Clouded Yellow Year

[Stevie Blunder]

Back in May I wished for a Clouded Yellow year. They seem to be everywhere. I've seen them in several different locations this year for the first time although I only managed to photograph a couple of them. They don't hang about for long! I saw my first ever Pale/Helice yesterday at Sand Point Somerset. Alas no photo! I believe my wish has come true.
Photo 1 Sand point Somerset 25/10/22
Photo 2 Rodborough Common Gloucestershire 6/10/22

[David M]

Undoubtedly it's been a particularly good year for them, Stevie. We've had quite a few in south Wales (think I've seen 8, which would be a record).

I wish for it every year, but generally they only come every three or four. It'll probably be a while till the next one, although if we have a mild winter the early stages may develop into adults in the spring (fingers crossed).

[Stevie Blunder]

Indeed David. Whereabouts are you? I live close to the Welsh border. Monmouth is only about 7 miles away from my home.

[David M]

I'm on the Gower, west of Swansea, Stevie, but I know the Monmouth area reasonably well having lived for a while in Abergavenny a few years back.

[Butterfly_Julian]

Hi, I'm from North East Essex and for the last month me and the wife have been out searching for a Clouded Yellow which has been seen locally. Got a fleeting glimpse of one a couple of weeks ago. Yesterday we were lucky enough to find 3 in the same area and got some photo's.
New member here and first year chasing around after butterflies.

[Phil Bowler]

Clouded Yellow year indeed! This has been posted elsewhere but I ought to mention it here, for as far as I am aware, the phenomenon described below has only been matched by two other similar situations this year. Ours was in rural Lincolnshire, and I read reports of similar happenings in Northamptonshire and Dorset. A neighbouring field, just down the lane from us had been planted with a mix of red clover, vetches, and bird's-foot trefoil as part of an environmental stewardship scheme. At the end of August we biked by this field and noticed the colourful mass of the above plants in full flower. I jokingly remarked that we must keep our eyes on this in case of Clouded Yellows. How right I was!! On the 7th September we came across 6 Clouded Yellows flying backwards and forwards throughout the field, always returning if they went over the boundary. One was a helice! The friendly farmer saw us looking and gave us permission to roam through the field as it was due for being cut in the next few days. He was very pleasantly surprised to see these wonderful migrant butterflies that his crop had attracted and would hold back from cutting this particular field as long as possible. He had two others in the area, but we never saw any Clouded Yellows in those. This one was slightly further south and for incoming migrants earlier in the year would likely have been the first one they came across. We believe these fresh butterflies to be their offspring. A few Common Blues were also seen on the trefoil. As the days went by Clouded Yellow numbers began to increase and on the 13th we counted at least 35, including a few typical females, a mating pair, and now 3 helice! Unfortunately that was it for us for we had a holiday booked from the following day, but some other enthusiasts made pilgrimages to the site and on the 15th a phenomenal 63 were counted!
Without doubt this has been the highlight of my butterfly year and so ironic that I was planning a long distance trip to Kent or Dorset in the hope of at long last getting some decent photos of Clouded Yellow, only to have them arrive on our doorstep almost and in huge numbers!
There is a wild patch next to the clover field, itself having clover growing in it, so there is always the possibility that a few larvae could survive (winter permitting) and start the cycle off again next year, especially as the farmer is going to run the stewardship scheme again.
PHOTO 1. The clover field where all the action took place.
PHOTO 2. Two Clouded Yellows meeting over a clover lunch.
PHOTO 3. Ensuring the continuation of the species: "Just hang on in there, babe!"
PHOTO 4. An open-winged helice female being serenaded by a male.

[selbypaul]

Hi Phil
That's an amazing number of Clouded Yellows in one field in the UK. It just shows what is possible if the right larval host plants are grown!
Thanks for sharing
Paul

[Allan.W.]

Excellent post Phil ! the last shot in particular is superb ,it seems to have been an excellent migrant year all round ,but as you say particularly so for Clouded Yellows . ......................Nice one !
Allan.W.

[False Apollo]

It has been a very good autumn period at Southbourne Undercliff for Clouded Yellows peaking in September with around 40 seen, with quite a few helice females recorded. Although there has been a lot of activity, I have not found any mating pairs yet but it is very likely that eggs could have been laid as various foodplants are in suitable areas. Good numbers are often found on the undercliff at this time with a few sometimes lasting into late December. The latest I have found an emerging adult was in early December a few years ago. It is very interesting to hear about late inland sightings at this time and how long they are around, frosts seem to knock numbers down but they are very tough butterflies and can fly on very cold sunny days. They should be flying here for a while yet.

Mike Gibbons

[PhilBJohnson]

I knew that "Clouded Yellow Year" might have referred to a numerous year of butterfly migration.
It was perfectly reasonable to assume, that this butterfly over-wintered locally in coastal areas, where onshore breeze kept average temperatures less winter extreme and south (or south west) facing, banked “Cliff, sheltered from a possibly cooler north (or east) wind. Look out for them in localities, similar to those, where pelargoniums (frost-tender Geraniums) will over-winter outside, without traditional removal into conservatory in November.
Also, one might focus their attention to a larval food-plant that kept it's winter leaf longer than others, providing a larva, with more, of a kind of natural anti-freeze. I think I know who the South coast expert was, to possibly ask future questions,

Kind Regards,

Philip