millerd

[Benjamin]

Just seen your brimstones in the favourite photos thread. Sorry to have missed these at the time, but I’ve been back through your diary and read the report now. Just wanted to add my appreciation along with everyone else’s - really fantastic images - brilliant stuff!

[trevor]

Ben's piece above made me a bit nosey! What a shot!. Great stuff Dave.

[David M]

That Comma is practically 'washed out' at the wing margins, Dave. I don't think I've ever seen one like that before and the variation between your three individuals is very striking.

[millerd]

Thank you, Ben and Trevor ! I'm pleased you (and one or two others it seems ) liked the shot of the dancing Brimstones. It really was a bit of good fortune, as normally when I wave the camera at butterflies in flight, it tends to lock onto the background - but here it chose the insects instead...

It was an unusual Comma, David - the washed-out markings were a bit similar to those of Southern Commas I remember seeing in Greece many years ago. The Comma variety on display at this time of year is a mix of slightly worn hutchinsoni (and the odd new one like the pale individual), plus some of the later-emerging individuals that go on to hibernate (like the second example). They will in due course be joined by the similar-looking offspring of the hutchinsoni brood, but I think they precede these into hibernation and are probably those first to appear in spring. It's a complicated species!

The next few days (4th-6th August) were rather similar, with domination by Commas...

...and Holly Blues.

There were other butterflies too...

I've included a lot of things here as these three days turned out to be my last outings with the butterflies for three weeks.

(However, this gives me a chance to catch my diary up with those laggards Bugboy and Wurzel... )

Dave

[Wurzel]

I see what you mean about those Small White Dave it is certainly very well marked I had a little look and some of the images looked similar to this one but others were noticeably different - hopefully someone else with more experience off the exotic wanderer will be able to clinch it? Lovely sets of Commas especially that pale/lightly marked individual

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

That 'Small White' does look more 'mannii' than my effort the other week! Maybe they've decided to invade via BA rather than P&O!

[millerd]

Cheers, Paul and Wurzel - I wouldn't be at all surprised if the first Exotic Wandering White is actually photographed unknowingly by someone and casually posted as something much more mundane. It could be any of us! Also having heard the tale of the QoS Fritillary that stowed away on the Dieppe-Newhaven ferry a few years back, I suppose there is no reason why a few butterflies might not find their way into the cargo hold of an aeroplane somewhere.

As mentioned, it was 27th August before I could go out again having been very much under the weather. And talking of weather, I had missed the second really hot spell and the subsequent breaking of the weather with the return of rain. I was surprised how things had greened up since my last walks at the start of the month. I was initially really limited in how far I could walk, but as well as the growth of the vegetation, I noticed how few butterflies there now seemed to be. However, though they were distinctly worn now, Holly Blues appeared to welcome me back.

I'm used to seeing the males puddling for salts, but this was clearly a female - presumably seeking moisture.

A more typical spot on a bramble flower.

28th August was even more limited, but I did find an obliging male Large White - which was a quite unusual situation as they usually disappear into the distance as I approach them.

Dave

[millerd]

Another rather short walk on 29th August - I found building up fitness again did not come easily at the start!

More opportunities today to speculate about White butterflies...

male

female

underside of same female

I did find a rather splendid new male Specklie...

...and a new Comma, showing the dark underside of those destined to hibernate.

I'd not managed to get any shots of Holly Blues at this point, when a female fluttered erratically past, clearly very much at the end of her life. In fact, it was exactly that, as she flopped down haphazardly onto the brambles but right into a bit of spider's web. The owner of the web wasted no time at all in wrapping up this unexpected meal.

In a case like this, I can never begrudge the spider its prey - by the look of the butterfly, she was pretty well worn out already and had likely laid the vast majority of her load of eggs.

Dave

[millerd]

Suddenly (at least for me it seemed sudden) it was September. On 3rd I popped out briefly, and found some more fresh Speckled Woods. They at least seemed to have been relatively unaffected by the heat and dryness of the summer.

On 4th, I found a bit more variety, but no great numbers of anything. There was a solitary Brown Argus...

...in amongst several Common Blues.

One of these was a rather attractive fresh female.

It was also good to find that Small Coppers had survived both the weather and the extensive mowing of the site.

Dave

[essexbuzzard]

Good to hear you’re getting back on your feet, Dave!

Common Blues have certainly done better than Brown Argus this year, at least on the sites I visited.

Thought of you the other day, when I saw a Holly Blue- my first October sighting.

[millerd]

Thanks, Mark - returning to normal slowly, though I did miss one or two things I'd hoped to see this summer (but did manage a couple of others). Common Blues appear to have done well in my neck of the woods too, which is unsurprising considering the explosion of trefoil there has been. I'm pleased to say it flowered profusely again after the rains came and has set lots of seed, so could well spread even further next year. The Blues also lay on medick, which is abundant here too. As for Holly Blues, they were still flying just a couple of days ago...

