Bugboys mission

[Neil Freeman]

Nice find with the Black Admiral Paul, but my favourite photo is those three skippers lined up on the gras stem

Cheers,

Neil.

[bugboy]

ThanksTrevor, that male PH settled a little too deep in the bramble for me to get the angle right but I’ve had good success with males in previous years so I’m not too miffed, I’m more happy with the females since they’ve always nearly always kept their wings closed in previous years.
Thanks Wurzel. No picture, no membership…I think that’s how it works. I’m trying to keep up but adult life and taking more pictures keep getting in the way!
Thanks David. They were equals for me, I seem to see a black admiral every year at Bookham but open winged female PH are gold dust for me!
Thanks Neil, those Skippers were rather photogenic and I did take rather a lot of pictures!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


July 2023

Saturday 8th. Time for Dorset. One the trips I make every year where I place my fortune in the lap of the weather gods. As a rough rule of thumb, pick any day in July to visit Dorset and you’d be unlucky to get a rainy day. Well, that’s the theory anyway, today was one of those days. It was warm and there was some sun but there was more cloud and a decent smattering of (mostly) light drizzle.

Lulworth Skippers (the obvious target) were however plentiful, easily approachable and came in a variety of styles from freshly minted to barely hanging on to life.

at either end of the age spectrum.

The other Thymelicus were also present, but Lulworths were by far the most numerous and with so many around, finding them up to something other than basking and feeding wasn’t too surprising.

[bugboy]

Saturday 8th. Cont. Other than Skippers, Meadow Browns made up the bulk of other butterflies seen, mostly a little past their best. A smattering of fresh Gatekeeper, Marbled White and Small Blues provided a bit of variety. I find Small Blues a bit of an oddity here, they always seem a bit out of sync to other sites I find them on

A lifer was provided in the form of a Scarlet Tiger moth

There's always a family of Stonechat here, usually alarm calling at me, this female posed nicely though.

Despite the weathers best efforts, a good day out, even if I did get absolutely drenched on back in Bournemouth before getting my train home!

[Wurzel]

"No picture, no membership…" Something to work on next year then
"I’m trying to keep up but adult life and taking more pictures keep getting in the way!" Totally get this, don't mind the latter part of the problem it's the first bit that irks me...the dreaded 'W'word
Cracking images of the Lulworths Bugboy - always great to see as not many people post them on UKB Which Dorset site did you visit?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Great sequence with the Lulworth shots, Paul. Not a species I've seen for a few years over here.

That's another fine Meadow Brown too...and the Scarlet Tiger is a real beauty.

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel. I didn’t realise I hadn’t mentioned I was at my usual Lulworth stomping ground, Durlston Country Park.
Thanks David. Since the pandemic stopped me going far afield that year, I’ve taken a lot more interest in the ubiquitous Meadow Brown. It’s actually quite a variable species and deceptively attractive if you take the time to pay it attention.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


July 2023

Monday 10th. My next outing was one of my long days out covering a number of sites so I’ll have to spread it out over a few posts. It started off as they often do at Bookham. The early July stalwarts of WA and SWF were out in force, both species starting to show their age but still presentable.

Representatives of other Vanessids were in better condition

As were the first of what was going to be a good showing of Gatekeeper

The Purple Hairstreaks were much less amenable today, only one came low enough but still didn't play by my rules.

Skippers were still around. I found an Essex with a pale patch in the centre of one forewing and a small gathering of Smalls were found mudpuddling in the company of a Holly Blue and a Red Admiral, the latter having noticeably pale hindwing red bands.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Bugboy - I've only visited there for butterflies a couple of times. That area does quite well for unseasonably late Marbled Whites as well from what I remember
Lovely twofer from you most recent post - that could be titled 'The woodland specialists of late summer'

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel, yes I think I’ve encountered Marbled White there quite late in the season in previous years.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


July 2023

Monday 10th part 2. On the way to Denbies I got distracted by a Large White. I’d barely seen any this year but there were signs of numbers increasing.

At Denbies I was eager to catch up with my first Chalkhills of the year. It was somewhat overcast and cool but a few fresh emergents did open up, the overcast conditions enhancing the shimmering pale blue.

Also active on the hillside were Skippers, Browns, Whites and the occasional flash of orange in the form of a Dark Green Fritillary, a female of which allowed me to get close whilst she was feeding.

On my way back I was once again distracted by a Large White, I think a different one.

[bugboy]

July 2023

Monday 10th part 3. It brightened up after a few hours at Denbies so I figured I could fit in a wander around Box Hill before going home, although I stopped off in the pub before to hopefully let the Dark Green Fritillaries slow down a bit.

At the bottom of the slope I came across a boldly marked Small Copper.

A few Skippers and Browns were active but upon reaching the crest of the hill, the Fritillaries appeared, and it was these that I concentrated on.

