millerd

[millerd]

The spell of good weather continued on Saturday 11th September and what was intended as a routine morning walk on my local patch ended up with me taking over 200 photos. I was actually only out for about two hours, but a selection of newly emerged butterflies of several species kept me much busier than I had expected.

There had already been hints that this year's hibernation-bound Commas were going to be more numerous than usual. Despite good weather in September 2020, I had only seen a couple during the whole of the month, but this year there had already been a September day with double figures. Today went further with an amazing 24 individual butterflies seen during the two hours I was out. It was almost impossible to scan the brambles without seeing at least two or three of them, and they were turning up in more open areas as well. With such largesse, there was naturally some variation.

Speckled Woods were also becoming more numerous, and today I came across some very fresh ones indeed. I spotted two basking fairly close together - not a common sight. It turned out that these were a male and a female as well, completely ignoring each other. A closer look revealed that both butterflies had the blotchy look that is sometimes seen immediately after emergence - hence their inactive pose.

male (l); female (r)

male

male

female

female

Later in the walk I found another new male.

As well as Commas, Red Admiral numbers were starting to pick up - the lushness of the nettles this year must be a factor.

After the puddling male Holly Blue the day before, I found a new female, but she was a bit coy about opening up.

Later on, however, I found another new male who was much more obliging.

Its newness was demonstrated when it expelled a drop of meconium...

...and then another.

I really never tire of fresh Holly Blues.

An unexpectedly full morning.

Dave

[millerd]

For the afternoon of 11th September, I decided to have a last look at Chobham Common for the year and see what was left of the Graylings. Most of my visits here have been under cool and cloudy conditions, so today's warm sunshine felt a bit strange.

I started off by finding a variety of insects of a non-butterfly nature. A fox moth caterpillar...

...a handsome grasshopper...

...and a very strange beetle which I didn't recognise at all.

The first butterfly I encountered was a bit of a surpise - a very worn female Gatekeeper.

This is by far the latest I have ever seen this species anywhere.

There turned out to be plenty of Graylings, but every one of them was looking rather shabby: worn, torn and almost transparent in many cases.

However they still had life in them and there were plenty of chases of females by males...

...some even resulting in courtship behaviour.

This last shot rather sums up the Grayling world...

Dave

[bugboy]

Hi Dave, your beetle is not what it seems. It's actually a Velvet Ant, Mutilla europaea, more specifically a female, the male being fully winged and is in fact a type of parasitoid wasp, using Bumblebees as it's larval food source. I've seen them there before, not particularly common in the UK and mostly confined to lowland heaths.

[millerd]

Many thanks for the ID, Bugboy. So - what looks like a beetle is in fact a parasitoid wasp going by the name of an ant. Confusing... Will you be telling me that the grasshopper is actually an exotic locust (or wouldn't that be cricket? ).

Moving on...

Another fine morning on Sunday 12th September, and I elected today to attempt one of my periodic butterfly counts on my local patch. It was a good choice as I notched up what turned out to be the highest species count for the month (13) and the highest overall number of individual butterflies (108). The tally looked like this:

Small White 27
Comma 16
Red Admiral 15
Common Blue 14
Small Heath 13
Speckled Wood 7
Meadow Brown 5
Brown Argus 4
Large White 2
GVW 2
Painted Lady 1
Holly Blue 1
Small Copper 1

I did take the odd photo, mostly of the Commas which once again put on a great display.

One that was indulging in typical fashion on the blackberries initially made me do a double take - a Comma with five wings?

However, the second previously hidden butterfly then came into view.

In one respect (though I had no idea at the time) this turned out to be a significant day. I appears that this was the first sighting of the Small Copper that then remained on its particular territory for the next five and a bit weeks. As the subsequent days go by in this diary, there will be regular shots of what I am confident is the same individual butterfly. Here it is when I first photographed it.

It would good to have an estimate of its age at this point - it is not just emerged that day certainly and I'm guessing at about two or even three days old from others I've encountered.

The Life and Times of a Small Copper now begin...

Dave

[millerd]

With things becoming increasingly limited as the season ran slowly down, the continuing summery weather seemed a tad ironic. For the afternoon of Sunday 12th, I went once again to Denbies - for at least a walk in pleasant countryside, a cup of decent coffee from the van, and maybe some surprise or two among the few remaining butterflies.

Generally speaking, everything here was getting thoroughly worn - even the ubiquitous and still quite numerous Meadow Browns were no longer perfect...

...plus a Small Heath or two...

...and even a few Silver-Spotted Skippers.

A male Adonis in reasonable condition cheered things up a bit...

...and I found a decent female too.

However, the surprise sighting this afternoon was a female Chalkhill Blue, a particularly resplendent blue example - though not particularly fresh.

Worth the trip for that alone...

Dave

[Wurzel]

Great set of posts Dave I was thinking that was a Velvet Ant but Bugboy beat me to the ID...only by 2 days mind That was a late Hedgie but then a lot of stuff seems to have lasted the distance this year - was that because the summer wasn't particularly good? That female Chalkhill Blue is stunning, I've never seen one as well marked as that

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[millerd]

Cheers, Wurzel! Overall, it's been an odd kind of season - some of the species have kept to schedule, some have been early, some have been late, and some have had very stretched out seasons. Very unpredictable weather too - full analysis would be mighty complicated.

