November 2021

[David M]

...a total of eleven butterflies of four species, and the November species tally here is now up to seven.

Remarkable!! Given the continuing mild weather you could improve on that in the coming week or so, Dave.

[David M]

Thursday 4th - Lower Kilvey Hill, Swansea - an unexpected Speckled Wood which, sadly, flew through the woodland before I could get an image, two Red Admirals and a surprise male Brimstone, the first I've ever seen in November:

[Greenie]

Blue sky and warm sunshine drew me to a look around Hayes Common this morning .
Just before 11 o'clock , I stopped to pay my respects , and almost immediately was joined by a male Brimstone ,
charging around to begin with , then settling on a gorse stem just a few feet away from me .

Just before getting back to the car , another , or the same male , flew past me .
Like David in the previous post , I don't recall a November sighting before .

[millerd]

...a total of eleven butterflies of four species, and the November species tally here is now up to seven.

Remarkable!! Given the continuing mild weather you could improve on that in the coming week or so, Dave.

Once the fog had cleared this morning, David, I had hopes - but the fog was replaced by persistent cloud after only an hour or so. I'm distinctly envious of both your and Greenie's Brimstones as I haven't seen one this month.

During that short window of sunshine today, I managed to find a couple of Red Admirals...

...and one more Peacock flying in the same general area as the others seen during October and November.

I counted at least a dozen different types of wild flowers still in bloom here today, so there is currently no shortage of nectar for any hopeful butterflies. This included a bit of birds' foot trefoil which must be flowering for the third time this year.

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

Looks more like September than November, Dave. You really do seem to have a different climate there at this time of year!

[David M]

Thursday 4th - Limeslade Bay, near Mumbles, Gower - 2 Red Admirals and a surprise Painted Lady seen nectaring on the hebe by the coast:

[millerd]

Looks more like September than November, Dave. You really do seem to have a different climate there at this time of year!

The southeast generally seems to be having a balmy interlude, David, and Heathrow is still notching up the highest temperatures from time to time. I don't complain, you may notice - though fewer clouds would be even better!

More unseasonal happenings today (12th). I found the same Peacock as yesterday again, making the most of the apparently everlasting ragwort.

I also saw two Red Admirals, one an individual in fast flight, but the second was a relatively fresh-looking bialbata female. And I know for certain that it was a female... She was basking low down when I spotted her...

...and then hopped from nettle to nettle before basking again.

I then looked more closely at one of the shots, and spotted a tiny dot on the nettle behind her.

I hadn't been focussed on this bit at all, but enlargement shows it was indeed an egg.

Watching the butterfly more closely now, I managed to just about catch her in the act of laying before she moved on.

Examination of the fresh low growth of nettles in this area revealed several eggs - this is the best shot I could get.

Always something new... Uncommon, but far from unheard of for November.

Cheers,

Dave

[millerd]

Today (16th) saw the first glimpse of the sun here near Heathrow since Friday, in a brief spell between the fog clearing and yet another bank of overcast moving in from the northwest. It was completely calm, but still below 10 degrees - but the sun was enough to mobilise a selection of Red Admirals. I saw five altogether: two basking low down, especially where the dead leaves no doubt warm things up that bit more...

...and the other three all up at the top of one of the patches of ivy where presumably the combination of sun and available nectar hits a sweet spot. However, this made them rather difficult to photograph.

Much more of a surprise was finding yet another Peacock flat on a bit of path close to where the other recent sightings of the species had been.

It looked as if its hindwings had not properly inflated when emerging, though otherwise appeared new - another second brooder? Hopefully it will find be able to feed up at least a little in the coming mild days (especially tomorrow when more sunshine is currently forecast).

Cheers,

Dave

(Edit: Looking more closely, I think that Peacock has actually been the victim of a severe attack to its hindwings, rather than any underdevelopment.)

[essexbuzzard]

Couple of Red Admiral enjoying the morning sunshine in Essex today.

[Matsukaze]

A Red Admiral continuing to enjoy sunny spells in our Somerset garden until 13 November, which is the last time the weather here has been suitable for butterflies. This is probably as late as I can remember seeing the species here.

