Pauline

[bugboy]

Lots of Painted Lady's on the south coast today heading inland probably saw 20+. Might be a good year for them

[Wurzel]

Great to see so many Painted Ladies recorded on your diary already Pauline - hopefully it'll be their year this year
"How are they doing at Bentley? How are the SPBF doing there? I met someone recently who told me only 1 was seen there last season? " I saw one at the start of their season and another a fortnight later but there was a report of 8 in between that time including a pair in cop so you never know - fingers crossed

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Chris L]

Lots of Painted Lady's on the south coast today heading inland probably saw 20+. Might be a good year for them

I get news on the forum that lifts my spirits every day without fail. Painted Lady news, photos and optimism has done the trick there. Thank you Pauline Bugboy and Wurzel.

I have thought about starting a diary Pauline but I seem to be quite happy looking at the diary and photos of others. It helps with my L plate status. I also can't totally rule out the possibility of posting a photo of a 'Purple Emperor' that turns out to be a moth. I exaggerate perhaps but I can't eliminate the possibility of doing something that seriously embarrasses me.

[David M]

...You seem to have a fair few species round your way David and some fabulous locations if your photos are anything to go by. Fancy a house swap for a while? And if you could sort out next door's cats too that would be a bonus!

Great idea! I could go Emperoring to my heart's content whilst you could fill your boots with High Browns.

Cats would be dealt with!

[Pauline]

Seems like it Buggy. There was one at Noar Hill too yesterday.

Cheers Wurzel - I'm keeping my fingers crossed too.

That sounds just wonderful David - as long as you are prepared to spend 3 hours daily feeding and cleaning animals One of these days maybe .............perhaps UKButts should open a register of butterfliers who would commit to such a scheme and what their area has to offer

I have lost count of the number of times I have embarrassed myself on here Otep - usually regarding moth ID's. I may be about to do so again but Neil and others usually come to my rescue. Yesterday I had left the light on in the duck shed overnight and in the morning found a surprising number of moths in there. The first was this Fox moth:

Wouldn't it be wonderful if it was one of the ones I reared from eggs last year. Having read how difficult it was to over-winter this species I released all but 6 around the garden before the winter and was glad I did so as the 6 in captivity didn't survive sadly.

There were 8 of these which from memory are Pale Tussock:

and 2 of these which are some Prominent, Pale I think:

Lots more little ones. Perhaps that moth trap does need to come out once these thunder storms subside!

[Goldie M]

Hi! Pauline, I see you've also seen the Painted Ladies, you've posted some great shots lately,

I was wondering when they were seen flying in, in good numbers and seeing so many in the garden would the Cloudy Yellow do the same and land in the garden

I was looking at your shot of the Black Veined White, you took 15 years ago, it was super, do you think we'll see them here again? that would be great. Goldie

[Pauline]

Thank you M. That's an interesting question about the Black-veined White as I was told at the time that they used to fly at Stockbridge - sadly it was concluded they had been released. I have just looked at this info from BC which you might find interesting:

The UK’s changing climate means conditions may now be suitable for one of Sir Winston Churchill’s favourite butterflies, the Black-veined White, to return a study has revealed.

Climate change poses a huge threat for many of the UK species of butterfly but could provide the large and striking Black-veined White with an opportunity.

The butterfly became extinct in the UK in the mid-1920s after once being found across parts of southern England.

The Black-veined White was much-loved by former Prime Minister and butterfly enthusiast Churchill who attempted to release hundreds in the grounds of his Chartwell home in Kent in the mid-1940s, a practice that would be frowned upon today.

It is thought that one of the reasons behind the butterfly’s extinction in the UK was a period of climatic unsuitability including a series of wet autumns.

But studies have revealed that with climate change over recent decades, average climate conditions may be suitable for the Black-veined White in the UK once again, especially in the warmer parts of southern and eastern England.

Two recent studies in climatically similar parts of northern France found that the Black-veined White’s habitat requirements would be easy to recreate by creating field margins rich in nectar sources with a supply of regenerating scrub.

The results of the studies were revealed at Butterfly Conservation’s International Symposium in Southampton.

I have been concerned about the number of Dukes seen at Noar Hill this season but disillusioned with the management relating to the Brown Hairstreak I haven't visited very often this season. I would be interested in the opinion of any locals on numbers seen and comparisons with previous years - especially if anyone has actually counted them. There were still a few around yesterday - mostly worn but a couple of fresh individuals.

Small Blues were widespread across the site and one individual took a liking to my bag - I had a job to remove him:

[Wurzel]

Love the shot of your Hitch Hiker Pauline He seems to be chowing down cheerfully

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

Cheers Wurzel - they are so plentiful and widespread across the site I am not sure that all the work carried out for their benefit, but to the almost certain detriment of the BH, was strictly necessary.

At Old Winchester Hill yesterday afternoon I was pleased to see both male and female Adonis (and 2 Painted Ladies) flying. I wasn't sure if they would be as it is considered a late site. However, yet again, that strong breeze, even in the sheltered area at the bottom of the hill, meant most of my shots went in the bin. A few that escaped:

I disturbed a handful of Silver Y moths - the first I have seen this year. Tucked away in the undergrowth, they were also intent on making any photos a challenge:

Running late as usual, I managed to get from the very, very bottom to the car park in 6 mins. How fast can you do it?

PS. My first 3 ticks of the season came home with me - serves me right for wearing shorts!

[downland boy]

Hi Pauline, your 'Silver Y' is actually a Dewick's Plusia, an uncommon but regular immigrant to our shores.

