June 2023

[Pauline]

I'll second that. Well done AGAIN Dave!

[David M]

That was a special audience, Dave. One which isn't granted to many.

You must feel quite uplifted.

[bugboy]

Been a busy few days and since I won't get around to posting the days photos for a while (I'm 17 reports behind at the moment), here's a quick peek:

23rd

24th

25th

[Jack Harrison]

AI has made an effort.

There once was a man named Harrison
Whose hobby was quite a rare one
He dressed up like a butterfly
And would flutter by and by
To him, it was all just for fun!

There once was a man named Neil,
Who had a peculiar zeal,
He chased after butterflies,
With camera and keen eyes,
And his passion for them was surreal.

Are there any lawyers on this forum who can advise us how to sue AI for libel?

Jack

[millerd]

AI has made an effort.

Scansion doesn't seem to be its strong point, Jack...

I attempted to escape the worst of the Heathrow heat trap this morning and sought some relief up on the Chilterns. It was a few degrees cooler for certain, but still very warm despite a strong breeze blowing. By lunchtime, most of the butterflies (and me!) were seeking shady spots.

After my extraordinarily Imperial day yesterday (thank you Ian, Pauline and David for your kind comments), it was back to the more plebeian at Aston Rowant, with a hillside full of Marbled Whites punctuated regularly by the mad dashing orange of Dark Green Fritillaries (how inappropriate that name must seem to the more casual observer... ). Also seen: Small Heaths, Small Skippers, Meadow Browns (though far fewer than usual), a few Common Blue females, a couple of Ringlets, a single Painted Lady, a Small White, a Speckled Wood and a Small Copper.

Dave

[SarahM]

Gorgeous P.E. photos Dave, well done.

[David M]

Been a busy few days and since I won't get around to posting the days photos for a while (I'm 17 reports behind at the moment), here's a quick peek....

Nice foretaste, Paul. Bring it on asap, please?

[millerd]

Gorgeous P.E. photos Dave, well done.

Thank you, Sarah.

Here's another one - an attempt to squeeze two butterflies into the same frame!

Cheers,

Dave

[Deborah]

Marbled Whites have finally exploded in my nearby meadow. One day there were none and the next there were too many to count!

[millerd]

From south Essex today:

(of course!)

probably the rarity these days in the South East

from a perennially reliable spot

a local speciality

Dave

[Mark Tutton]

A trip to Alice Holt Forest to see the Emperors is pretty normal for me at this time of the year and it all went according plan today when I had numerous encounters throughout the morning counting upwards of fourteen individuals.
After lunch I walked back down the track, with Flossie my constant companion by my side, when we flushed a male from the gravel. Unfortunately it just stayed up in a hazel eying us suspiciously. Further on I encountered a lady looking for her first viewing and I managed to find her one within minutes. As we were watching three individuals searching the oaks and sallows, one flew out to chase off an Emperor dragonfly - big mistake. In an instant the dragonfly had the hapless butterfly in its grip. However the prey was nearly as big as the predator, and it was putting up a valiant struggle, which dragged them both to the ground. I was able to get some still and movie footage before the dragonfly admitted defeat and went off to find more suitable lunch.
Sadly the Purple Emperor didn’t survive its encounter.
Some video on Twitter

https://twitter.com/marktutton25/statu ... kbmWykeIiA

[Pete Eeles]

I think this footage will become legendary and constantly referred to, Mark! Top stuff!

Cheers,

- Pete

[David M]

That's simply incredible to have captured such an event, Mark.

Well done and thanks for sharing.

[Ian Pratt]

"No mow May" has turned in to "no mow June" in my front garden with a profusion of ox-eye daisies,some birds foot trefoil and a few other wild flowers amongst the grasses. As a result I have had at least three species of butterfly in the front garden as opposed to none in nearby closely cropped swards. The attached small skipper was a particular delight as it was so fresh.

[Jack Harrison]

At the age of perhaps eight years old, I caught my first ever Small Skipper (in the back garden in Norfolk).
My butterfly book (South) said:

...butterfly has a partiality for damp places, whether in the rides, or on the sides of woods, or waste ground

(my emphasis).

My father was a keen gardener and he was none too impressed when I told him about the Small Skippers' habitat.

Jack

[bugboy]

Went to Knepp for the first time today, I think it was worth it even if I didn't have much luck with groundings...

[millerd]

Went to Knepp for the first time today, I think it was worth it even if I didn't have much luck with groundings...

Not a common sight...

Follow that...

Despite a lot of cloud I managed 16 species on my local patch today, including a small explosion in the number of skippers, especially Essex.

Other highlights included a nice female Marbled White (not a frequent visitor here)...

...and a splendid new Small Tortoiseshell.

Approaching 400 butterflies were seen altogether, but the majority by far were Meadow Browns.

Dave

[Ian Pratt]

Your photo of the very fresh small tortoiseshell convinces me why it is my favourite UK butterfly!

[Ian Pratt]

Further to yesterday's posting by me, I now attach a photo of a gatekeeper from the mini-meadow in my front garden. That makes 5 species there: large white, small white, gatekeeper , small skipper and meadow brown.

[millerd]

Box Hill early this evening: A Dark Green Fritillary doing Purple Emperor impressions in the staff car park near the fort...

...and following up in similar vein.

All the others of the species were dashing about amongst the hundreds of Marbled Whites on Burford Spur.

There were several new Red Admirals and Commas on the brambles by the fort...

...and two of the former perched unusually close together on a vertical piece of wall.

A pleasant way to end the day, which had also included Dawneys Hill and Denbies. A fuller account of things in my PD in the not too distant future...

Dave