May 2022

[zigzag_wanderer]

Visited my local fields today. Dog walkers have found ways in, so I used their entrance.

Saw my first Large Skippers of the year, but only a couple of other butterflies - fresh Small Tort and a Red Admiral.

I *think* I saw a couple of Orange Conch. One was distinctly more yellow than orange though. I'll take the old Canon camera my brother has kindly donated to me next time as they were in a bramble patch and my point and click struggles when zooming more than a foot. The point and click is really handy when out on walks or at work though.

Loads of Straw Dot moths about, I did see a number of Mother Shipton in flight but not landed.

Images in order:
Large Skip,
Xanthogramma pedissequum (Pretty sure)
Not sure re. spider
Female White-legged damselfly
Common White Wave (pretty sure)
Moth larvae on bramble - not sure of the species
I think the next two are Orange Conch
Last one I'll plump for Plum Tortrix (which means it's probably Marbled Orchard).

Will miss this place so badly when it's turned into 130 houses.

[Trev Sawyer]

Hi Zigzag...
Your caterpillars are early instar Emperor moth caterpillars... They start off black with a little yellow/red on them and only get their green and black jerseys once they get into secondary school

[zigzag_wanderer]

Hi Zigzag...
Your caterpillars are early instar Emperor moth caterpillars... They start off black with a little yellow/red on them and only get their green and black jerseys once they get into secondary school

Excellent ! Thanks Trev. I spotted 2 or 3 groups of them dotted around the few bramble patches that remain in one of the three co-joined fields. I've never knowingly seen an adult Emperor moth, so it's great to know their larvae and the Orange Conch are less than 250 m from my house as the crow flies (I've just measured it on Google maps).

At least the Emperor larvae will have time to become adults assuming the developers leave these remaining briar patches alone for a bit which I think they will do.

70% of the 3 fields by area are due to be developed, so it's bad news for all the meadow species but as most of the ancient hedgerows and oaks are to remain then I hope the current substantial Brown and Purple Hairstreak colonies at least retain a foothold, despite development right up to them.

Probably curtains for the Orange Conch though.

[zigzag_wanderer]

Ah.....just checked.....Emperors overwinter as pupae.

Hmmmm.

The developers have to start developing by Autumn or else need to re-apply for planning permission again as their 3 years will be up.

Maybe I should relocate these cats ?

These are Friars Oak Fields in Hassocks (behind the Friars Oak pub). I've circled roughly where the bramble patches are with the cats, and the development plan, so these brambles may not see the year out !

The development of the golf course on the left is now much further on than shown in the Google map image and work has started on 500 new homes just a bit to the right (east) of the railway line.

We have a lot of bramble in a wild bit of the garden (well it's all fairly wild to be honest) and also on the railway embankment behind us. I could put them there but a). These areas are quite shady compared to their current exposed positions and b). There is a much higher density of garden birds around...we have a LOT of blue and great tit fledglings for instance.

So if I do relocate them I assume I'd be better off trying to find bramble patches in as similar locations to their current one as I can which aren't due for imminent development ? Such spots are becoming increasingly tricky to find in Mid Sussex !

Maybe Ditchling Common ?

[zigzag_wanderer]

T'mrs bought me a butterfly net which I haven't used, but I could even have a go at trapping the Orange Conch ?

I saw one here last June (which Allan kindly ID'd) so they obviously have a good relationship with the ragwort present in these fields.

I wouldn't really know the best place to release them though. Would need to be somewhere where ragwort patches are left unmolested but as they're pretty rare they probably need more criteria ticked than just that.

But maybe the other micros present are less fussy and I could trap as many of those as I can and release in suitably distant brambly areas.

As I type all this I'm thinking I should probably contact the Sussex moth group for advice, as my attempts at trapping micros might prove an unmitigated disaster !

[peterc]

Not much flying around this morning in the cool conditions at Norton Green, Stevenage but I saw a nice Speckled Wood (probably ab. punctata). Looks like a Dark Bush-cricket nymph in close proximity.

