millerd

[millerd]

Cheers, Wurzel - SSB have been difficult for me this year for some reason, but those two were good value.

After Thursley on 4th June, I tried Fairmile again, with a similar result: just two male SSB seen (and one of those was the damaged one I'd seen on the 2nd}.

The other was a much better example.

A late brief walk locally to end the day only generated eleven butterflies, but they included a rather coy Painted Lady, a very new and very lemony Small White, a patrolling Large Skipper, and a Red Admiral. A Meadow Brown had come in off the grassy areas to sit on the brambles too.

Dave

[millerd]

Sunday 5th June had no sunshine at all, and reached no more than 16 degrees all day. Consequently, it was very difficult to conjure any butterflies at all - but there were a few flying locally.

During the rest of my walk I had another look at the one buckthorn I've identified locally, and there were several assorted Brimstone caterpillars enjoying the leaves.

Dave

[millerd]

Monday 6th June was similarly sunless, but a couple of degrees warmer (though there had been rain). There were more butterflies, mostly Common Blues...

...and Meadow Browns. Their numbers are likely to rise dramatically soon.

A different (more worn) Large Skipper turned up in the usual area...

...another Painted Lady...

...and some more caterpillars - Peacocks this time.

Dave

[millerd]

Tuesday 7th June provided more sunshine and higher temperatures, so I was encouraged out further afield, electing to have a look at Whitecross Green Wood for Black Hairstreak.

Despite favourable conditions (sunshine, warmth, light winds, flowering dogwood and bramble), I managed just the briefest sighting of one butterfly in flight over the blackthorn. In fact the whole site felt very quiet, with just a scattering of Common Blues, Meadow Browns and Speckled Woods. The rides were largely bereft of wild flowers, and I can recall years past where there were more Large Skippers than you could count at this time. I wonder what's happened? Maybe I was a few days too early.

On the return home, I tried to make up by visiting Aston Rowant. I had a sneaking suspicion that it might be suffering from the legendary "June Gap" between spring and summer species on the chalk, and so it proved. There were some hangers on from spring, and little else.

Brown Argus...

...Adonis Blues...

...and a Common Blue.

I also found a female Brimstone hiding from a cloudy spell.

To be fair, there were a few Small Heaths, and a handful of Meadow Browns, but as yet no Marbled Whites. However, there was one glimpse of early summer in the form of a Dark Green Fritillary, but I failed to get anywhere near it as it shot off up the slope.

An unusually disappointing sort of day, but things were set to improve...

Dave

[Neil Freeman]

Tuesday 7th June...I had a sneaking suspicion that it might be suffering from the legendary "June Gap" between spring and summer species on the chalk, and so it proved. There were some hangers on from spring, and little else.

I think that was possibly the problem at Whitecross Green Wood as well although, from reports I have seen, Black Hairstreaks seem to be doing well at other midland sites a bit further north.
Edit: Just noticed the date that you went, I agree that you were probably a bit too early.

Here in the midlands some areas are just beginning to pick up again but others are still in the June Gap, very much depending on what species can be found at any particular site. Large Skipper and Meadow Brown numbers are slowly increasing and I still havn't seen a Ringlet yet. I am also noticing some very tall lush grass growth around here resulting from lots of rain in late May which is probably outcompeting the wild flowers in some places.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

"SSB have been difficult for me this year for some reason, but those two were good value." This seems to be the way for a few species this year - not around in the numbers usually seen - hopefully this is anecdotal but then again some seem to be doing great - Walls in Wiltshire for instance

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

I've noticed that thing about the sudden grass growth overtaking the flowers at several sites, Neil, notably on both the Chilterns and the North Downs. The rides at Whitecross had been affected too - the grass was very long there. Luckily on my local patch, the flowers seem to have had a head start, but both they and the grass are very high in places.

Yes, it's been a bit of an uneven year so far, Wurzel - and things do seem to vary from place to place.

