October 2021

[Matsukaze]

Red Admirals, the occasional Comma and a handful of whites still about here in Somerset. The highlight though was going looking for moths on ivy this evening with a UVA torch, and finding a Holly Blue larva glowing in the dark quite spectacularly.

[Vince Massimo]

On 6th October, a walk along the promenade at Lancing on the Sussex coast and then parts of the east and west banks of the River Adur produced 36 Red Admirals, mainly on ivy. Also 1 Peacock, 15 Small White and 1 Large White.

Red Admiral - Lancing, Sussex 6-Oct-2021

A bonus was a female Clouded Yellow on my garden Buddleia and a glorious sunset later.

Clouded Yellow - Lancing, Sussex 6-Oct-2021

Lancing, Sussex 6-Oct-2021

Vince

[Padfield]

I rescued some wild wall rocket last month from the vegetable beds before our gardener dug them and prepared them for next year. I had no idea how many tiny cats or eggs were on them but I didn't want them going on the compost or in the green bin. It turns out I have at least 15 small white cats, which are now pupating before my eyes. The lower one here pupated a week ago and the upper one yesterday:



This photo was taken before I taught a maths lesson today:



After the lesson the upper one had pupated:



Our gardener actually cleared the vegetable beds yesterday. I rescued the remaining wild wall rockets to use as supplies for the remaining cats and noticed that there were no cats left in the wild, nor any signs of recent eating on these plants. In the wild, birds feed up on these cats and very few actually make it to pupation. In my cage, they all seemed to survive.

Guy

[zigzag_wanderer]

I can't compete with Vince's beautiful West Sussex sunset but I did stop to take a quick snap of the sun rising on my way to work on Wednesday.

Last Friday on a short break near Cheddar Gorge, I saw what must be a Pale Tussock moth caterpillar even though the red "unicorn horn" at the rear end seems to be missing.

The dock bug looked like it had gold-leaf panel in Wednesday's 2pm autumn sun.

Today's numbers locally: 7 Comma, 6 Small Copper, 3 Speckled Wood, 1 Small White. Also a caddisfly .... now that aeshna has pointed them out to me I'm seeing them fairly regularly.

[Charles Nicol]

back to the Chilterns today... perfect for walking.

i parked at Sharpenhoe Clappers and headed West to the Sundon Hills.

there are still a few Red Admirals around, also saw a Comma, a Brimstone and a Peacock.

any idea what this pretty bird might be ?

Charles

[millerd]

Inspired by Vince's photos of the Sussex coast, I headed down to Southwick near Shoreham today once the fog had lifted. Shoreham appeared to be gridlocked today because of something blocking the westbound A27, but I guessed my way through the backstreets to reach the favoured site by the harbour. It was warm, sunny and there was not a breath of wind - a day belonging to August (perhaps not the latest one though... ) rather than mid-October. There were perhaps half-a-dozen Clouded Yellows flying, one of which was a helice female, which drew the attention of several of the males and didn't pause for a moment as a consequence. She was last seen heading up to the top of the bank with two of these in hot pursuit. Some of the others were prepared to pose, however...

...and I caught a couple as they took flight.

Also seen down in this remarkable sheltered spot: Red Admirals, Commas, Peacocks, Large Whites, Small Whites and Common Blues. One of the latter was a striking blue female.

One of the Commas posed rather well too.

There's still some life in the season if you pick the right spot...

Cheers,

Dave

[Matsukaze]

Small White and male Brimstone flying through the garden today.

[Greenie]

back to the Chilterns today... perfect for walking.

i parked at Sharpenhoe Clappers and headed West to the Sundon Hills.

there are still a few Red Admirals around, also saw a Comma, a Brimstone and a Peacock.

any idea what this pretty bird might be ?

51570197099_f6dd605c96_c.jpg

Charles

Your bird is a male Stonechat .

Greenie

[David M]

..There were perhaps half-a-dozen Clouded Yellows flying, one of which was a helice female...

Good to see there are still a few about, Dave. This hasn't been the greatest autumn for migrants but there's still life in the season yet.

[Charles Nicol]

back to the Chilterns today... perfect for walking.

i parked at Sharpenhoe Clappers and headed West to the Sundon Hills.

there are still a few Red Admirals around, also saw a Comma, a Brimstone and a Peacock.

any idea what this pretty bird might be ?

51570197099_f6dd605c96_c.jpg

Charles

Your bird is a male Stonechat .

Greenie

thanks for your help with my bird Greenie

[millerd]

From around midday, it was sunny and still warm on my local patch today. The sighting of the day was a newly-emerged third brood male Common Blue.

The downside for this individual was that he had appeared right in the middle of the territory still commanded by the venerable Small Copper I've been following for some while. This led to several scraps and chases while I was there, and no doubt they continued later.

If this carries on, the Copper will quickly use up what little must remain of his energy reserves - he must be close to being a month old now - though he had enough oomph left to enjoy a bit of inverted stalk dancing as well as pestering the Common Blue.

