Pete Eeles

[bugboy]

Interesting that you've been able to find good numbers in your usual hunting grounds for them. When I last searched for them post heatwave at Bookham, I could only find one. The reason for so few was very clear though, nearly all the Honeysuckle I normally search for them on had been turned crispy brown. Pre heatwave I managed a good few eggs and larvae on these now dead leaves.

An early year might mean a notable second brood showing, possibly a saving grace for any populations relying on honeysuckle that has been mostly fried over the summer.

[Wurzel]

Cheers for the Silver-spot info - I try and get over there this year Also cheers for the shot of your set up, I finally know what a Wimberly is, looks like a useful bit of kit that

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

...Of course, given that the larvae are found on Honeysuckle growing in shade, then a ridiculous amount of equipment is needed, and I thought it would be worth sharing my setup, which includes tripod, remote shutter release, flash and a Wimberley plamp - so ensure that everything is 'locked down'

So that's how you do it!

Good job you don't need that gear abroad!

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks Bugboy, Wurzel and David!

A return to Pamber Forest today led to me finding my first ever 2nd brood White Admiral after 10 years (I think!) of monitoring. A rubbish video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn9whUrH0A0

I've also found a few larvae that are fully grown 3rd instar, and have NOT created a hibernaculum, so I'm assuming they'll be going into a 2nd brood too. I'll obviously post about what happens next - but here's one of the blighters:

Full-grown 3rd instar White Admiral larva

Cheers,

- Pete

[Wurzel]

Great shot of the cat and congrats on the 2nd brood White Admiral I've not seen any 'unusual 2nd brooders' yet but a lot of the other species that I;m seeing are noticeably smaller than normal

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

...I've also found a few larvae that are fully grown 3rd instar, and have NOT created a hibernaculum, so I'm assuming they'll be going into a 2nd brood too. I'll obviously post about what happens next...

So that's the warning sign, is it? Fascinating to know what triggers this. There seem to be some every year; I wonder if weather conditions play a role?

[trevor]

Congrats from me too for the 2nd brood White Admiral, not one you'd expect.
Though the regular 2nd brooders help to extend the season in a good year.

Great stuff,
Trevor.

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks Wurzel, David, Trevor. Unfortunately, I can confirm that the larva I was following desiccated in the warm weather

On a happier note, I'm delighted to be forever associated with one of my favourite butterflies, the Chequered Skipper, even if it is a result of finding a parasitoid new to science! Welcome to the world, Cotesia carterocephali Many thanks to the amazing Mark Shaw of the National Museums of Scotland! It seems to take quite some time (7 years) to get such things analysed and confirmed!

The lack of posts on my part is the effort going into my next book - focused on rarities (rare migrants, extinctions and introductions). Although it's about time (and never more relevant with climate change) that this group got the attention they deserve! It's now 75% complete, but will take a while to produce, so late next year is still the (moving, given this year!) target.

Cheers,

- Pete

[bugboy]

Thanks Bugboy, Wurzel and David!

A return to Pamber Forest today led to me finding my first ever 2nd brood White Admiral after 10 years (I think!) of monitoring. A rubbish video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn9whUrH0A0

I've also found a few larvae that are fully grown 3rd instar, and have NOT created a hibernaculum, so I'm assuming they'll be going into a 2nd brood too. I'll obviously post about what happens next - but here's one of the blighters:

IMG_6258.jpg

Cheers,

- Pete

Reminds me of that 5th instar I was following last winter, think it finally succumbed in November/December although how it managed to survive that long I'll never know! I would go and see if there's any second broods at Bookham but it's difficult to resist the Sussex coast at the moment !

[David M]

The lack of posts on my part is the effort going into my next book - focused on rarities (rare migrants, extinctions and introductions). Although it's about time (and never more relevant with climate change) that this group got the attention they deserve! It's now 75% complete, but will take a while to produce, so late next year is still the (moving, given this year!) target.

I recall you mentioning this in Italy, Pete. Looks like you're making good progress with it and there have certainly been plenty of rare migrants this last few weeks so it's a timely publication!

I guess now you're retired this should make things a little easier for you?

[Benjamin]

Excellent work with the parasitoid Pete - just goes to show the value of good old fashioned field work!

Looking forward to the next book along with many others I’m sure!

[Pete Eeles]

I guess now you're retired this should make things a little easier for you?

I wish that were true, David!

This year has been absolutely bonkers regarding rare migrants - I think it's easier to note which ones haven't been seen this year!

Cheers,

- Pete

[Pete Eeles]

Excellent work with the parasitoid Pete - just goes to show the value of good old fashioned field work!

Looking forward to the next book along with many others I’m sure!