Wednesday 8th June was warmer, and sunnier - particularly later in the day - though it remained unusually windy. Meadow Browns were now into double figures on my local patch, though Common Blues still outnumbered them (for now... ). Around 80 butterflies of 12 species were seen altogether over a couple of hours in the morning. A selection, including a familiar Small Copper that looks a little tired now.

This second Small Tortoiseshell is almost archetypical, resembling the illustrations in children's butterfly books. A sudden ancient memory was jogged too - a picture of this species (very much like this one) was how I identified my coat peg at primary school all those years ago.

I found another fresh Small Heath, and once again had a stab at some upperside shots as the butterfly flew around me.

It was an attractive insect even when settled, with an unusual tuft of ginger hair behind its head.

With the improving weather, I was tempted out a bit further in the afternoon.

Dave

[Goldie M]

Fantastic shots of the Small Heath in flight Dave, I've never seen shots of an Small Heath with open wings before Goldie

[millerd]

Thank you, Goldie! It's becoming a minor obsession of mine to get decent shots of the upperside of this relatively common butterfly that never sits with its wings open. As you can see, when fresh they are a lovely yellow-orange - nothing to compete with a Clouded Yellow, but attractive nonetheless.

For the afternoon of 8th June, I drove down through surprisingly light traffic (for the M25 - all things are relative ) to Box Hill to see if the first Dark Green Fritillaries and/or Marbled Whites had emerged. I was pleased to see that both species were on the wing, though with only two of the former and one of the latter is was early days - possibly the first day for both.

I encountered the Marbled White first...

...and then a Meadow Brown caught my eye, perched on an orchid - not a common combination in my experience.

However, I soon connected with the DGF, which luckily had reached the time of day when they start to nectar and abandon their careering flights up and down the hillsides. With a variety of flowers to choose from, these two both initially chose the same thistle at the same time.

They are particularly orange in late afternoon light.

When I texted Bugboy to give him the heads-up that these two species were out, he mentioned that he was currently not far off at Epsom Common, watching a particularly amenable Black Hairstreak. After my disappointing morning at Whitecross Green the previous day, I headed straight back to the car and then over to Epsom.

Dave

[millerd]

I arrived at Epsom Common and meeting up with Bugboy, soon discovered the Hairstreaks on a patch of brambles, with one female in particular continuing to entertain as she had apparently been doing for some while. There were others, but none quite as good.

A much more successful day, and many thanks to Bugboy for persuading that hairstreak to hang around for a bit longer.

Dave

[bugboy]

You're welcome although I don't think she needed any persuasion to stay put, she was pretty much bomb proof!

[millerd]

...she was pretty much bomb proof!

I've enlarged my shots to the max, but even then I can't make out the little threads you used to tie her to that bramble flower...

Less warm and less sunny on Thursday 9th June, but plans were now made for a much bigger trip on the following day, so I made do with just a longer local walk.

Well over 100 butterflies put in an appearance, but half were new Meadow Browns. There were also still over 20 Common Blues, including fresh males, indicating an emergence period of at least a month so far.

a very small individual

standard model

just good friends

another blue female

Some more of the variety on offer today...

almost daily sightings at the moment

...before two highpoints for me. One was the continued emergence of good numbers of Small Tortoiseshells, definitely a bit of a revival in their fortunes. There was a bit of variety in their appearance too, one of them being very heavily marked.

an ordinary one

dimmer light accentuated the already deep orange on this one

large black markings and very bright colouring otherwise

The second was an annual landmark I always note as the real start of summer - the first hutchinsoni Commas.

much paler and more varied underside than the autumn brood

bright and new

I've said in previous years that these striking butterflies make up nicely for the lack of fritillaries on this site. Also seen today were Speckled Wood, Small Heath and Brown Argus (but no white butterflies of any sort).

Dave

[kevling]

Dave, Great diary of late. You're having quite a month. Those Large Skippers shots are excellent, as our the SSB.