Monday 13th September was yet another warm (22 degrees) day, but with pretty well no actual sunshine. Nevertheless. even at this time of year brightness means butterflies so I had another walk around my local patch. Even going out here pretty well daily seems to bring something new each time, and new butterflies in mid-September often mean third broods.

A case in point was this perfect male Brown Argus; conditions were ideal to induce it to bask with wings fully open.

There was also a bright new female Small Copper, in a completely different part of the site from where the one I'd seen yesterday had appeared.

Even this Small Heath looked fluffy and fresh...

...but by contrast the still quite numerous second brood Common Blues were looking worn - in this case see-through.

The last few Meadow Browns were a little better.

Two Painted Ladies appeared today, one nectaring on ivy and one on buddleia, fuelling up for the journey south. Neither was within easy reach of the camera.

Then there were the Commas. They seemed to be still emerging...

...but those already out had discovered the fermenting blackberries in a big way.

(In fact, a vague fruity alcoholic smell pervaded all the areas with brambles, and if I could detect it, I'm sure the butterflies could too.)

Tuesday 14th was similar but less bright and cooler; I also had other things to do for once, but to maintain the long run of butterfly days stretching back to the end of July, I (just!) managed to spot and photograph a single Red Admiral hopefully waiting for some sunshine on the buddleia.

Dave

[millerd]

Wednesday 15th September heralded the start of another warmer spell and temperatures edged towards the mid-20s. As my local patch was proving as productive as anywhere else, I headed out in the morning again. Highlights included some newer-looking male Common Blues. The second and third broods of this species tend to overlap in September, so it's difficult to judge to which they belonged.

A female Meadow Brown posed rather well...

...as did a GVW.

There were quite a few Commas around again, and I amused myself by trying to achieve slightly more unusual views of these.

underside, showing the green spots

oblique view

dappled shade

The gradually increasing numbers of Red Admirals as ever furnished good subject matter.

I also found another very new female Small Copper.

Today's individual was on the edge of the territory still occupied by the male first seen on 12th.

I didn't see any interaction while I was there, but as passing females are what the males are patrolling to find, it seems likely that there would have been an encounter.

The final highlight was something I think I've only seen once before (about ten years ago at Noar Hill if I remember aright). I spotted a Speckled Wood sitting at a strange angle low on some nettles.

Looking a bit more closely, I realised that in fact what I'd found was a mating pair. I took a selection of shots from different angles, and by the end the sun had fallen on the pair too, altogether creating a mix of colour variations. The female was very new, and demonstrated the unusual purple colour on the hindwing seen in some fresh females at this time of year.

Once again, something different turns up when you're not expecting it.

Dave

[millerd]

With some time left in the afternoon of 15th, I paid a final visit for the year to Aston Rowant. There really wasn't much to see, though a few Small Coppers brightened things up a bit. My impression over several years is that the Coppers on this site are particularly dark - as in a deep reddish-orange rather than the brighter more golden orange seen elsewhere. Fresh ones can look really quite red.

However, most of the butterflies seen were on their way out. Adonis Blues...

...and Silver-spotted Skippers.

I initially thought I'd found a newer female Adonis, but in fact it was a female Common Blue.

Last of all was this splendid caterpillar - another Fox Moth I believe, the third of these I've stumbled across in various places this year.

Aside from these highlights, there were very worn examples of Brown Argus, Common Blue, Small Heath and Meadow Brown, but I was surprised not to see any Whites or Nymphalid hibernators. There's far more to see at home at the moment...

Dave

[trevor]

Congrats.for the mating Speckled Woods Dave.
Something rarely seen despite being a common species.
Although I've seen the female faking a headache several times.

Well captured, stay well,
Trevor.

[Maximus]

Yes, I second Trevors congrats, Dave I've never encountered Speckled Woods mating, ever

[millerd]

Thank you Trevor and Mike! It was only afterwards that I realised it had been at least ten years since the last time I'd seen a Speckled Wood pairing. On that occasion, the butterflies concerned had dropped out of a tree onto the path in front of me, and I suspect from the initial awkward posture of the female this time that something similar mght have happened. Certainly after I had taken the photos, the female took charge (as female Satyrids tend to do in these circumstances) and flew well up into a willow with the male in tow.

Thursday 16th September was truly summery, with lots of sunshine and temperatures now in the mid-20s. The cloudy skies of August became a hazy memory... I had another look at Denbies in the morning (the coffee van is there on Thursdays too!), but things really were very sparse now. Some worn Chalkhills hung on (unlike at Aston Rowant)...

...and Adonis too...

or is she a Common Blue?

...but no Silver Spots that I could find.

I came across a Small Heath nectaring, and as sometimes happens in these circumstances it was flicking its wings open from time to time. I tried to get some shots of this - with only a very limited degree of success.

Always worth a try!

