April 2023

[David M]

I won't be sorry to see the back of March...one of the worst I can remember.

Let's hope April brings a change of fortunes...

[Jack Harrison]

Starting the month on the right note.

F.W. Frohawk - the early 20th century lepidopterist - was born in Norfolk and for a time, lived in my home town of Great Yarmouth.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick ... derick.jpg

Only one of Frederick's children, Valezina, (named after the greenish version of Silver Washed Fritillary) later becoming Viscountess Bolingbroke, shared her father's passion for butterflies. But another daughter 'J' (I've only able to find the initial so let's call her Jane) became a sound recordist, an unusual job for a woman and an early pioneer of recording. It's unclear, but it seems that Jane might have worked for Decca records. The story goes that she was visiting her father one summer in the 1930s and had her massive recording gear. Frederick was fascinated by this. There were batches of Large White caterpillars on his Nasturtiums and he said:

"When I was young and had good hearing, I could sometimes hear them munching. Could you record that?"

"I'll give it a try Dad. Do you remember when I was about five I would shout "boo" to the caterpillars and they would all rear up together?" (Jack's note. My own children did just that and it gave them great amusement. But none have taken any great interest in butterflies in adulthood).

Jane returned next spring with her recordings.

"I've used the studio equipment, slowed them down and made them louder". Frederick was delighted to hear the munching. Jane played another recording and there was a high pitched staccato sound.

"What's that?"

"I'll slow it down even more and it will sound deeper. This is a bit embarrassing Dad, but they are all breaking wind in unison". She played another and it went: "Da Da di Da di Da. Da Da di Da di Da. Da Da di Da."

"You know Jane, that almost sounds like the rhythm of God Save the King".

"Very patriotic caterpillars Dad. April Fool".

Jack

[David M]

Only you, Jack.....

[bugboy]

When the sun finally appeared over east London (it seemed to take an age for the blanket of cloud to break) I managed to add two new species to the years tally, a Green-veined White and a couple of Specklies. Although the timing is perfectly normal, it still seems a little incongruous since the adult hibernators are still nowhere near as numerous as I've come to expect, only today did I manage to get one of them (Peacock) into double figures for the year. Also seen today were Brimstone, Comma, Small White. (Both pics unedited SOC)

[Matsukaze]

Exmouth area, 3 April. Several searching male Brimstones and a single Samll Tortoiseshell flying around nettles. Watched the sallow for Large Tortoiseshell, without success. Still yet to see Peacock this year.

[aeshna5]

Last week (apart from the Monday) was one of the dullest, wettest I can remember here in London for some time.

Yesterday while out birding my local patch it was cool & grey but the sun did poke through in the afternoon. While reading in the sunshine a male Small White appeared over some shrubs & alighted on the Erysimum "Bowle's Mauve" for some refreshment-my first non-hibernator!

A few more insects about- several Hairy-footed Flower Bees ( a common sight here), a Dark-edged Beefly & a couple of hoverfly species- Epistrophe eligans & an Eupeodes sp.

[David M]

When the sun finally appeared over east London (it seemed to take an age for the blanket of cloud to break) I managed to add two new species to the years tally, a Green-veined White and a couple of Specklies....

Nice work, Paul. I shall be keeping an eye out for these during this spell of decent weather this next couple of days.

You're right about how incongruous it seems given that the adult hibernators have barely got going. The pupal hibernators are almost on cue despite the appalling month of March we've just had.

[David M]

Monday 3rd, Cwm Ivy, Gower:

Brimstone 24
Comma 2
Speckled Wood 2
Red Admiral 1

[millerd]

After the unforgiving March, things improved today locally, with long sunny spells (but quite a chilly wind). The tally of eleven butterflies (three species) was hardly spectacular, but was by far the best so far this year.: six Brimstones, three Peacocks and a couple of Commas.

Dave

[bugboy]

Spent the day in Epping Forest, another day where the cloud took an age to disperse but once it did I managed a day with double figures again, second in a row . No new species but I did find an ovipositing Red Admiral.

