June 2023

[Andrew Mc]

Holly blue larvae in my garden today

[David M]

Friday 16th, Daneway Banks, Glos:

Marbled White 50-70
Meadow Brown 40-60
Large Blue 16
Small Heath 4
Large Skipper 2
Speckled Wood 1
Red Admiral 1
Common Blue 1

[Bertl]

Love these images, Bertl. It's rare for us to see this UK form on here so thanks for sharing.

Thanks for your comments David. It was a great morning watching those magnificent little butterflies busy themselves in the hot sunshine .

[Bertl]

Yes, an excellent range of images for the rest of us to enjoy!

Thanks. Always pleased to share photos from a fruitful morning in the company of these little gems.

[Padfield]

... however returning along the old S and D track a small Dragonfly caught my attention a male Scarce Chaser, this cheered me , my first sighting of the Male of this species ...

I'm going to stick my neck out and suggest you've actually photographed two males here: first a mature male, then not a female but a brilliant immature male. What caught my eye was the lack of dark wingtips, but I think the abdomen confirms it. Fantastic dragonflies.

Guy

[Jack Harrison]

Berti - NBA Grantown-on-Spey

I'll have to reschedule my plans.  It's only about a 40-minute drive to Grantown for me.  I don't normally see NBA until the first week of July, so your sightings this early are a surprise.  I did see Small PBF on 8th June.

My 'hot spot' is close to the River Spey  where there are masses of the white form of Sweet Rocket (aka Dame's Violet), and on my visit on 8th June, Orange Tips were surprisingly still flying in good numbers.  OTs use Sweet Rocket as a larval food plant, including in my own garden, some 20 miles to the north of Grantown.

If you'd like to exchange Private Messages, then we can compare notes as to the exact locations for NBA.  But in any case, I don't think they are particularly sensitive.

Jack

[Devon Dave]

June has been warm and dry in Devon for weeks and the White Letter Hairstreaks were very early this year, started seeing them around the 10th of June and it seems a very good year for them and they are out in good numbers. But I was extremely pleased yesterday to witness a Pair mating, never seen that before. They were quite a way off so had to use zoom then unfortunately had to crop the resulting photo quite a lot, but it makes a most interesting image which I wont forget in a hurry.Hope you all enjoy as well even though heavily cropped.

[Jack Harrison]

People apologise for cropping.  Nobody would apologise for using a telephoto with an even longer reach to take a photo.  Cropping is to an extent the same thing and has always been part-and-parcel of photography.  Some 65 to 70 years ago, when fixed lenses were the norm, cropping and repositioning were essential.  The local newspapers to whom I sold quite a number of photos as a teenager never complained.

Jack

[Bertl]

Berti - NBA Grantown-on-Spey

I'll have to reschedule my plans.  It's only about a 40-minute drive to Grantown for me.  I don't normally see NBA until the first week of July, so your sightings this early are a surprise.  I did see Small PBF on 8th June.

My 'hot spot' is close to the River Spey  where there are masses of the white form of Sweet Rocket (aka Dame's Violet), and on my visit on 8th June, Orange Tips were surprisingly still flying in good numbers.  OTs use Sweet Rocket as a larval food plant, including in my own garden, some 20 miles to the north of Grantown.

If you'd like to exchange Private Messages, then we can compare notes as to the exact locations for NBA.  But in any case, I don't think they are particularly sensitive.

Jack

I sent you a private message.

[Jack Harrison]

Dave Miller Black Hairstreak Epsom Common.

That is some distance from the known (presumably introduced) colony at Ditchling.
Is BH lurking undetected in many places in the south? Do we have to 'blame' the late Peter Cribb for numerous introductions? Wasn't there one near Cranleigh that survived for some while, was then apparently lost, but reappeared a short distance from the original site?

Jack

[Ian Pratt]

Rumour had it that there might be a rare sighting of a Wurzel away from its Salisbury habitat, so I set off early for Epsom Common only to find the rumour to have substance. Also seen were a good number of Black Hairstreaks, some of which were quite obliging...BlH1 170623.JPG...and one or two other species including a Marbled White...MW1 170623.JPG...and a special bonus: a fresh White Admiral.WA1 170623.JPGI don't think I've ever seen that particular trio at the same site on the same day before.

As ever, a fuller account will appear later in my PD (and much later in Wurzel's... )

Dave

Superb photos.

[Ian Pratt]

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 !

This is a blue-banded purplewing: myscelia cyaniris, I believe.

[Wurzel]

Epsom Common 17-06-2023
Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Marbled White, White Admiral, Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood and the stars of the show my second ever helping of Black Hairstreaks - at one point there were 7 all in view at once. I only just made it through the morning thanks to Dave and his emergency coffee - I did try and drive away from the passenger side when I left though

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Medard]

I'm going to stick my neck out and suggest you've actually photographed two males here:

Hello  Guy,  I visited the UK Dragonflies website following your comments  and checked the photo that you commented on and yes it appears to be an immature male, however might it also be a immature Female,? it does seem that this dragonfly passes through many changes, see photos, maybe someone would like to add a comment.

A short close up video showing details that the observer never sees on a site visit.
https://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com/p99 ... #h66a8a7fc

Photo no 1 appears to tick the box for a female

Photo no 2 has a hint of black on the wingtip

Photo no3 another possible immature male?

Photo no 4 A very mature specimen in surprisingly good nick, no wing damage!!!

The Scarce Chaser is indeed a very beautiful insect one thats well worth the effort to observe.

[David M]

June has been warm and dry in Devon for weeks and the White Letter Hairstreaks were very early this year...Hope you all enjoy as well even though heavily cropped.

Enjoy I did, Dave. Excellent image!

[David M]

Friday 16th, Rodborough Common, Glos:

Meadow Brown 40-50
Marbled White 40-50
Large Blue 6
Brown Argus 3
Small Blue 2
Common Blue 2
Large Skipper 2
Adonis Blue 1
Ringlet 1

[millerd]

Epsom Common 17-06-2023
Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Marbled White, White Admiral, Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood and the stars of the show my second ever helping of Black Hairstreaks - at one point there were 7 all in view at once. I only just made it through the morning thanks to Dave and his emergency coffee - I did try and drive away from the passenger side when I left though
DSC_0002 - Copy (2)-002.JPG
Have a goodun

Wurzel

That image of the Black Hairstreak puts every single one of mine to shame, Wurzel. 'Twas a great morning!

Dave

[David M]

Sunday 18th, Welshmoor, Gower:

Meadow Brown 40-60
Large Skipper 30-40
Ringlet 7
Red Admiral 1
Common Blue 1

[millerd]

A 13-species day on my local patch near Heathrow today (16 if you include caterpillars!), with large numbers of Meadow Browns but modest numbers of most of the others. A highlight for me was later in the day when I spotted a basking hutchinsoni Comma. I always feel that these brightly-coloured summer butterflies make up for the lack of Fritillaries here.

A full account of everything seen will appear in my PD in due course.

Dave

[Devon Dave]

Another warm day down here in sunny Devon.Very pleased to see my first Clouded Yellow of the year, and even more pleased to get a shot with wings partially open to see its true beauty.Lots of Marbled Whites, Meadow Browns and both Large and Small Skippers out but not a single Large or Small white in sight again, they seem almost extinct down here in Devon.