June 2023

[Allan.W.]

Thats a coincidence Bugboy ,I was in St.Margarets / Kingsdown yesterday on a plant hunt but keeping my eyes open for something a little more exotic ................unfortunately ,never happened ,apart from one possible "Large " White that just wouldn,t settle ,but spent a lot of its time flying up and down the numerous Hawthorns.
Allan.W.

[zigzag_wanderer]

Thanks for the further consideration chaps - much appreciated as always.

Before seeing your replies, I felt honour-obliged to take a look at some photos online of butterflies present at Middleton Farm, which is about 1 mile from my work as the crow flies (probably more like 2 miles as the butterfly flies !).

The Mexican Bluewing (Myscelia ethusa) looked a decent shout for what I saw.

Certainly, the number of horizontal stripes (perpendicular to the abdomen) across both wings looks a good match for my second picture. The stripy abdomen and oblique striping in the forewing top corners, and the white blocks on the underside forewing were good too.

It didn't appear as blue as some of the examples, but there was a definite mauve-ness to it, even in the very bright light of 1pm, Thursday.

Now, seeing your replies, I reckon Myscelia ethusa (or a similar Myscelia species) must be the main contender !

I'm ashamed to say Guy, that I hadn't seen your tropical butterflies guide before (thanks for the link to that Bugboy). It's a great resource and there's some real beauties there, that Glasswing - wow !

And just to reassure you all, this wasn't a ploy to make my usual snaps look a better standard

[millerd]

Silver-studded Blues are out at Fairmile Common (near Cobham in Surrey). Last Wednesday there were none, but I counted seven (maybe more) in various spots across the site today: all were very fresh males. The mix of hot sun and cloud cover worked well for finding photographable butterflies, but if I'd stayed a few hours longer a humdinger of a storm would have made things very wet indeed.

(A fuller account to follow in my PD at some point.)

Dave

[zigzag_wanderer]

Last one from me on my mystery butterfly.

I mentioned it to a pal who lives locally and he sent me this pic taken by his wife of one on his hat, from a family trip to Middleton Farm three weeks ago.

Definitely looks like the Escape Committee have stopped digging their tunnel and are looking for easier ways out !

[bugboy]

Down on the Kent coast today

[millerd]

Some Somerset Sightings:

Large Blues at Collard Hill...

...and Small Pearls at Priddy Minories.

The weather made things hard work, with too much sunshine all round (and then a thunderstorm curtailing activity at Priddy just as the SPBF started to bask).

Dave

[Neil Freeman]

Currently in Norfolk for a few days. Swallowtails seen since Sunday at Strumpshaw Fen (2), Hickling Broad (7) and How Hill (1). Hard work and very flighty in the hot sun.

Swallowtail - Hickling Broad 12.06.2023

Full report and more photos in my PD when we are back home later in the week.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Bertl]

Took advantage of the decent sunshine and went a walk out at Cambus o May on Deeside today.

Lots of SPBF on the wing. Seen my first Red Admiral of the season and the dragonflies were active at the pond.

Cheers

Bert.

[Wurzel]

Priddy Mineries 10-06-2023.

1 Green Hairstreak, 3 Common Blue, loadsa Small Heath, 1 Dingy Skipper, at least 6 Large Skipper, a single UFW (probably Small) and about 8 Small Pearls around the hillock, about 5-6 flyng along side the path and up on the bank there were 11 in one view and it was too difficult to count them as they appearing over the rise or from up the bank.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Currently in Norfolk for a few days. Swallowtails seen since Sunday at Strumpshaw Fen (2), Hickling Broad (7) and How Hill (1). Hard work and very flighty in the hot sun.

Nice work, Neil. Will look forward to full details sometime soon.

[Lawts]

Hi I'm not on Facebook, which seems to be the only way to get butterfly news for East Scotland.

Does anyone know if Northern Brown Argus are on the wing at St. Abb's Head? I thought they might be a bit earlier this year, with the weather we've had recently.

Thanks.

Edit: I've established they are.

[David M]

Sunday 4th, Kenfig NNR, Glamorgan:

Small Heath 7
Common Blue 6
Speckled Wood 2
Meadow Brown 2

[Lawts]

Down on the Kent coast today IMG_0608.JPG

Per Twitter they are the result of a further release. It really starts to make you wonder about Queen of Spain, Long-tailed Blue, Large Tortoiseshell. All very frustrating.

[bugboy]

Down on the Kent coast today IMG_0608.JPG

Per Twitter they are the result of a further release. It really starts to make you wonder about Queen of Spain, Long-tailed Blue, Large Tortoiseshell. All very frustrating.

A reputable authority or just a random with an opinion? They've been seen coming in from the channel this year and also seen egg laying last year down the road from where they've been turning up this year. To be honest these days, saying the Swallowtails seen in Kent are released is a bit like saying the Small Whites in the local allotment are (slight exaggeration to make the point). No one other than the person responsible can say they are released with any confidence, so if no one comes forward, their timing and location makes a natural occurrence perfectly acceptable and likely.

As for the others you mention there's plenty of evidence on the continent to rule out the vast majority are released, particularly the LTB which are irrefutably the result of northward migrations.

Black-veined Whites turning up randomly in South London, that for me is a different story!

[Wurzel]

After Priddy (10-06-2023) headed over to Collard Hill.
Marbled Whites, meadow Browns, Common Blues, Brown Argus and at least 6 Large Blues.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

14 June, Fairwood Common, Gower:

Meadow Brown 9
Small Heath 7
Large Skipper 5
Marsh Fritillary 4
Common Blue 1

[Charles Nicol]

a lovely sunny day at Sundon Quarry.

i saw my first Marbled Whites of the year ( while looking unsuccessfully for Dark Green Fritillaries ).

you can just about see one in the photo

i was wondering what this pretty plant was which i saw on a chalk slope ?

[Padfield]

Your plant is the beautifully named eyebright, Charles.

Guy

[Charles Nicol]

Your plant is the beautifully named eyebright, Charles.

Guy

thanks so much Guy !

it is a lovely name

[Devon Dave]

I saw my first White Letter Hairstreaks on the 10th June, very early indeed down here in Devon. Got this photo on 12th June then on same day got my first Marbled White of 2023 so a good day all in all for me.