July 2022

[zigzag_wanderer]

Nice selection of bits and pieces there Zig-Zag ..............the moth is unusual ,but could be of the Anania family.
I,m sure someone will know ................its also similar to European Corn Borer (which it isn,t !).
over the last couple of late afternoons i,ve re-visited my closest Grizzle Site ,to see if anything else is about ,but as i half expected it is now more or less inaccessible (?) ,the entrances completely covered with Brambles . Having made the short trip ,i remembered that a fair number of buddlia bushes had sprung up by the football grounds car park,so i was hoping for a few feasting butterflies ..........the only problem with this small site is that its also used by illegal fly tippers ,and to get to the bushes you have to negotiate piles of building waste ,household rubbish,old chairs and the like ,i was pleased on arrival that it hadn,t put the butterflies off ! and i found around a dozen Small Tortoiseshells ,which are always good to see,
Iwas also amazed to see a female Silver Wash amongst them ,and as i left a Hummingbird Hawk moth .
Allan.W.
P1140693.JPGP1140676.JPGP1140660.JPGP1140737.JPGP1140741.JPGP1140727 (2).JPG

Cheers Allan. I try and include just enough butterflies in the roundup not to get kicked off

Great that the rubbish hasn't put the butterflies off at your local site.

My lunchtime seating area outside at the nursery is heavily artificial in that it has bits of old mechanical kit, breeze blocks, bricks, rubble, an old rusting trailer, a mound of waste soil and gravel, old weed matting and more. But if anything it seems to offer the butterflies and other insects more location variety than if it were just flat ground. The Walls for one love the rubble areas once heated by the sun. The Small Coppers last year took full advantage of the spoil mound and other artificial perches. Unfortunately I haven't seen one there this year but I'm putting that down to a very poor year for them in general locally.

Thanks for the feedback re. the moth. Golden Pearl was one that I had considered a possibility, but I wasn't sure it was close enough based on the pics online. It's always a bit more tricky when they go under rather than over a leaf !

**I will put it on the ID section**

[Matsukaze]

Asham Wood, near Frome, Somerset - 31 July 2022. I went looking for Silver-washed Fritillaries, which were present though in some cases very considerably battered. Plenty of Commas - more than I can remember seeing in one place - and also this White-letter Hairstreak nectaring quietly on ragwort at the woodland edge. The wood is a known site for them, so no great surprise, but this is only the third time I've ever found one at ground level.

[Ian Pratt]

Well over 1000 chalk hill blues at Arreton Down Isle of Wight last week, possibly up to 10,000.

[David M]

Asham Wood, near Frome, Somerset - 31 July 2022....also this White-letter Hairstreak nectaring quietly on ragwort at the woodland edge.

That's a real late one, Chris. Great find!

[David M]

Monday 25th, Nicholaston Burrows, Gower:

Hedge Brown 30-40
Meadow Brown 10-20
Speckled Wood 3
Red Admiral 3
Comma 3
Purple Hairstreak 2
Green Veined White 2
Large White 2
Common Blue 2
Painted Lady 1
Small White 1

[David M]

Tuesday 26th, Nicholaston Burrows, Gower:

Hedge Brown 200-250
Meadow Brown 40-60
Common Blue 6-10
Small Blue 4
Large White 4
Green Veined White 3
Speckled Wood 2
Red Admiral 2
Small White 1
Silver Washed Fritillary 1
Comma 1

[David M]

Weds 27th - Swell's Hill Bank, nr. Stroud:

Chalkhill Blue 200-300
Meadow Brown 60-80
Common Blue 6-10
Hedge Brown 6
Marbled White 3
Essex Skipper 4 definites
Small Skipper 3 definites
Brown Argus 2
Dark Green Fritillary 1