August 2022

[David M]

Thursday 25th, West Williamston, Pembrokeshire:

Small White 40-60
Speckled Wood 15
Small Tortoiseshell 14
Common Blue 10-15
Brown Hairstreak 7
Green Veined White 5
Hedge Brown 4
Painted Lady 4
Red Admiral 2
Clouded Yellow 1
Meadow Brown 1
Silver Washed Fritillary 1

[Katrina]

Thats a large haul of butterflies spotted and well done for getting a photo of the Clouded Yellow.

[zigzag_wanderer]

Zigzag - a good candidate for moth larva A is Lychnis Hadena bicruris, which looks very much like this and a species I've reared from Dianthus species a few times (it also uses campions). There are a couple of related but less common moth species that will also use it, which have similar larvae. The caterpillars feed on the seeds and are easy to rear - pop in a tub with a bunch of seedheads until they show signs of wanting to pupate, then transfer to a tub of compost so they can bury themselves in. The moths should emerge round about next May/June.

Thanks Matsukaze. Just taken a look at some larval images for Hadena bicruris and make you spot on. My suggestion of Scarce Bordered Straw was based on it being found on imported Dianthus plants, but the larvae images I could find for that species whilst being similarish to my specimen always left me with a bit of doubt, so I really appreciate you putting me straight.

We put that one back on the plant we found it (don't tell the boss), but I will definitely try my hand at rearing if I find another now that you've provided me with a step-by-step guide. Thanks !

I forgot to note that the Common Wainscot I showed, flew onto those Dark Blue pansies at around 9 am and moved from flower to flower nectaring very much as say the Skippers do when they latch onto a bed of plants they like. It was still there actively nectaring (or appearing to do so at least) 40 minutes later.

[David M]

Thats a large haul of butterflies spotted and well done for getting a photo of the Clouded Yellow.

Thanks, Katrina. It was a surprisingly good day.

As for the Cloudie, it was a female and they're always better behaved.

[Stevieb]

Thanks, Katrina. It was a surprisingly good day.

As for the Cloudie, it was a female and they're always better behaved.

Still waiting for them to reappear here David. Painted Ladies seem to have taken over in the last couple of weeks. Some from this lunchtime. Beacon Hill, Wiltshire

29th August

29th August

29th August

29th August

29th August

29th August

[David M]

Still waiting for them to reappear here David. Painted Ladies seem to have taken over in the last couple of weeks.

Weird, isn't it? We've got plenty of Painted Ladies too, but unlike last year when Welsh Clouded Yellows were almost absent, there are quite a few being reported from lots of sites near our south coast.

It'll be interesting to see what happens if the next 4 weeks or so are relatively benign. We could see a further brood and serious numbers of adults.

[David M]

Saturday 27th - Port Eynon, Gower:

Small White 40-60
Common Blue 15-20
Painted Lady 14
Meadow Brown 13
Large White 3
Speckled Wood 2
Small Tortoiseshell 1
Small Copper 1
Clouded Yellow 1

[Bertl]

Nice to see you've still got Peacocks visiting, Bertl. I think I've only seen two this last 6 weeks or so. I reckon they all aestivated to escape the high temperatures down south.

Yes David they have been fairly active visitors this year. I am unfortunately starved of painted lady visitors this year. Unlike 2016 when my garden was full of them.

[David M]

Wow. You can have some of ours in exchange for a few Peacocks!

[Testudo Man]

Last Saturday was again tough going, really struggled to find more than 10 species, an low numbers for all of em!
Returned to Queensdown Warren in Kent for a session......picked up 10+ Ant stings for my troubles too (which are just starting to calm down now!!).
Nice to see some fresh Small Heath on the wing, an just the one Small Copper sighted! Most numerous were female Adonis, but probably 6+ seen. Poor numbers of Brown Argus/Common Blue/Chalk hill Blues.
Some highlight images, cheers Paul. Only one image cropped (female Adonis, the 3rd image down).

This Small Heath must have just emerged, it was super fresh!

The other 4 images down are all Female Adonis.

[MikeOxon]

Sorry, not a butterfly but the Hummingbird Hawk-Moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) is a species that has been eluding me for years. They seem to have been especially prolific this year, however, even visiting my son's garden in central Reading.

My photos were taken in a relative's garden near Salisbury, where they were visiting the top of a large Buddleia bush. Unfortunately, I only had my general-purpose 12-45mm lens with me, so the images are heavily cropped. I was very pleased, though, to capture one in action at last

Hatch, nr Salisbury - 28th August 2022
Olympus E-M1-ii with 12-45mm lens - 1/500s @ f/9 ISO 640

Hatch, nr Salisbury - 28th August 2022
Olympus E-M1-ii with 12-45mm lens - 1/500s @ f/9 ISO 640

Mike

[zigzag_wanderer]

Hummingbird Hawk-moths are having a phenomenal year locally Mike. My wife and daughter went on a walk round the block yesterday evening where they watched 6 flitting round one garden Buddleia.

Amazing looking things. Their bodies look almost bird or small-mammal like at the front and crustacean-like at the back !

Saw a few species of butterfly at work this week, but Speckled Wood and Meadow Brown were the only ones rivalling the whites in good numbers.

I saw individuals of Brown Argus, Peacock, Common Blue, Clouded Yellow, Small Heath and Small Copper. Pleased to say the last two named seemed box fresh, the SC was only my fourth of 2022 and the first I've spotted on the artificial mound at work where I saw them throughout their long season last year.

We are obviously slap bang in Orange Swift season. I've already put 3 back outside using my wife's favourite spider catcher (a plastic tub). Also saw a Vapourer (it chose a very dark spot - my excuse) and a Light Emerald.

The caterpillar was on Sirocco grass. It was a very attractive brown/grey colour and reminded me of a small wiry terrier. It looks like a Knot Grass, but the cats of these I've seen always looked more orange overall, particularly the longer wiry hairs .... but other than the small red/orange fine tufts, the overall appearance of this was a very warm brown/grey. That said, I assume it must be a Knot Grass ?

[David M]

Monday 29th, Kenfig Dunes, Glamorgan:

Small White 50-70
Common Blue 40-50
Painted Lady 25
Meadow Brown 16
Red Admiral 12
Small Heath 2
Comma 2
Large White 1
Small Copper 1
Green Veined White 1

[David M]

Tuesday 30th, Cwm Ivy, NW Gower:

Red Admiral 30-40
Common Blue 31
Meadow Brown 25
Speckled Wood 15-25
Small White 15-25
Small Heath 13
Small Copper 6
Brown Argus 2
Painted Lady 2
Large White 2
Comma 2
Green Veined White 1