July 2023

[Vince Massimo]

This year seems to be amazing for Small/Essex Skipper.

I have recorded more on the Malling Down, Lewes, East Sussex transect since 1987!

Small Essex.jpg

Are others recording larger than normal numbers os Small/Essex?

Hi Crispin, you are not alone. The Gatwick North-west zone transect has only been going since 2018, but never have numbers of Small and Essex Skippers been so high. In weeks 14 and 15 last year the skipper numbers were 70 and 60 respectively, but this year they were 354 and 214.

Vince

[Testudo Man]

"Twos company...threes a crowd"..................or a party!!!! depending on your views

After many years of searching, i finally sighted/photographed my 1st mating pair of DGF's this Saturday. A great experience for sure. Despite sitting in the car for 45 minutes on arrival (due to the rain!!)...a good session, with 10+ DGF's seen, including 2 other females.

What was unusual though???...was whilst i was shooting pics of the mating pair, a male Small Skipper was intent on getting in on the act?! The Skipper was constantly buzzing around the mating pair, even landing on the wing of the female at times.
Anyway, some photos of the event unfolding, some pics are out of focus(the Skipper mainly) an all but one of the images are S.O.O.C. no cropping or editing.

However, the last image of the pair of DGF's was both edited and cropped some. Cheers Paul.
Location - Kent.

[David M]

"Twos company...threes a crowd"..................or a party!!!! depending on your views

That's one of the most amazing sequences of butterfly behaviour I've ever seen, Paul. Those first couple of images in particular are quite incredible.

Glad the DGFs didn't separate given it was your first pair in-cop.

[millerd]

Two minutes from home this morning, among the dozens of Red Admirals and Peacocks, was this little gem. It's a few years since I've even seen the species in this particular spot, so this one was a double bonus. It must be my birthday!

(Funnily enough, it is... )

Dave

[David M]

What a gift that is, Dave! Splendid ab.

[David M]

Wednesday 12th, Nicholaston Burrows, Gower:

Hedge Brown 50-70
Meadow Brown 30-50
Purple Hairstreak 8-12
Peacock 6
Small White 4
Holly Blue 4
Comma 3
Large White 3
Small Skipper 3
Red Admiral 1
Speckled Wood 1
Marbled White 1
Small Copper 1
Brimstone 1
Dark Green Fritillary 1

[Ian Pratt]

White admirals and silver-washed fritillaries become often quite damaged flying between brambles and other plants. It was good today to find some of each to photograph which were relatively unscarred.

[millerd]

On my way north on 13th July, I detoured off the A1 a few miles and dropped into Bedford Purlieus near Peterborough. The infamous annoying Law dictated that the sun disappeared on arrival, and reappeared two hours later as I drove back onto the road north, but there was enough brightness to prompt some species into life.

I was looking for White-letter Hairstreaks, and was assured by someone just leaving the wood that several had been flying in the earlier sunshine. However, it was only during the last half hour, as a light rain fell, that one appeared.

Success... just!

Dave

[Ian Pratt]

I decided to venture out in to local woodland this morning despite the high winds. I was rewarded with over 20 silver-washed fritillaries plus two valezinas.
There were many other species including white admirals, red admirals, peacocks, second brood brimstone and a couple of common darter dragonflies. Sadly, no small tortoiseshells.

[aeshna5]

I was pleased to see my first valezina Silver-washed Fritillary yesterday in Ruislip Woods, Middx on a general insect walk for the London & Hilingdon Natural History Societies. We also saw 2 regular individuals. My first ever valezina in the London recording area.

Despite a few showers & brisk winds we still managed 15 butterfly species.

[Testudo Man]

"Twos company...threes a crowd"..................or a party!!!! depending on your views

That's one of the most amazing sequences of butterfly behaviour I've ever seen, Paul. Those first couple of images in particular are quite incredible.

Glad the DGFs didn't separate given it was your first pair in-cop.

Thanks for that David, yes, a great moment of "butterfly behaviour" to observe by both species.
The mating pair took flight over a large hedge, which is out of bounds for the general public, so i was glad to capture several nice images.

Sunday morning (in my Kent garden) seemed to be an explosion of Red Admiral !!...I counted 10 on the Buddleia bush the most ive ever seen in the garden all at once. Other species on the Buddleia were 2 Peacock, 2 large White, 2 Small White, 1 Comma, 1 Gatekeeper, 1 Holly Blue.