The males were showing their age but a couple of nice females were also present.

There was also a very nice Small Tortoiseshell who threatened to steal the show from the Fritillaries.

Further up, closer to the visitor centre there were numerous Red Admirals, boisterously holding territories and gorging on the Brambles. A fresh Peacock added to the riot of colour and finished off a nice long day chasing butterflies

[millerd]

Box Hill really comes into its own in July, doesn't it! Some great shots there, Paul, particularly the female DGF and the Small Tortoiseshell.

Cheers,

Dave

[Wurzel]

Great Chalkhills and DGFs Bugboy There were quite a few dusky female DGFs round our way this year - possibly due to the heat.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Gorgeous Peacock image in that last post, Paul. Great too that there were a few Dark Green Fritillaries to keep you entertained.

That Small Tortoiseshell is an interesting one - the black around the basal hindwing area barely extends at all.

[bugboy]

Thanks Dave. You’re not wrong there, in fact the post after this one does feature a return.
Thanks Wurzel, I think female DGF are my favourite of the Fritillaries.
Thanks David. I hadn’t noticed that about the ST but probably explains why it drew my attention so much.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thought I'd posted this last night but either I hit preview and logged off or I've inadvertently posted it on some other thread (if found feel free to remove!)

July 2023

Monday 17th. A rare day on one of my work lunchtime wanderings where I saw a range of species that hit double figures, even when a sharp shower temporarily interrupted proceedings. A selection:

Others included Speckled Wood and some Skippers.

[Wurzel]

I've said it before (and no doubt I'll say it again) but I do love the back-lit Brimstone shots I find lunch time wanderings a real bonus, they're on about making our lunch break longer, what a pity

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel, I’m the same with a backlit Brimstone, it’s impossible to walk past without at least trying to get a few shots. Not sure how I feel about YOU getting longer lunch breaks…!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


July 2023

Tuesday 18th. Another long day out and a repeat performance of my last long day, Bookham, Denbies and Box Hill. With the decline of White Admirals and Silver-Washed Fritillaries, Gatekeepers now ruled the roost at Bookham, with lots of fresh ones decorating the brambles.

The faded SWF and WA now mostly relegated to artistic, backlit shots.

Sharing the roost ruling duties were a fresh glut of other aristocrats, many of whom I found gorging on a clump of Creeping Thistle in a clearing, sharing it with a selection of Browns, Skippers, SWF and the occasional White.

and some other highlights from my morning, a Brown Argus with some vestigial spotting, mating Ringlet with (if you look closely) a red mite wandering along the females wing and a particularly fresh blue badger Small Copper

Next stop, Denbies.

[millerd]

That's a great selection from Bookham during the "gap" between Purple Emperors and Brown Hairstreaks, Paul. And not a single Purple Hairstreak shot among them!

Cheers,

Dave

[Wurzel]

Lovely selection there Bugboy Interesting to see the size of the Mite which I'm guessing is the pre-meal size?, is that the parasitic one?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Thanks Dave, the Purple Hairstreaks were a no show that day, before they start reappearing lurking in the Ash trees to confuse us!
Thanks Wurzel, I’m not sure what type of mite it actually is, a little bit beyond my ID skillset!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


July 2023

Tuesday 18th, part 2. At Denbies, the Chalkhill Blue numbers had built nicely since my last visit and they posed perfectly in the warm, bright cloudy afternoon. Females it would seem were still in short supply.

Brown Argus were readily stumbled across, and Small Skippers were still about here. I found a female of the latter ensuring some will be here next year.

I took a long scenic route around the site, walking along the bottom path and returning back via Steers Field. Here I found some Small Coppers, a Peacock and the briefest glance of what I think was my first Silver-spotted Skipper of the year. I’d already committed to the step that disturbed it, so it was just a split-second glance before it shot off never to be seen again.

A couple of nice moths also drew my attention, both enjoying the Scabious flowers abundant here. A Dusky Sallow

And a group of randy Nemophora metallica longhorn moths. These may well be awaiting a female to turn up, Scabious flowers being what the larvae feeds on.

An egg laying Comma was amongst the distractions on the return walk (you can see a newly laid egg near the tip of her abdomen)

[bugboy]

July 2023

Tuesday 18th, part 3. The final hour of the day was spent on Box Hill where, like last time, the Dark Green Fritillaries provided most of the fun. The males were predictably looking rather decrepit but some of the females remained half presentable.

A few Browns were about, including a still reasonable looking Marbled White.

And a mint fresh Brown Argus

[Wurzel]

"I’m not sure what type of mite it actually is, a little bit beyond my ID skillset!" no worries I just wondered if it was Trombidium breei which has a penchant for Brown butterflies harmless though apparently
Lovely set of very ethereal shots The straw like grass of mid summer onwards always lends a certain dreamy style

Have a goodun

Wurzel