Kind Regards
Kev

[Wurzel]

Cracking reports Dave You did really well at Epsom, looks like Bugboy is now fluent in Blackstreak I really need to try for a few more of this species but it always flies at my most busy time of year
Love the Meadow Brown from earlier - I'd love one like that for my 'On Orchids' collection

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

Yes a from me for the female BH, only males for me, except for a distant female.
Impressive ' open wing ' Small Heath action shots earlier on.

Trevor.

[millerd]

Thank you, Kev - yes, June is always a full sort of month, and there's a fair bit to come. Fresh Large Skippers are one of the highlights.

I was lucky with that Black Hairstreak and its persistence, Wurzel. Bugboy tells me it was still there the following morning too. The Meadow Brown on the orchid was lucky too - butterflies mostly avoid them, moving away in disgust when they find they are the wrong type of pink/purple flower. I watched the DGF do this as they searched for the knapweed and thistle.

Cheers, Trevor - still room for improvement with those Small Heath shots, but I'm getting nearer...

I had selected Friday 10th June as the day to make the trek up to Norfolk for the Swallowtails. As in recent years, I had decided to stay the night in Norwich to give myself two cracks of the whip (in case of iffy weather) and an early start on day two. I didn't set off quite as early as I had hoped, but was at Strumpshaw by lunchtime. It turned out that Bugboy was also there, having arrived by train somewhat earlier.

My initial circumnavigation of the Fen produced large numbers of Small Tortoiseshells and a few Red Admirals, but only a distant flying Swallowtail.

I made my way out of the reserve across the railway to the area beyond the late Doctor's garden, and then to the sheltered (and very overgrown now) glade where I had found an almost tame butterfly a few years back. Initially there were two Swallowtails contesting the territory, but eventually one prevailed and cruised up and down in the sunshine, pausing every so often if the sun went in. Unfortunately, most of its favoured perches were above head height, but nevertheless provided some photo opportunities.

Later in the afternoon, two or three other butterflies made their way to the now traditional Sweet Williams in the Doctor's garden itself, where they attracted many admirers.

Though this somewhat artificial environment does provide opportunities to see these splendid butterflies up close, as others have said the more natural surroundings of the countryside makes for a far better setting.

There was more: on my earlier walk round the reserve, I had wandered down a bit of boardwalk into the fen, and at a slight righthand bend a small sprig of milk parsley overhung the path very low down. I examined this in the hope of perhaps finding a caterpillar - and was rewarded with exactly that - plus a bonus of a very-nearly hatched egg.

After meeting up with Bugboy, I sought a second opinion - which confirmed this was indeed a first instar Swallowtail caterpillar and a mature egg of the same species. Looking close by, we found another egg - one much more recently laid and still yellow in colour.

A very successful day, and another opportunity for more the following morning.

Dave

[Pauline]

Your photos just keep getting better and better Dave. Those are some exceptional shots of an iconic butterfly but the icing on the cake (for me anyway) is the egg and the larva. 3 stages in one day is pretty impressive.

[SarahM]

I had selected Friday 10th June as the day to make the trek up to Norfolk for the Swallowtails.


Hi Dave,

I was at Strumpshaw on 9th of June so I missed your visit by a day sadly. It would have been great (for me) to be able to chat to yourself & Bugboy with your immense joint knowledge. I could have watched your photography technique too!

Your Swallowtail photos are fabulous! It would have also been great to see the eggs & caterpillar. Well done.

Sarah.

[bugboy]

Well done for spotting those cats and eggs. I always check that little broad walk when I go there (as I did that morning) but obviously I didn't look closely enough. Not sure when my version of the day will see light, sometime in August when I'm searching for second brooders by the way things are going...

[trevor]

Your trip to Norfolk was well rewarded, with three life stages of another addictive species!.
I am always amazed how our cameras manage to ' freeze ' Swallowtails nectaring as they are never still.

Great stuff Dave.
Trevor.