Red Admiral behaviour had changed today with the change of wind direction. There were far fewer nectaring on the ivy, and I saw several flying southwards at speed over open ground: I imagine these may be migrating south to Europe with the benefit of wind assistance. I also spotted two or three worn individuals skulking around in the nettles, which I suspect could well have been egg-laying.

I shall be watching out for more of this behaviour over any coming fine days.

Also seen: Small Whites, a Comma and a Holly Blue.

The season continues. It doesn't feel very autumnal (yet) as there are still lots of wildflowers blooming, and the trees remain largely green. Some chillier nights lie ahead, which may well provoke a change.

Cheers,

Dave

[Deborah]

More of a question than sightings... I have seen, suddenly, more than 10 Male Brimstones in one day after seeing none at all.
A couple were feeding on Verbena bonariensis , but the rest were skulking/exploring/hesitating over all sorts of vegetation... Ivy, nettles, brambles.
Is this some kind of mass emergence for winter hibernation? And will the females follow suit a bit later?

[millerd]

...more than 10 Male Brimstones in one day after seeing none at all...
...Is this some kind of mass emergence for winter hibernation? And will the females follow suit a bit later?

I'm guessing that the recent warm sunny weather (which I think has if anything been warmer and sunnier in northwest France than southeast England) has woken up Brimstones that had gone into hibernation a while ago. There have been sightings in the UK too recently. Males emerge first from hibernation, so are probably more easily disturbed from slumber than females - hence your male-only sightings. It looks like the energy lost in waking up and being active will be replaced by their enthusiastic nectaring on the verbena. Nature seems to ensure this equation works out!

Cheers,

Dave

[millerd]

A further spell of fairly warm sunshine in the middle of the day today (12th) brought out some more new butterflies on my local patch. Though the numbers of Red Admirals are diminishing, there are still fresh-looking ones joining the party.

The others were surprises - firstly came a brand new brilliantly shining orange female Small Copper.

This was followed by a newly-emerged Peacock (likely the result of a second brood so I shall be on the lookout for a few more this week). This striking individual had the additional blue hindwing spots that qualify it as ab. diopthalmica

The Small Copper had appeared right in the middle of the territory occupied by the Ancient One, but during the time I was there, he hadn't spotted her and was still chasing the Common Blue from yesterday. This latter butterfly briefly presented an underside view today. The orange lunules are pale but not yellow enough to be ab. flavescens - a variety that appears round here not uncommonly.

On the subject of the long-lived Small Copper, here is a view of what I am fairly certain is the same individual taken on 12th September...

...and one from today, 30 days later.

I will work my way backwards through photos to this date to 100% confirm - and then look further back as he looks a few days old in that shot. I'll post my findings in a separate thread - I'll be interested to know if anyone else has tracked individual butterflies of this (or any other) species for such a long time.

Cheers,

Dave

[bugboy]

will work my way backwards through photos to this date to 100% confirm - and then look further back as he looks a few days old in that shot. I'll post my findings in a separate thread - I'll be interested to know if anyone else has tracked individual butterflies of this (or any other) species for such a long time.

Cheers,

Dave

I seem to remember Hoggers following one down at Dungeness for several weeks when he was posting regularly.

[David M]

...On the subject of the long-lived Small Copper, here is a view of what I am fairly certain is the same individual taken on 12th September...and one from today, 30 days later. I will work my way backwards through photos to this date to 100% confirm - and then look further back as he looks a few days old in that shot.

Certainly looks like the markings match up, Dave (albeit with the blue spots almost washed out). That line near the apex of the forewing isn't something one often sees.

Nice to know they can keep going for several weeks.

[Vince Massimo]

Quite sunny in Lancing today and I found 3 male Clouded Yellows at Widewater Lagoon. Two more were seen nearby, one being female. Totals for other species were 1 Large White, 19 Small White, 9 Red Admiral and 1 Peacock.

Peacock - Lancing, Sussex 13-October-2021

In the garden, 3 Small White larva remain on a favoured food plant (Hoary Cress) growing in the shingle. They do not seem to do well on my Sea-kale and I suspect that the local flock of House Sparrows is to blame.

Small White larva - Lancing, Sussex 13-Oct-2021

Earlier in the week there was a nice Small Copper feeding on ivy.

Small Copper - Lancing, Sussex 9-Oct-2021

Vince

[millerd]

Two different species seen locally to me today (as well as a certain Small Copper, his Common Blue chum, a Comma and a selection of Red Admirals). Neither was new: a worn Speckled Wood...

...and a less than fresh male Holly Blue (one of three seen today).

Every day there is something slightly different.

Cheers,

Dave

[millerd]

The slight difference today (14th) on my local patch near Heathrow was that the Holly Blue that appeared was much newer than yesterday's...

For comparison in a similar pose, the same Common Blue as recently appeared again...

...as did the Small Copper, now in at least its 33rd day.

Red Admirals must still be emerging if these two fresh examples are anything to go by.

The first has a huge abdomen, and I assume it must be an egg-laden female. The second is an understated example of a bialbata: a very common variety hereabouts.

Cheers,

Dave

[zigzag_wanderer]

Just done a bit of paparazzi style through-the-cat-flap snapping.

A roe doe giving the dogwood a go. I rather she sorted the bindweed out though.