In the afternoon (despite the wind!) i went in search for local Chalk hill Blue, 4 males were seen, so, good to see this species for the 1st time at a "local patch" ive "adopted" for this season. This is the 1st year im observing this local patch, which is producing some nice species...adding Chalk Hills yesterday, was great. It will be good to have a total species "count up" at the end of the year, just to see how things are going.

Several images from my "newish" local Kent patch captured yesterday afternoon. No images are cropped, Cheers Paul.

Super fresh looking Male CHB's. 4 males seen.

Looks to be a fresh (2nd brood) female Small Blue (big chunky body!). Perhaps 8 to 10 seen.

[Mark Tutton]

There have been a few White Admiral aberrations at Alice Holt Forest this year but this is the most extreme that I have seen so far - a bit faded now but no white bands at all ab. Nigrina?
Kind Regards
Mark

[David M]

There have been a few White Admiral aberrations at Alice Holt Forest this year but this is the most extreme that I have seen so far

Wowza! That's a cracker.

[millerd]

Holly Blues are frequently seen puddling for minerals, but usually in ones and perhaps in twos. The recent sequence of alternating showers and sunshine seems to have been conducive to them gathering in bigger numbers on the frequent damp bits of path. I counted 43 Holly Blues on my local patch today, almost all males, and the vast majority of those were taking minerals from the ground. The largest close group was this set of five...

...but another dozen or so were not far off in twos, threes and fours.

Also seen on the ground indulging in similar behaviour were Commas, Red Admirals, and various Whites. Here is another group, mostly GVW, but there is a Small White and another Holly in there too, and a Red Admiral just out of shot.

Red Admiral numbers show no signs of waning, as I counted 118 today; however, Peacocks nearly caught up with an amazing 113 individuals notched up. Overall, nearly 600 butterflies of 18 species were flying (or puddling!).

Dave

[David M]

...Peacocks nearly caught up with an amazing 113 individuals notched up...

That's an astonishing total for Peacock, Dave. I don't think I've ever even seen half that total in a single day.

[millerd]

...Peacocks nearly caught up with an amazing 113 individuals notched up...

That's an astonishing total for Peacock, Dave. I don't think I've ever even seen half that total in a single day.

Indeed, David. I have just popped out to the nearest hotspot (a wild buddleia next to Hithermoor Lake only a hundred metres or so from home as the Red Admiral flies) for the purposes of the Big Butterfly count. I recorded 37 Red Admirals and 33 Peacocks, plus a few other butterflies, during the 15 minute window allowed. There are several other hotspots around my local patch for both species, so you can see how the total mounts up.

I spoke to some passing horse-riders this morning who said they couldn't remember seeing so many butterflies for a long time (they also remarked on the number of "little blue ones" around - which I guess were Holly Blues). All very encouraging, really, particularly if the same thing is happening more widely.

I assume at some point the Peacocks will mostly vanish into hibernation, but I have been observing a bit of territorial behaviour and dogfights, so there may be a second brood. As far as the Red Admirals go, there could be a really big autumn emergence, but we shall just have to wait and see.

Dave

[sifenn]

As with others above, I was enjoying a good variety of butterflies while walking in woodland and chalk downs in Glos today; 23 species is probably my best ever British total.
In local woods, Red Admirals are everywhere, and male Silver-washed Fritillaries are frantically searching for mates. Craning my neck at every oak and elm; 5 Purple and 1 White-letter Hairstreak colonies active today.
On the downland, Chalkhill Blues are just emerging, as are 2nd brood Brown Argus and Common Blue. I also came across a couple of Small Tortoiseshells nectaring on scabious, one of which didn't look quite right. I realised that it had white markings where it should have creamy yellow. Is that variation or an aberration ?
Great to see what others are spotting around the country.

[David M]

..23 species is probably my best ever British total...

That's right up there, Sifenn.

Anything topping 25 is worthy of a newspaper article!

[David M]

...I spoke to some passing horse-riders this morning who said they couldn't remember seeing so many butterflies for a long time (they also remarked on the number of "little blue ones" around - which I guess were Holly Blues). All very encouraging, really, particularly if the same thing is happening more widely.

Crazy isn't it how such a bad year can suddenly transform itself into something good at this mid-point of summer.

Numbers are suddenly very impressive over here, and as you say, this glut of Red Admirals could well provide a late season spectacular in a few weeks.

[millerd]

Not very impressive numbers of Chalkhill Blues at Aston Rowant today - just into double figures and barely more than ten days ago. I didn't see any Silver-spotted Skippers either, but it is still a bit early for them. However, there were plenty of fresh Brown Argus, of which this nice example of ab. snelleri was one.

Dave