August 2022

[bugboy]

Southern Small White mannii

For the past several weeks I have been seeing "small" whites in huge numbers - greater numbers than I have seen in my entire life. Could they possibly be mannii? They have been recorded from northwest Germany, not an impossible distance across the North Sea from Scotland. T

here was a lot of egg laying by "whites" on Curly Kale outside a farm shop this morning. I don't like it as a vegetable, but I bought some which is now in a vase in my garden. You never know!

Jack

If the eggs are on Kale I would say they're your standard issue Small White. mannii as far as I'm aware is rather more picky for larval foodplants, Candytuft being cited as a favourite in the literature I've read, and a few other wild Crucifers but not anything cultivated.

[Charles Nicol]

the Chilterns are humming with these chaps:

i have never seen so many

[Medard]

https://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com

Not the first Holly blue in the garden but a very welcome visitor.

A pair of Ravens high  above the house attracted my attention by their distinctive croaking.

The first Red Admiral seen but no picture so i have included one from my website.

Common Blue still flying around, But for how much longer?

Bumbles are still at work in the early  morning but they seek shelter in the high temperature. 

Insects are almost at zero.

The plants in the garden are seriously suffering except Echinocactus grusonii.

Our Farming community must now be worried, for those with land on the moors the grass is still green.

[zigzag_wanderer]

Hello Zig-zag ,
RE; Your post " any ideas " .........I found something similar a year or two back ........take a look at page 6, on the "Identification " forum , i think i titled it "anyone do Ants ".
Regards Allan.W.

My god, this place is good !

Some great detective work by yourself, Bugboy and Guy to get that. It's hard enough trying to ID adults, but when it's the only the nymph stage that is so ant-like it's much harder as generally the thumbnail image of a species is of the adult (natch).

I was really struggling to even say what it was. It looked like an ant but I didn't think it could be as it was so long and it didn't look enough like a beetle to be a longhorn of some kind.

That is definitely the species I snapped. Right down to the change in angle of the antennae at the ends.

Thanks for alerting me to that post Allan.

[Bertl]

First time this season i have managed an outing for scotch argus. Around 20 to 30 on the wing at Grantown.

[Lawts]

Surprised there's no mention of the current Long-tailed Blues in the sightings section. Am I looking in the wrong place; special section for rares?

I haven't looked back to see if the recent Queen of Spain Fritillaries were reported either.

Thanks.

[Matsukaze]

Garden visitors at the start of the month - the Gatekeepers are regulars here, the Small Copper occasional visitors, though this one was around for several days.

[Charles Nicol]

Surprised there's no mention of the current Long-tailed Blues in the sightings section. Am I looking in the wrong place; special section for rares?

I haven't looked back to see if the recent Queen of Spain Fritillaries were reported either.

Thanks.

there is plenty about them on this page:

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=4065&p=172803&hili ... ed#p172803

starting about halfway down...

[Lawts]

Surprised there's no mention of the current Long-tailed Blues in the sightings section. Am I looking in the wrong place; special section for rares?

I haven't looked back to see if the recent Queen of Spain Fritillaries were reported either.

Thanks.

there is plenty about them on this page:

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=4065&p=172803&hili ... ed#p172803

starting about halfway down...

Thanks.

[zigzag_wanderer]

Only worked Tue-Thurs this week and the weather has just been too hot to do anything other than seek shade at lunchtimes, but the walk home has been quite fruitful.

Saw my first and second Brown Hairstreaks of the year along a narrow path where I've never noticed them before. They were in contrasting condition, but both flying freely. Yesterday's looked very fresh and had quite an interesting hind-wing underside with narrow white "fault planes" at the breaks along the top white hairstreak (one for you geologists out there). The bottom white hairstreak also seems to stop quite abruptly for a female, without any disconnected continuation portions.

Saw my first ever Willow Emerald damselfly yesterday too. The path is not close to any ponds that I know, but there are some very big houses at that point, so they may well have extensive garden ponds.

[Medard]

https://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com
Garden subjects for the camera have now diminished, Bumbles have all taken shelter somewhere.
Several Small Whites are still on the wing, one very worn Common Blue flitting around, however a newly emerged Meadow Brown was happily nectaring and willing to pose for a picture.

[SarahM]

My first Painted Lady in the garden (Cumbria) this year arrived on 7th August. Further sightings on 8th, 9th, 10th & 11th. I had my third Hummingbird Hawk Moth in the garden this year on 10th. It was nectaring on a Buddleia long enough for me to take some photos then just enjoy watching it.

Sarah

[Deborah]

Field alongside my garden has given me Sooty Coppers, Small Coppers, Common Blue, Small Heaths, Clouded Yellows as well as fading Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns. And yesterday it also unexpectedly gave me a Long-tailed Blue.

[David M]

Great sighting, Deborah. Send a few more up our way, please.

[David M]

Wednesday 10th, Port Eynon, Gower:

Meadow Brown 40-60
Common Blue 20-30
Small White 10-15
Large White 5
Hedge Brown 4
Painted Lady 1
Speckled Wood 1
Red Admiral 1
Humming bird hawk moth 1

[Matsukaze]

Is that female Sooty Copper slightly aberrant?

[David M]

Is that female Sooty Copper slightly aberrant?

With the = mark?

I would say so.

[Jack Harrison]

Small Peacocks.

And quite scarce into the bargain. On a regular 'hot spot' buddleia near Forres (Logie Gardens) just three were seen all about the size of Small Tortoiseshells - dessicated food plant for the larvae I presume. Nearby a brief view of a Small Copper, widespread in this area but easily overlooked.

Photo taken with an old out-of-retirement Panasonic Lumix FZ150 which seems to be capable of more-than-adequate images. Second hand FZ150s available for around £100

Don't forget to click on the image for larger version.

Jack

[zigzag_wanderer]

Well done to Sarah for smooth-talking the Hummingbird Hawk-moth to stay still in mid air for her

I couldn't quite manage that but from a low bar, I've at least managed better shots today than last week's.

[Deborah]

Is that female Sooty Copper slightly aberrant?

Don’t know how to get both quotes in the post so thanks David M too!
I probably have more photos. There are a quite a few Sooty Coppers in my little patch. But I don’t know what to look for.