August 2021

[Allan.W.]

At a very busy Dungeness today ,the Small Coppers were out in force ,and could be seen on any Ragwort plant you cared to cast an eye on , i should think that we saw easily between 50-70 ,but probably many more . Most were very fresh individuals .but with a few third brood early emergers also evident . On a small "butterfly bush " thats sprung up in the moat ,were 3 Red Admirals and a single Small Tortoiseshell ,but it was a bit too breezy for the Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns who stayed down low ,to keep out of the wind.
Plenty of Swallows and Martins passing over ,heading for the channel ,and a Pied Flycatcher in the moat .
I did find one interesting Copper amongst the hoards ,quite unusual !
Regards Allan.W.

.J

[David M]

...At a very busy Dungeness today ,the Small Coppers were out in force ,and could be seen on any Ragwort plant you cared to cast an eye on , i should think that we saw easily between 50-70 ,but probably many more . Most were very fresh individuals .but with a few third brood early emergers also evident

That's great, Allan.

More than a half century of Small Coppers is phenomenally good going (the ab. is nice too).

[zigzag_wanderer]

I keep looking but I've not seen any Small Coppers as interesting as that yet.

A walk round my local fields this afternoon saw c. 30 Grass Veneer, 10 Gatekeeper, 6 Common Blue, 6 Speckled Wood, 5 Meadow Brown, 5 Brown Argus, 4 Small White, 3 Small Copper, 2 Brown Hairstreak, 2 very faded Small Skipper, 2 fresh-looking Small Heath, 1 Comma, 1 Peacock

There wasn't much sunshine but when it did pop out, the fleabane proved as tempting as the ragwort to Allan's Small Coppers, with inter-species rivalries temporarily suspended.

[Allan.W.]

Thanks for that David and Zig-Zag ,very pleased to find it ,not too many ABS; at Dungeness of late ,even the Blue Spots seem to be in short supply there this year ,but definately my best Copper outing of the season !(so far !) i,ve put a close up shot on, which shows the patterning Regards Allan.W. And Gents ........................I,d swap the AB, For a few of your Brown Hairstreaks anyday !

[David M]

Monday 23rd - West Williamston, Pembrokeshire:

8 Brown Hairstreaks seen between 9.50am and 1.15pm. 1 male in an ash tree and 7 females looking to oviposit:

[Allan.W.]

Yes David ................Superb..................maybe next season for me !
Regards Allan.W.

[Testudo Man]

This Saturday/Sunday was all about the Adonis Blues for me.
Saturday was hard going, once again taking shelter under trees for several times during the day!
Sunday was better, because less wind an no rain. Just 3 females seen on Sat, but up to 8 females found on Sun.
Males were 3x that of the females seen. A great weekend........but its a case of "Ants in the Pants" for me, ive got at least 10 hits

Location- Darland Banks, Kent (Sat)...Queensdown Warren, Kent (Sun).
Images are not cropped. Cheers Paul.

Female Adonis.

Male.

[Matsukaze]

There wasn't much sunshine but when it did pop out, the fleabane proved as tempting as the ragwort to Allan's Small Coppers, with inter-species rivalries temporarily suspended.

Good stuff fleabane. The Gatekeepers in my garden love it (though this year they emerged too early for it) and Small Coppers enjoy it too. That said, both preferred ragwort the one time I gave them that choice.

It attracts plenty of hoverflies and other insects as well.

[David M]

Yes David ................Superb..................maybe next season for me !

Still time this year, Allan, if you're quick!

[David M]

This Saturday/Sunday was all about the Adonis Blues for me...

That last shot is really unusual, Paul. The butterfly is holding its left side normally, yet the right side is 'fanned out' quite extensively.

I don't think I've ever seen such a pose, and the fact that it's a male Adonis makes for a great image.

[David M]

Monday 23rd - West Williamston, Pembrokeshire:

Along with the 8 Brown Hairstreaks seen, other species recorded were:

Small Tortoiseshell 20-30
Speckled Wood 15-20
Large White 10-15
Green Veined White 5-10
Hedge Brown 5-10
Silver Washed Fritillary 4
Red Admiral 3
Common Blue 3
Peacock 3
Comma 1
Small White 1

[Testudo Man]

This Saturday/Sunday was all about the Adonis Blues for me...

That last shot is really unusual, Paul. The butterfly is holding its left side normally, yet the right side is 'fanned out' quite extensively.

I don't think I've ever seen such a pose, and the fact that it's a male Adonis makes for a great image.

Cheers David, i agree with you it is an unusual image/shot.
As you know, sometimes butterflies give us a glimps of their wings, when in the closed position, but this male Adonis gave a much greater amount of colour (wing fanning) than ive ever seen before. It was late in the day, there had been a rain shower/dull moment for awhile, then as the sun came out the butterflies once again became active. This Adonis was nectaring, his wings were closed, but then he started to open just one side of his wings, he stayed like this (wing fanning) for some time. He then flew off as normal, showing no abnormalities in both flight and appearance.
He looked fresh, he had just spent some time in a cooler part of the day, perhaps he was in 2 minds, did he carry on nectaring? or should he open his wings to bask? or somehow try to do both?? who knows...........just glad i was there to observe/photograph the moment.
Cheers Paul.

[David M]

It was late in the day, there had been a rain shower/dull moment for awhile, then as the sun came out the butterflies once again became active. This Adonis was nectaring, his wings were closed, but then he started to open just one side of his wings, he stayed like this (wing fanning) for some time. He then flew off as normal, showing no abnormalities in both flight and appearance.

I wonder if, being late in the day, the low angle of the sun caused the insect to stretch the wings on the sunlit side before doing likewise with the other side?

Whatever the reason, it made for a very interesting and beautiful image.

[Charles Nicol]

the weather has finally improved, so i went to Sundon to explore the chalk pits. i saw plenty of Red Admirals, Small Tortoiseshells, a few Peacocks and Common Blues and a single Painted Lady.

i thought this pic looked nice:

[Padfield]

Lovely autumn pic, Charles.

In East Suffolk, more precisely, Rendlesham Forest, silver-washed fritillaries are still (just) holding fort:



There were literally hundreds of red admirals on the buddleia along the track:





Also small tortoiseshells ...



... commas ...



... graylings ...



... peacocks ...



... and whites:



It's quite extraordinary how these woodland buddleia attract butterflies.

There were also speckled woods, though these didn't go for the buddleia:



Guy

[David M]

26th Aug - this mint-fresh Painted Lady turned up in my neighbour's garden:

[David M]

27th Aug - Port Eynon dunes, southern Gower coast:

Common Blue 40-60
Meadow Brown 40-60
Small Tortoiseshell 36
Small White 20-30
Large White 10-15
Painted Lady 6
Wall Brown 1
Small Copper 1
Red Admiral 1
Hedge Brown 1

[millerd]

Going through the 10th August photos from Smardale Gill for my PD, I belatedly noticed that one of the females appeared to be a named aberration:

The five forewing ocelli (rather than the standard four sported by females) appear to make this ab. freyeri. It was the only one like it amongst the many seen and photographed that day.

Cheers,

Dave

[Andy02]

I often revisit this photo , Dave. It was taken in the Austrian Alps amongst hundreds of Scotch Argus. I have tried , on many occasions, to identify it differently. Perhaps you have solved my mystery.