[David M]

Tuesday 4th April:

Crymlyn Burrows: Comma 1, Brimstone 1

Dan-y-Graig cemetery/Lower Kilvey Hill:

Brimstone 14
Speckled Wood 1
Small Tortoiseshell 1
Holly Blue 1

[Maximus]

First Orange-tip of the year here this afternoon, a male. It was settled on an Honesty flower and I went to get my wife so that she could see it too, which she did, but then it never settled again so no shots. Also a Holly Blue late on which didn't settle. Fantastic weather here today and it looks set to continue, spring at last

[bugboy]

It's not often you can go out on uk soil with the intention of locating a Large Tortoiseshell and actually finding one (once every six years is my experience) but today was one, found feeding on blackthorn at the foot of Perry Hill. Pictures are still in my camera but shall surface in due course although it was a frustratingly brief encounter so only dodgy record shots obtained, they all count though

Edit: Here's a quickly cropped image of it

[Neil Hulme]

Well done, Paul - good find! I can't recall if there's any scrub elm along the track running below Perry Hill, but I think there's plenty up around Burpham village. Looks like a tidy specimen too. I'm guessing you started at North Stoke, with none seen there?
BWs, Neil

[bugboy]

Well done, Paul - good find! I can't recall if there's any scrub elm along the track running below Perry Hill, but I think there's plenty up around Burpham village. Looks like a tidy specimen too. I'm guessing you started at North Stoke, with none seen there?
BWs, Neil

Actually ended there, I took the long route via kithurst Hill but none of the blackthorn is in flower around there. There's not a great deal at Burpham meadows, only the one comma and perhaps 6 peacock. Brimstone are faring better. It's also unsurprisingly a quagmire and can only be navigated with wellies but yes, none were seen there. I did have a wander up the slope of Perry Hill to see if any early spring Skippers were about but none appeared. It looks like the slope has had a good winter grazing.

[David M]

It's not often you can go out on uk soil with the intention of locating a Large Tortoiseshell and actually finding one (once every six years is my experience) but today was one, found feeding on blackthorn at the foot of Perry Hill...

Fabulous, Paul. Looking forward to hearing more about this.

[David M]

First Orange-tip of the year here this afternoon, a male...

Great news, Mike. I suspect they should start to emerge over the Easter weekend here given the largely good weather forecast.

[millerd]

My first Holly Blue of 2023 on my local patch today, but it didn't pause for its portrait. Also seen in bright rather than sunny conditions were four Commas, a Peacock, and a very aggressive Red Admiral that objected to my presence on his bit of path and also refused to settle between his dive-bombing sorties.

Looking forward to some more sunshine this weekend, fingers crossed...

Dave

[Testudo Man]

At last...............some sunshine!
Last 2 days, i took a lunchtime break from work, an spent that time in a local woodland.
Butterflies seen were Brimstones (males 6+) an 2 females (also a mating pair!). 2 Peacock, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Comma.
1 male Adder, 3 Common Lizards.

Unfortunately, the mating pair of Brimstone did not hang around for any real photos! Just after they coupled up, they took off an flew up real high into the tree tops. But it was good to see a mating pair. Its only the 2nd mating pair of Brimstones ive ever seen, the last pair were seen over 5 years ago...an that was at the exact same location as this pair!! give or take a few feet!

Not really many photos taken, most of the butterflies were too active, but its nice to "brush off" that miserable month of March, an look forward to some more Spring sunshine. Cheers Paul. No images are cropped.


The female Brimstone, showing some wear to her wings, shortly after this, a male came along an coupled up with her almost instantly!

A mating pair of Brimstones, the male is clear to see, but you can just make out the females antennae/partial wings (tucked behind the leaf). No clear shots, as they took off soon after this.

A Comma.

One of the Common Lizards seen.

[David M]

...its nice to "brush off" that miserable month of March, an look forward to some more Spring sunshine...

Sure is, Paul. Been a long time coming but better late than never.