Thanks Ben! "Immature stages is where it's at", as I always say

Cheers,

- Pete

[Pete Eeles]

Good to see that the first White Admiral larvae are emerging from their hibernacula, with most still to emerge. Pamber Forest, Hampshire, today.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Pete Eeles]

Since it's over a year since I lasted posted in my personal diary, I thought it was about time to breathe some life back into it

Having retired from full-time employment in 2022 (having worked in IT for the likes of IBM and Gartner), I couldn't resist the offer of working part-time as an ecologist ... and now help with the management of around 400 acres of prime habitat at a private site in West Berkshire, focused on butterflies of course! The geology of the area is a mix of chalk and clay, with extensive areas of woodland that are home to the usual suspects in oak woodland - Purple Emperor, White Admiral, Silver-washed Fritillary and Purple Hairstreak (with larval surveys conducted for the first two of these). White-letter Hairstreak are also present and disease-resistant elms have been planted to help them expand further. The creation of several chalk scrapes has led to the natural colonisation by Small Blue, with some anticipation that Adonis Blue and Chalk Hill Blue will also naturally colonise in time. There is also a large colony of Marsh Fritillary, whose origin is unknown, but has been present for quite some time (possibly over a decade) - and their habitat is also being actively extended with purposeful seeding of Devil's-bit Scabious in some of the meadows. I could go on!

Anyway - I'll post some updates soon, not least of my trips abroad.

On that topic, it's clear that 2024 has been absolutely disastrous for our butterfly fauna in Western Europe, as others have said - I'm lucky if I see a single butterfly in a day at the moment, and know that others are seeing the same. I guess we need to wait to see what the bigger picture reveals, but it's difficult not to feel quite despondent. Seeing my first White Admiral today lifted the spirits!

In the meantime, here's a photo I've always wanted to get - of a male Cleopatra showing its upper side - taken on a trip to the Italian Alps recently.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Padfield]

It sounds like a dream job, Pete - especially if it gives you time to go butterflying abroad.

I’ll be very interested to hear about your trips abroad this season. How despondent we should be depends, I guess, on whether these weather patterns continue or are a one-off. There is no doubt some species have been hit very hard this year, but if the habitat remains undamaged populations should quickly recover (providing at least a few butterflies survive!) if the next few years are favourable. My biggest fear for the UK is the proposed explosion of housing, including on the green belt. Much as managed wildlife estates and reserves are wonderful, the beauty of the British countryside used to be the seemingly endless meadows, copses and neglected, rough ground between the reserves. So much of this has been lost in Suffolk. Nature is being put in its place, to make room for ever more humans.

Guy

[millerd]

Looking forward to whatever you post, Pete, from home or abroad. That Cleopatra is a great taster - a shot I'd love to get one day, having practiced on domestic Brimstones a bit...

Cheers,

Dave

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks both!

I think that photography is 'saving me' at the moment, since I can always focus (pun intended) on other elements such as habitats and foodplants/nectar sources, when there aren't many butterflies around. Getting to know the flora in detail is quite a challenge, but that's what I like about it - I think I've purchased more books on wild flowers, trees etc. than anything else this year

Also, given the problems I had with carrying weighty camera equipment around (especially abroad, when I also used a tripod), I decided to ditch all of my Canon gear earlier this year, and have switched to the Olympus System range (OM-1, plus lenses such as 90mm macro). This has really brought the joy of photography back into my life (!) and I've had a lot of fun playing around with in-camera focus stacking ... something I didn't have in my old setup (although I know that Canon has equivalent technology).

Cheers,

- Pete

[Wurzel]

That is a stunning shot of the Cleopatra Pete Really looking forward to reading your Foreign Forays

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks Wurzel!

April 12th - 20th - Northern and Central Spain

I hadn't been to this part of the world in a while, and I was somewhat surprised at the effect of a lengthy drought and relatively cool weather, with things seemingly 2 to 3 weeks behind a normal season and butterfly numbers relatively low. Thankfully, in the company of Simon Spencer and Max Anderson, we were able to make up for things by focusing on species ecology and their foodplants in particular. A smattering of images is below.

Panoptes Blue pair

Panoptes Blue male

Spanish Festoon

Spanish Festoon eggs on Aristolochia

Swallowtail

Swallowtail egg on Fennel

Spring Ringlet

Spring Ringlet - ovipositing on Sheep's-fescue

Spring Ringlet egg

Iberian Sooty Copper

Provence Orange-tip

Heath Fritillary larvae on Foxglove

Heath Fritillary larva

Iberian Scarce Swallowtail

Iberian Scarce Swallowtail

Iberian Scarce Swallowtail egg on Blackthorn

Green Hairstreak - with almost no markings!

Queen of Spain Fritillary

Black-eyed Blue

Cheers,

- Pete