October 2023

[David M]

After an amazingly warm first half to September, what can we expect from the month where traditionally butterfly numbers fall from a cliff?

Should still be a few migrants about, particularly in the first week or so.

[SarahM]

I wonder if anyone could comment on this butterfly seen in my garden. When I first saw it I thought it was a Large White, but on closing it's wings it looked more like a GVW. Is this a hybrid, or could it be Ab. Venata seen on this site or a normal variation?

Thanks,
Sarah.

[David M]

Judging by the extensive apical markings, I'd say this is a Large White, Sarah, albeit one with an abnormally concentrated black suffusion on the hindwing undersides.

[millerd]

I agree with David, Sarah.

Going by the that dark patch on the top edge of the hindwing, I'd say that is not a Small White. The overall wing shape looks wrong for Green-veined, and though it is very heavily marked, the dark scaling doesn't look right to me for for this species either. Without anything specific to measure it by, size is tricky to estimate, but it also looks too big for GVW. My guess is that it is a Large White, though quite an unusual one.

Someone more clued-up on butterfly abs than me may be able to find a name for it!

Cheers,

Dave

[SarahM]

Thank you for your comments David and Dave.

I saw the butterfly again this afternoon. Size and upperside markings were typically Large White. I was just puzzled by the underside markings but I accept they are a variation of normal.

Sarah.

[David M]

The length of the antennae are also a giveaway, Sarah.

They're very long in Large White, with a clear, white tip at the end.

[bugboy]

Ab. Venata seems to fit most closely although this one is more extreme than any I can see on the various sites.

[Vince Massimo]

I was at Lancing on the Sussex coast at the weekend and so on Sunday 1st October, I took some time to follow-up on whether Red Admirals were on their reverse-migration. I saw seven flying east and west along the seafront, but none actually going out to sea. The wind at the time was south westerly. There were also four very fresh-looking examples feeding on the same clump of ivy. Also seen were 10 Small White and a Large White. Most interestingly, however were four Painted Lady which were all feeding on a small clump of Verbena. Looking at my photos, I managed to confirm that three of the individuals were definitely there the previous day (for four and a half hours) and all four were again observed for several hours before I had to leave.

Painted Lady - Lancing, Sussex 30-Sept-2023

Painted Ladies - lancing, Sussex 1-Oct-2023

They all looked in reasonably good condition and I suspect that they were feeding-up and waiting for the right weather conditions to cross into Europe. Had they been in-bound migrants, then I would have thought that they would have dispersed by the end of the first day, but I am open to suggestions.

Vince

[SarahM]

Thanks Bugboy.

It's good to know I picked out the same ab. as yourself.

Sarah.

[Bertl]

At least 20 Red admiral on the wing and a couple of comma butterfly seen at Logie Steading near Forres at lunchtime today.

Cheers

Bert.

[Stevieb]

The usual October fare in the garden today. Melksham, Wiltshire

11 x Red Admiral
1 x Peacock
1 x Comma
1 x Large White
1 x Small White

3rd October

3rd October

3rd October

3rd October

3rd October

[millerd]

Today's sunshine (following two largely cloudy but very warm days) brought out over 50 butterflies on my local patch, with nine species being represented.

The third brood of Holly Blues is starting to appear, attempting to share the ivy with all the Red Admirals.

A single Comma was there too.

I managed a close approach to a Large White for a change - I think the urge to feed overcame its usual restlessness.

Also seen: Small White, Speckled Wood, Brown Argus, Common Blue and Small Copper.

However, Red Admirals dominated, with a mix of migrating individuals flying higher up towards the sun, bigger numbers feeding up on the ivy...

...and one or two setting up territories and taking minerals from the ground - or from other sources!

A fuller account of the day will appear at some point in my PD.

Dave

[Jack Harrison]

With a temperature of a mere 10.5 C, Red Admiral enjoying Michaelmas Daisies in my north Scottish garden today, 4th October.

Jack

[Jack Harrison]

Jack

[millerd]

Railway cuttings/embankments can make fine nature reserves and habitat corridors, Jack! They may have played a role in the relatively rapid spread to Scotland of the Comma - you never know!

Another sunny morning today (4th) on my local patch and after about ten o'clock it warmed up quite rapidly. I found another fifty butterflies of ten species today: the extra one added to yesterday's tally was a Peacock avidly nectaring on thistles and knapweed (of which there is no shortage at present).

Just to provide an overall picture, here are some shots of the four species that didn't get in the frame on yesterday's post.

There was also one curiosity. I followed what I took by its size and yellowish-cream colouring in flight to be another female Small White. Unfortunately, it was very skittish and only allowed one brief shot before it was off into the distance, which was a pity as it was unusually heavily marked.

As ever, a fuller account with all the species seen today will appear before too long in my PD.

Dave

[Vince Massimo]

In Lancing again today. Whilst checking for Painted Ladies on a clump of Verbena, a blue butterfly caught my attention.
It turned out to be a male Long-tailed Blue in quite good condition. It was around for about 5 minutes, but I only managed 3 photos before I lost track of it. Time was 14.37, temperature 19C with a south-westerly wind at 14mph.

Long-tailed Blue - Lancing , Sussex 5-Oct-2023

The flowers are in a communal area adjacent to my garden and bearing in mind that I planted them, I'm counting the sighting as a garden tick .
The location is 65 metres from the beach and 10m from the Swallowtail sighting in July. Also in the garden today were 2 Small White, 5 Red Admiral, 1 Painted Lady, 1 Small Copper and 2 Humming-bird Hawk Moths.

Vince

[Pete Eeles]

The flowers are in a communal area adjacent to my garden and bearing in mind that I planted them, I'm counting the sighting as a garden tick

Brilliant. What a hotspot you have there, Vince!

Cheers,

- Pete

[David M]

...The flowers are in a communal area adjacent to my garden and bearing in mind that I planted them, I'm counting the sighting as a garden tick .
The location is 65 metres from the beach and 10m from the Swallowtail sighting in July. Also in the garden today were 2 Small White, 5 Red Admiral, 1 Painted Lady, 1 Small Copper and 2 Humming-bird Hawk Moths.

Seems like an epicentre for exotica, Vince.

[Vince Massimo]

Thanks Pete and David, it's a great location, but I only wish I had more garden space. However, I'm now going to make room to plant some Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea.

Vince

[millerd]

It sounds like almost any patch of nectar-rich flowers along the Sussex coast is worth a look at the moment! A great garden sighting, Vince.

I treat my local patch as if it were a garden in some ways, as even a brief bit of sun can tempt me out for a look. There was a fair bit of sunshine today, and I had a couple of hours in this "garden" this morning... Aside from the continuing numbers of Red Admirals, today was notable for the first Green-veined White I've seen this month, probably third brood...

...a third brood Brown Argus...

...a blue-badge Small Copper that doesn't appear to have featured on any of my walks recently...

...and no fewer than four very new-looking Peacocks, three of which allowed photos.

They were very widely separated, so I wouldn't like to guess whether they were re-awoken hibernators, or a second brood.

Dave