[millerd]

The predicted sunshine materialised today (17th) and by lunchtime it was very pleasant for the time of year. The four Red Admirals I saw on my local patch were predictable enough...

...and included a relatively unblemished male that constantly interrupted his basking to chase falling leaves.

However, I also found the butterfly I love to see, but really wish I didn't at this late stage of the season - could she have not waited until Spring? Unfortunately I was unable to get all that close, but I could see she was very fresh.

Very much a November species hereabouts.

Cheers,

Dave

[Vince Massimo]

A reliable hot-spot for late sightings in Crawley produced a Red Admiral and a Speckled Wood at 11.45 today. There was some interaction between them, but both stayed high. Later, another Red Admiral nearby.

Vince

[David M]

Goodness me...a Holly Blue & a Speckled Wood on the wing in the second half of November!

Been lovely in south Wales today too, but I only saw a solitary Red Admiral in two hours of searching.

[millerd]

The sunshine this morning brought forth just four Red Admirals today on my local patch, all within a few hundred metres of home. The way this autumn has gone, expectations have changed somewhat! In years past, a Red Admiral on 18th November would be a real bonus.

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

...expectations have changed somewhat! In years past, a Red Admiral on 18th November would be a real bonus.

Indeed, Dave. This November has been remarkable as regards late season butterflies. I've never seen so many personally and I'm in a part of the country where the cloud has been stubborn to lift! It'll be interesting to see what happens from Sunday when temperatures are expected to dip down into single figures.

[millerd]

It'll be interesting to see what happens from Sunday when temperatures are expected to dip down into single figures.

Well, temperatures did indeed dip yesterday, and in my neck of the woods there was little of the compensatory sunshine promised. However, today (22nd) the sun shone all day, and the importance of solar radiation over air temperature brought dividends. In temperatures only in high single figures, I soon found a Red Admiral on a dandelion.

Most frustratingly, before I could get any closer, I was bounced by an over-friendly dog doing its best Tigger impression and the butterfly flew off. At least this particular canine wasn't aggressive - just annoying.

Luckily, a bit later I came across another Red Admiral looking for all the world as if it was snuggling down into a nest of autumn leaves - no doubt it was a particularly warm nook. I managed a few shots this time before another dog disturbed things; this one was by no means as friendly and had to be restrained. No doubt being told it was a "naughty boy" in a sing-song voice will prevent it from growling at people in the future...

Here's the butterfly.

Finally, at the risk of repeating a phrase for the umpteenth time this month, there was one surprise remaining. For once, the autumn leaf in the ivy masquerading as a butterfly was actually what hope insisted it should be - a Comma. This was the first I'd seen since mid-October, and it became the eighth different species I've seen on my local patch this month. It has had at least one lucky escape in its life - there is a prominent beak mark on its left forewing as well as a chunk missing from the hindwing on the same side.

Frosty nights are now forecast and even colder weather towards the end of the week...

Cheers,

Dave

[Stevieb]

Two Peacocks and a Comma this lunchtime. Bewley Common, Wiltshire

22nd November

22nd November

[Vince Massimo]

My local butterfly hot spot in Crawley produced a surprising 3 Speckled Woods at 12.30 today.

Site looking north - Crawley, Sussex 23-Nov-2021

The first (a male) was seen high up, but then came down and led me to a female.

Female and Male 1 - Crawley, Sussex 23-Nov-2021

Female and Male 1 - Crawley, Sussex 23-Nov-2021

They then both flew off together and a male returned shortly afterwards, but this turned out to be a different one.

Male 2 - Crawley, Sussex 23-Nov-2021

The temperature was approximately 9C and wind was calm in this sheltered spot.
This beats my latest sighting of 22nd November for this species, which was at the same spot in 2007.

Vince

[millerd]

They are lovely and fresh as well, Vince - amazing to see at this time of year.

(I see they have managed to geolocate themselves very precisely as well to ensure accurate sighting data... )

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

Two Peacocks and a Comma this lunchtime. Bewley Common, Wiltshire

Amazing! Those two at this time of year are precious sightings, Steve.