Speckled Wood Norton Green 29May22

ATB

Peter

[Rosalyn]

Monks Wood, Cambs. The first Black Hairstreak sightings were on 27th May at Monks Wood (Philib) and Brampton Wood (Roger Orbell). The weather was nice early on today, sunny but cool and breezy, but set to deteriorate over the course of the morning so I arrived 9am. I saw one perched up high but was pleasantly surprised to find a female low down. I have assumed she was drying her wings properly before flight. She stayed put for 3/4 of an hour.

[attachment=0]Black Hairstreak 158.jpg[/attachment
I even got a short video on my phone which is posted on the Cambs-Essex facebook page.

[zigzag_wanderer]

Nice photos Rosalyn. Ditchling Common near us will start getting a bit busier if the Black Hairstreak are out.

I went back into my local fields today. I saw a single Orange Conch around the bramble patches but was too slow trying to focus my brother's donated old camera to get a pic before it flew off ! So I reverted to my point and click.

I did spot a Blue-tailed Damselfly and a couple of Large Skippers. Also a different Conch moth....quite striking in its own way. It knew I was there.

I've included a snap of where they've punched through one of the old hedgerows, just to show how wide they are. They're basically two hedgerows in one.

[zigzag_wanderer]

Actually, looking closely at that last Conch - if the background colour was slightly more orange (or at least yellow) rather than off white then I'd probably convince meself it was an Orange Conch, since the middle "belt" does look like it could possibly have those embossed markings at regular intervals.

If anyone can say what species it is I'd be very grateful......because I think I've been looking at potential conchy moths so long it's doing my napper in !

The Little Conch Cochylis dubitana looked like a potential candidate but I'm not sure.

[Allan.W.]

Hi Zig-zag ,
looks like a very pale Orange Conch to me ,possibly well worn or maybe even Abberant ,you seem to have a good colony there ,haven,t seen any at my usual site as yet this season ,and have visited a few times ,i saw 3 different individuals almost a year to the day ,this site is now getting very difficult to get around ,and is becoming very overgrown ,hardly seen any Grizzles either far ,and as i,ve said no Orange Conch as yet..........but theres still time !

[Chris L]

Hi, Gang
The 'hairy knees' in the genus Pyrgus are erectile pencils of scent scales found in the males and are used for chemical communication during courtship.
Cheers, Ade

My learning of the day Ade and what a cracking factoid that is. Cheers ! As ever I shall say that casually in conversation as being my own knowledge.

I'd like to be a fly on the wall during your casual dropping of erectile pencils into conversation Otep..... particularly if the recipient was a tad hard of hearing

Ha, quality humour Zigzag ! Laugh secured in South Derbyshire.

[Chris L]

More new brood Small Tortoiseshells out on my local patch this morning.
Dave

Excellent news Dave and lovely photos. They will appear locally for me in about 2 weeks then. I look forward to it immensely. Actually, I will look forward to seeing anything to be brutally honest.

[zigzag_wanderer]

Hi Zig-zag ,
looks like a very pale Orange Conch to me ,possibly well worn or maybe even Abberant ,you seem to have a good colony there ,haven,t seen any at my usual site as yet this season ,and have visited a few times ,i saw 3 different individuals almost a year to the day ,this site is now getting very difficult to get around ,and is becoming very overgrown ,hardly seen any Grizzles either far ,and as i,ve said no Orange Conch as yet..........but theres still time !

Thanks very much as ever for your thoughts Allan. I was really struggling to find anything else that matched but a very pale Orange Conch would definitely fit the bill (Occam's razor and all that).

The second one I showed yesterday was more yellow than orange, so maybe I have the full gamut of ages and conditions....although abs would be nice to have of course !

It's just such a pity that where they are located is a ticking time-bomb for being dug up and concreted over.

The developer's report concluded there'd be a net biodiversity gain once development was complete

Fingers crossed for your sites. That very fresh Grizzly you showed gave me hope of seeing another few at work. I just wish I could safely transfer all my Orange Conches to your OC site....

