giving them time to move out of (my way), if they don't move I find elbows very useful

Mind you my Husband was always there to back me up Of course things are different now, I point to my hearing aid

Don't let things rattle you too much give as much back it usually works Goldie

[Goldie M]

Just looked back at some of your shots Pauline and I love the Purple Hair Streak with the Blue sky as back ground on your previous
Dairy page. Goldie

[Pauline]

I am really grateful and quite overwhelmed by all the messages of support that I have had both on this website and privately regarding this incident. I have had lots of tips and advice and I don't think this will happen a second time.

I did eventually tell them Katrina but by then the day was spoilt for me and I was back home by 11.30am. I think Spectacle case is a smashing idea - made me laugh out loud

Thank you for the compliment Neil. I had not heard that saying but it certainly fits I may have seen the cocoon but the only time I have seen a Spectacle moth was in your diary! I've put the cocoon away safe so hopefully that will change.

Cheers Mike. How you both doing? Guess I've just been lucky until recently.

I reckon I've been lucky with the Purple Hairstreaks M. One site I visited has dwarf Oaks so that makes things considerably easier. It was there I met Mark Wagstaff who posts on the Hants site and what a gentleman he is - so different from Chiddingfold. He went out of his way to make sure I got shots of Purple Hairstreak, even offering to take a shot with my camera when it was out of my reach. He searched that day for Grayling but was unsuccessful. I see from the Hants site that he has now caught up with them and his images are the best I can remember seeing - worth a look.

[Pauline]

Some might remember the Brimstone larva that I was concerned about as it seemed as though it might have been parasitised:

He was the smallest of a batch of about 6 eggs which were laid in the garden and given no protection. He was the only one that decided to stay on the plant to pupate - I have been unable to find any of the others - so I decided to use the opportunity to photograph him as he emerged. I took in total about 200 shots and had some concerns as he started to emerge because it took much longer than usual and looked very clumsy. However, he made it so I enclose a sequence which is hopefully self-explanatory:

[Maximus]

It's great that you got that Brimstone emerging, Pauline, great images too Glad that he made it and was not parasitised

[Katrina]

Amazing sequence!

[Wurzel]

As someone who does all the washing up in the house I was disgusted to read about the way you were treated Pauline . To be honest it beggers belief that this sort of thing is still happening but unfortunately I can just imagine the very type of people that you encountered and they probably fall into one or more of the following camps: all the gear and no idea, all mouth and no trousers and twitchers trying to find something to fill their time as this is the quiet part of the year for them. The last lot ruined my last but one grounding by plonking themselves right in the best position, not moving for the duration of the grounding and throwing their elbows out whenever anyone got within 2 foot of them if I'd had a rubber hose And as for berating you for putting the photos up as they wanted no-one to know? That negates the whole ethos of butterflying which I so enjoy - it's all about sharing (when possible) and camaraderie. Don't let the buggers put you off Pauline, there's more than enough of us decent-ish chaps out there that'll call them out for their boorish behaviour

On a more pleasant note - a cracking sequence that Brimstone emergence! Blinding

Have a goodun, stay safe and don't let the bu££ers get you down

Wurzel