Big surprise on my local patch

[Philzoid]

Some fine weather at last tempted me to venture out with my camera to the Muslim Peace Garden, my local site in Woking and a one which has yielded many interesting butterflies, moths, dragonflies, hoverflies and other interesting insects. Last September the site was a good one for Small Copper and this proved to be to be the case again with my first Butterfly ... a Small Copper. The second, third fourth and fifth were also Small Copper but Whites and Brimstones were only showing up as fly-byes.

As well as Small Copper I found a Speckled Wood taking nectar from the garden’s Sedum Spectabile.

Moving on I decided to check a grassy area beside the main road when I’d seen my first Small Copper ... and I was so glad I did because I encountered what initially looked like a female Common Blue with a fast and jinking flight. When it eventually settled on a dead flower head, I immediately saw the tell-tale underside of a Long-tailed Blue. I was able to get up close to get lots of underside shots but it would not open its wings to enable me to sex it.

It then moved on to a Cat’s Ear flower and again sat with its wings clamped shut. Pleased to have got a Long-tailed Blue on camera I risked my shadow across it and thankfully it didn’t move. I stayed like that for 3 minutes then slowly moved to allow the sun back on it. Just as I hoped the butterfly opened its wings, to reveal a resplendent male.

Phil

[Padfield]

Fantastic stuff, Phil!

I've insisted on letting our everlasting sweet peas grow rampant for the last three years but as yet no LTBs have made it to the garden. Blow, south winds, blow!

Guy

[Charles Nicol]

i was wondering why you were so excited about a Small Copper.... then i read the rest of the post !

great find & excellent pics

[bugboy]

Lucky bugger Phil . You'll have to keep you're eye out for more in case a female was busy a few weeks ago. Quite a way Inland for one to drift but I hear there have been sightings at Bognor Regis this year which is nearly directly south from you.

[millerd]

I have to concur with Bugboy, Phil - you lucky so-and-so...

It does look remarkably fresh, so it is (as Bugboy hints at) likely to be locally (UK) hatched from eggs laid by a migrating female earlier in the year - rather than being a migrant itself. This is reinforced by it being 50 miles from the coast (and favorable winds only kicked in a couple of days ago). The encouraging aspect of this scenario is that there could be more around from the same egg-lay!

Now we need to look closely at all those Common Blues... Just in case!

Congratulations again Phil.

Cheers,

Dave

[Philzoid]

Hi Bugboy and Millerd . I was lucky indeed but dare I say it I would swap this find for a Red or Blue Underwing (Clifden nonpareil) ……… OK … maybe for both. I have three recent independent reports from friends and colleagues who have seen either one or both, Neither are turning up in my garden to light and sugaring hasn’t worked either. Just this morning a work colleague showed me a Clifden on her mobile but got her friend to shoo it away because she was scared of moths .

Back in 2013 there was a large influx of Long-tailed blues with a hotspot at the cement works at Upper Beeding near Shoreham. I turned up with quite a few other ‘butterfly twitchers’ for a long day stake-out and needless to say didn’t see any . Disappointed from a fruitless ‘wasted’ drive I put the moth trap out when I got back home and the next morning had a Death’s head Hawk-moth . It’s the way these things work out sometimes …

The house directly opposite where I live is due to be condemned as part of a redevelopment scheme for the area. The is a drive bordered by overgrown grass verges which has some everlasting pea. The pea flower is good for pulling in butterflies, Brimstones in particular and Hedge Browns. I never thought to check it for LTB larvae though .

This location is about half a mile from where I saw the butterfly.

[David M]

Great find, Phil. With favourable winds of late we may get a few more coming over, although as others have mentioned, your individual may well be 'home-grown'.

[Philzoid]

Well, no sooner after opening my mouth guess what comes along .. half of the moth duo that I was lamenting after ..... Catocala fraxini, the Clifden Nonpareil or Blue Underwing . I have been moth trapping in my garden since 2012 and this is my 4th Clifden. I have never had its commoner cousin, the Red Underwing, so on this great but not full showing, the LTB wins hands down .

The first closed wing shot was taken after 02:00. Us “moth-thers” are ultra-dedicated (or maybe a little mad ) To get a decent photograph I had to bring it indoors (the trap light affected the colour balance), and to do this I had to use a pint beer glass to avoid damaging the huge Moth’s wings when taking it off the garden fence.

Sightings of Clifden Nonpareil were considered to be those of immigrants but it is now thought to be resident and increasing in numbers. I would certainly say that based on the number of people I know who have found it (all based in the South East admittedly). As for the Long-tailed Blue(?),.. despite being classed as a rare migrant maybe it will become maybe it will become the next butterfly to establish itself in the UK

Phil

[Francis Kelly]

Long-tailed Blue very interesting.
Please add to iRecord.
Francis Kelly

[millerd]

As for the Long-tailed Blue(?),.. despite being classed as a rare migrant maybe it will become maybe it will become the next butterfly to establish itself in the UK
Phil

Congratulations are due once again Phil for finding that magnificent moth!

As far as the LTB is concerned, it is unfortunately very unlikely to establish itself in the UK as it cannot survive our winters in any stage of its life cycle. It is continuously brooded, does not hibernate and migrates north with warmer weather and retreats south again as the warmth disappears. Its status here may well change however, from "rare migrant" to "regular migrant" (like the Painted Lady, which also cannot survive our winters), if it hasn't done so already considering its frequent recent appearances.

Cheers,

Dave

[Neil Hulme]

Your summary is spot-on Dave; that's exactly how I see it. In my world, I recognise 61 resident and regularly occurring migrant species, now that we have Large Tortoiseshell back.

The cold, droughted spring this year extended far south into mainland Europe, so I only expect the odd one to reach our shores this season. If we do get a late season influx, there won't be time to generate a UK brood. In the recent years of plenty we saw a wave of primary immigrants from early August onward.

BWs, Neil

[David M]

The cold, droughted spring this year extended far south into mainland Europe, so I only expect the odd one to reach our shores this season. If we do get a late season influx, there won't be time to generate a UK brood. In the recent years of plenty we saw a wave of primary immigrants from early August onward.

The fact that they're making it at all in unfavourable seasons is indicative of the fact that we can almost expect them every year these days.

We even had them in Wales a couple of years ago so roll on the next 'big' migration.