However, here is a rather battered female from 5th September.

This was another day with new Specklies around...

...and one or two other things.

This Comma was in a very typical autumnal pose.

My attention was also taken by a large dragonfly which actually allowed a very close approach instead of scooting off the moment I moved toward it.

I tried a couple of close-ups, including this one of the intricate machinery that attaches the wings to the thorax...

...and then one of the eyes.

The (presumably hexagonal) individual elements of the compound eye produce the refracted/reflected hexagonal highlight - at least I assume this is what we're seeing here. Fascinating.

Dave

[millerd]

Not a lot to see on 6th September - it wasn't particularly sunny and things were beginning to cool down at last.

Something about the light made this worn Holly Blue look particularly blue.

Dave

[trevor]

Lovely shots of those complex Dragon Fly eyes, Dave.
Also a mtgreen is in order for your male Large White. They don't often
pose so well, that is if you can get close enough to them in the first place!

Keep well,
Trevor.

[Allan.W.]

Nice Dragonfly shots Dave !.............................Male Migrant Hawker ............a late Summer /Autumn species ,have a spot in my local patch where they like to rest up in the late afternoons and sometimes 5 or more hang in the Sallows for a rest , just once being joined by a female Southern Migrant ....................although not this season ! nothing showing butterflywise in my neck of the woods ..........that said someone did note a single Queen at Walmer a couple of days back !
Regards Allan.W.

[millerd]

Cheers, Trevor - I was lucky with both the close approaches you highlighted. Large Whites are almost never that cooperative, and the dragonfly surprised me as well.

Thanks for the dragonfly ID, Allan - there are quite a few dragons and damsels around here but I rarely get anywhere near them and I'm almost always distracted by the butterflies. I was very lucky with that one, and somehow kept my hand steady for that close-up shot - which even stands a bit more enlargement. I am pleased to hear the QoS is still going in Walmer - I wonder if any will overwinter either as adults or caterpillars.

7th September was a bit more productive, with 8 species seen local to me. This included my first Clouded Yellow of the year, a female which took off past me a speed I had no chance of matching. I've had my fingers crossed ever since that she'd been laying on the abundant trefoil and (given the unusually warm and fairly sunny weather since) some offspring might appear at any time. Anyway, annoyingly there were not even record photos today. Other species seen:

Speckled Wood 6

Holly Blue 5

Small White 3

GVW 2

Comma 1

Small Copper 1

female

Large White 1
This one completely evaded the camera by flying much higher up and not stopping either. Much more typical...

Dave

[millerd]

My next local walk was on 9th September - things were more subdued, but the day was notable for seeing no fewer than 12 Speckled Woods (the second highest total for the year). They must have been pretty active as I ended up with shots of just one of them.

Aside from these, I counted three Holly Blues, including a very faded (but still largely whole) female.

By contrast, the three Common Blues I found were much fresher.

There was also a single Small White.

Dave

[David M]

Nice to see those Holly Blues, Dave. We get the occasional third brood Common Blue down here, but I've never seen argiolus this late.

Speckled Woods seem to be enjoying an autumn renaissance. I wonder whether it's due to the heatwave that perhaps suppressed their activity during August, meaning that they somehow artificially extended their flight period.

[millerd]

Cheers, David - as you know, third brood Holly Blues are an annual event in my part of the world. I saw two today (23rd October), and they will be a regular feature of this diary now as I catch up through September and October. Specklies have had a very good autumn (and I saw one of those today as well!).

But back in time again to 10th September. Eight Speckled Woods today...

Oops! Another arachnid meal...

...and three Holly Blues, of which this puddling male was one. I'm never quite sure whether worn examples in early September are late second or early third brood.

I had similar thoughts about the two tatty Brown Argus that appeared as well.

Good to see another Comma - they had been relatively few and far between since the summer peak.

Dave

[millerd]

On 11th September I tried a bit of an excursion further afield and went down to Denbies for the first time in two months. I have to say that it was a very disappointing trip - there were a few Meadow Browns, Small Heaths... and virtually nothing else. I managed to find one or two very tired Chalkhills and Brown Argus...

The summer's heat and dryness had clearly taken its toll, and though the slopes were greening up considerably now, it was obviously too late for the majority of late summer butterflies.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Cracking set of reports again Dave Those Whites are interesting for sure. The female does have the little extra veiny bit that manni aren't supposed to have but the male could be a closer shout although the fore wing spot isn't 'concave' Sometimes I wish we'd stop this 'splitting' malarcky Great set of shots of the Dragonfly and good to see the Specklies and Holly Blues having a good end to the season over your way. Specklies are doing well over this way but I've not seen a Holly Blue since Shipton now

Have a goodun

Wurzel