We'll be spending the 10th-13th of June in a chalet at Camber Sands caravan site meeting up with pals (I know, I know...how the other half lives, eh ?) but I'm hoping we can find a bit of time to visit Dungeness. Would I be in with a sniff of seeing a Tree Sparrow near Camber ?

[Chris L]

Monks Wood, Cambs. The first Black Hairstreak sightings were on 27th May at Monks Wood (Philib) and Brampton Wood (Roger Orbell). The weather was nice early on today, sunny but cool and breezy, but set to deteriorate over the course of the morning so I arrived 9am. I saw one perched up high but was pleasantly surprised to find a female low down. I have assumed she was drying her wings properly before flight. She stayed put for 3/4 of an hour.
Black Hairstreak 101.jpg
Black Hairstreak 123.jpg
[attachment=0]Black Hairstreak 158.jpg[/attachment
I even got a short video on my phone which is posted on the Cambs-Essex facebook page.

Lovely photos Rosalyn and thank you for the PM and reminding me that I have a short window for this. It is a Lifer for me. Is Glapthorn Cow Pastures a good site?

[Allan.W.]

Hi Zig-zag ,
Bare with me ,and i,ll send you (PM) some info over the next few days . Allan.W.

[David M]

Monks Wood, Cambs. The first Black Hairstreak sightings were on 27th May at Monks Wood (Philib) and Brampton Wood (Roger Orbell). The weather was nice early on today, sunny but cool and breezy, but set to deteriorate over the course of the morning so I arrived 9am. I saw one perched up high but was pleasantly surprised to find a female low down. I have assumed she was drying her wings properly before flight. She stayed put for 3/4 of an hour.

Always a delight to see these, Rosalyn. They're very early this year but just as welcome in May as in June.

[essexbuzzard]

Lots of glorious Silver Studded Blues at Upton Towans, Hayle, yesterday.

Also a few Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries.

[Lawts]

Monks Wood, Cambs. The first Black Hairstreak sightings were on 27th May at Monks Wood (Philib) and Brampton Wood (Roger Orbell). The weather was nice early on today, sunny but cool and breezy, but set to deteriorate over the course of the morning so I arrived 9am. I saw one perched up high but was pleasantly surprised to find a female low down. I have assumed she was drying her wings properly before flight. She stayed put for 3/4 of an hour.
Black Hairstreak 101.jpg
Black Hairstreak 123.jpg
[attachment=0]Black Hairstreak 158.jpg[/attachment
I even got a short video on my phone which is posted on the Cambs-Essex facebook page.

Lovely photos Rosalyn and thank you for the PM and reminding me that I have a short window for this. It is a Lifer for me. Is Glapthorn Cow Pastures a good site?

I think they are usually later at Glapthorn; mid-June, but more knowledgeable on here will hopefully confirm.

[David M]

Lots of glorious Silver Studded Blues at Upton Towans, Hayle, yesterday.

Excellent, Mark. Seems like the season is burning really powerfully right now.

[Rosalyn]

Monks Wood, Cambs. The first Black Hairstreak sightings were on 27th May at Monks Wood (Philib) and Brampton Wood (Roger Orbell). The weather was nice early on today, sunny but cool and breezy, but set to deteriorate over the course of the morning so I arrived 9am. I saw one perched up high but was pleasantly surprised to find a female low down. I have assumed she was drying her wings properly before flight. She stayed put for 3/4 of an hour.
Black Hairstreak 101.jpg
Black Hairstreak 123.jpg
[attachment=0]Black Hairstreak 158.jpg[/attachment
I even got a short video on my phone which is posted on the Cambs-Essex facebook page.

Lovely photos Rosalyn and thank you for the PM and reminding me that I have a short window for this. It is a Lifer for me. Is Glapthorn Cow Pastures a good site?

Glapthorn is a small wood and it's pretty obvious where you'll find the Black Hairstreak there. They have mown paths around the bushes where they come down. As said they are usually a week behind the ones in Cambridgeshire. It is a very popular site. Good luck