It seemed all wrong to walk across these slopes in glorious warm sunshine and seen hardly any butterflies, but that was pretty well it.

Dave

[millerd]

The days were getting noticeably shorter, and there was far less time left in the afternoon when I returned home than I had expected - and the sun was lower too of course. Nevertheless, for the rest of 16th September I again wandered around my local patch. A selection - the photos really highlight just how much yellow there is in late afternoon sunlight.

shortly to become the commonest sight each day...

In addition, there were a couple of Small Coppers. This one...

...and the one I had started to see on most local trips out. It was identifiable at this stage of its life by having five blue spots on each hindwing and some paler orange streaks along the tops of the forewings.

An underside of the same butterfly.

Dave

[bugboy]

Well done finding those mating Specklies. I've only come across 2 pairs, unlike the other common Satyrids which I stumble acroos in cop quite regularly.
I'll vote for a Common Blue for that female blue.

[millerd]

It was a lucky event to witness, Buggy! From what I've seen (not really very much!) I suspect that they pair up in the trees, out of sight, as I believe Red Admirals do.

Another Satyrid pairing coming up, though one I've seen a few times despite always having to seek out the species in definite locations.

With another fine warm day forecast, on Friday 17th September I went down to the Sussex coast, specifically High & Over - to seek out third brood Wall Browns. There was a bit of low cloud blowing in off the sea, but walking down to the steps and the viewpoint I was greeted by several Speckled Woods...

a nice new female

...and Red Admirals were all over the ivy.

However, I soon found what I'd hoped to see. There were three or four male Walls patrolling the steps, the path above them and the hedgeline below.

As I walked futher along the side of the hedge, something slightly brighter caught my eye - a female Wall. However, looking more closely I could see that this was in fact a mating pair. The female looked completely new, and persistently kept her wings wide as if perhaps still drying them. The male remained almost completely passive throughout, the energy expended in discovering this female seeming to be his lot for the day.

When the sun came through a bit more strongly, the female took the pair off down the hillside.

Conscious of the time I'd spent with these two butterflies, I returned to the steps where several males were starting to bask in typical fashion. However, I was rudely interrupted by a trio of unrestrained small dogs, yapping loudly and snapping at my legs. Eventually their owners appeared, making no attempt to rein them in, so I asked whether they would please control their animals. I was met with an absolute torrent of foul language, the like of which I haven't heard for a while. Apparently the incident was entirely my fault for standing still... A sour taste in my mouth, the visit somewhat spoiled, I headed back to the car with the fading sound of abuse continuing in the distance.

Dave

[millerd]

17th September (continued)

I now headed back westwards all the way along to Shoreham, and specifically down to the harbour at Southwick for what I hoped would be an afternoon with a few Clouded Yellows. No disappointment here - there were several patrolling the length of the site, and as the afternoon wore on they became more and more inclined to stop and nectar. The odd cloud here and there helped a bit too. I think the photos show three individual butterflies.

In the end, a very successful day despite the brief unfortunate moment at High & Over.

Dave

[bugboy]

I just posted my trip to Southwick from 2 days previous to yours, and a quick look shows we definitely share at least one male. I found your last one enjoying Buddleja on my visit.

[Wurzel]

Congrats on the Specklies and THEN Walls in cop DAVE Those Cloudies are stunning as well, nothing cloudy about them to be honest and actually very bright

"Apparently the incident was entirely my fault for standing still..." It never fails to amaze me that some dog owners manage to turn things around onto the victim so efficiently and then you say half a word and a barrage of insults ensues. The two most annoying things are that it's not the animals fault and this sort of owner ends up bringing responsilbe owners into disrepute

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[millerd]

Yes, Bugboy - individual Cloudies can generally be identified by their hindwing central spots, which are almost like fingerprints. Useful for tracking from day to day, or even week to week, as they seem to live a while.

Cheers, Wurzel, it was a particularly good spell with those two pairings and the vibrant Clouded Yellows as well. The less said about that dog-owner the better, really. Its a pity it's not the first time something like this has happened.

The following day, Saturday 18th September, turned out to be the last day this year that 25 degrees would be reached hereabouts, and though not as sunny today and noticeably windier, there was still plenty flying on my local patch. Following the Cloudies on the Sussex coast, the first one this year for this location zipped past me, looped around once and set off into the distance. No chance of a photo: it didn't reappear and remained the sole example here for 2021. Nothing else of particular note showed up and I amused myself spotting female Common Blues and sorting them from the odd Brown Argus.

Commas remained good value...

...and the autumn burgeoning of the Red Admiral population was definitely underway with 17 counted.

Plus some Small Coppers of course...

...including the one I've been following.

Today's moth bonus was the dark version of the notorious Box Tree Moth, here admiring the handiwork of itself and fellow caterpillars from earlier in the year.

Dave

[millerd]

Sunday 19th September proved to be a considerable contrast - sunless and cheerless and quite a bit cooler. It was possible to find butterflies, but it took a bit of looking to discover these three roosting individuals. The only point of interest really was that this was the last Meadow Brown I've seen on my local patch this year. Even in their best years here, they never seem to make it into October.

Dave