[Pauline]

Thank you so much for that DB. See what I mean Otep????? If I'd realised it was something unusual I'd have taken a bit more care to get a better shot instead of just snatching a record shot. Mind you, probably would have picked up a few more ticks in the process - just taken another 2 off me!!!!!!

[Mark Tutton]

Hi Pauline
I haven’t been to Noar Hill this year so can’t comment on Duke numbers there, however there is a regular transect walked which should identify any trends. I have managed to count Dukes at least four other downland sites in Hants and my general view is that they are as much as 50% down on previous years - one site where I have had positive returns for the last eight years had a zero count, however I was only able to visit once? In contrast a small site I visit over the border in Sussex had a great return this year with nearly a 50% increase, and it seems the Hants woodland population at West Wood has done particularly well too.
The vagaries of butterfly population dynamics?
Kind Regards
Mark

[Pauline]

Thanks so much for this Mark. I confess I have serious concerns about that site which I hope prove to be unfounded. When I was there the other day there were a couple of guys from Wilts looking for (I think they said) a green variety of the Fly orchid. They said it was only recorded in 4 or 5 places in the country and apparently it now seemed to have disappeared from NH. They informed me that was probably because the area where it had been, had been allowed to get so overgrown. Now, I know nothing about orchids (apart from the fact you can buy them at Tesco ) but last season someone else told me that 3 rare orchids had been lost from the site - perhaps this Fly orchid was one of them? I know you are very knowledgeable about orchids including the ones on this site so I hope you can tell me they are talking rubbish. As you know I am very apprehensive about the BH here.

[Mark Tutton]

Hi Pauline
I have seen the green fly orchid in previous years but not on the last couple of occasions I have looked for it however I know it is prone to being nibbled by deer like the Violet Helliborines on the site. It always grew in a pretty overgrown area so I am not sure that this would be the reason for it to disappear ?
I am not sure which orchids have disappeared if I am honest the most uncommon ones ( not including Fly Orchid) I know of are Musk - which still occurs in its thousands, Frog - which have always had a tendency to fluctuate and are very difficult find anyway and Violet Helliborine of which there are only ever a handful. I have seen all these in the last 2/3 years.
I know there is a regularly walked Pollard transect for NH so that should throw up the necessary warnings for unusual fluctuations in most butterfly numbers but obviously BH is not routinely seen using the Pollard method. BH are usually monitored using a timed count, or egg surveys, and I am not sure if this is being done at NH? The county butterfly recorder might now?
Kind Regards

[Pauline]

Thanks for this Mark. As I have said I know nothing about orchids so I accept your explanations although I understand that it was some sort of orchid survey that threw up that data. As of last Autumn there was definitely no measurement of BH activity carried out. I was told that an egg count MIGHT be implemented but have had no confirmation as to whether this happened. However, I think the declining number of sightings of the butterfly in recent years, together with errors in management activity, speak volumes. I am sure you are aware that in other areas the BH had a good year last year but for several years now it has been a struggle to see them at NH which never used to be the case. Time will tell.

[Chris L]

Thank you so much for that DB. See what I mean Otep?????

Yep, I knew it was a Dewick's Plusia. An easy mistake to make Pauline.

I really like the Adonis photos. I have seen the grand total of 1 in my life. I successfully identified it in flight (and I am still dining out on that in my mind) and the knowledgeable chap that I was with chased after it, caught up with it where it had settled and confirmed its identity. I seriously need to enhance my association with the species.

My learning today (so far in this visit to the forum) is the fibre optics type look in the close up of the wings.

I must confess that I do worry about ticks. I am invariably out in my shorts and without repellant. I worry about not knowing I have one, such as it attaching itself to a place I can't see. I also worry about knowing I have one and not knowing how to get the blighter out.

[Allan.W.]

Hello Pauline ,
Just seen your post about Dewicks Plusia , a couple of years back i posted a little tale on here ,about finding a cocoon in our Kitchen ,which i kept and a Dewicks emerged from the said cocoon I think it was under "story of a moth " . Also interested in your Green Fly orchids ,we have a site locally
that generally holds two or three ,they really are quite striking ..............think i posted a shot some time ago on here .
Allan.W.

[Wurzel]

If the escapees are any thing to go by Pauline - the bin shots can't have been too bad, there are some real crackers there - the 1st, 2nd and 4th stand out in particular

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Impressive work with the Adonis Blues, Pauline.

Time to dispense with the shorts with all those ticks about though.

[Pauline]

I'm pleased you like my Adonis images Otep. They were hard to come by - location, weather, ticks etc. I have now taken 6 ticks off me but by the end of the season it can be in 3 figures and I am usually on antibiotics

Thanks for that Allan - do you think that they may be breeding here given that I have read they are double brooded (flying May and August) but usually appearing in the South East in August?

Cheers Wurzel - I would have liked to spend longer with them but it was not to be. Given that strong breeze I am not sure it would have made any difference to the results.

Love your comments David - don't have to think before I reply . Reckon you could be right about the shorts!!!!!

I am rarely out and about on Saturdays as it is my 'big muck-out day'. So today's images confined to the garden. First sightings were more moths in the duck shed and this one was by far the most interesting:

A lovely Poplar Hawk moth.

The next surprise came when I went to clean out a butterfly cage that has been zipped up and stored in my hen run all winter. A large White was sitting forlornly hanging onto the mesh. What a relief to be able to rescue him and what a mystery as to how he got there:

As I worked I watched a couple of Painted Ladies in the garden, both quite worn: