August 2024

[birdingprof]

Some American Painted Ladies photographed on a Pembrokeshire coastal Path yesterday. Look very fresh.

Too fresh to have come across the Atlantic? What is the thinking on the origins of these.

[millerd]

Adonis Blues were also flying at Box Hill this morning, including this aberrant male.

In common with many similar aberrants I've seen, the variation in this case appears to be a congenital one, as the upperside view of wing damage indicates. The pose showing this, with the butterfly sat next to a fresh Brown Argus, was completely fortuitous!

Also seen: Chalkhill Blue, Common Blue, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Small Heath, Speckled Wood, Silver-spotted Skipper.

I then moved on to Bookham, and congenital wing damage seemed to be the theme - as evidenced by this female Brown Hairstreak seen resting between bouts of egg-laying.

Also seen: Common Blue, Small Copper, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Speckled Wood, Brimstone, Small White and Silver-washed Fritillary.

Full reports on these visits to follow in my PD...

Dave

[Vince Massimo]

Today, my first Clouded Yellow of the year on a patch of Verbena in my seaside garden in Lancing. Not a great photo though.

Clouded Yellow - Lancing, Sussex 17-Aug-2024

During the day, there were four different Red Admiral on my Buddleia, as well as a few Small White and a Large White.

Red Admiral - Lancing, Sussex 17-Aug-2024

Other species seen in the locality were Green-veined White, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Speckled Wood, Common Blue and Holly Blue.

Vince

[David M]

Today, my first Clouded Yellow of the year on a patch of Verbena in my seaside garden in Lancing...

Things may improve for migrants right now. It was this time last year that a run of south easterlies began to assist them in flying over the water.

I'll be interested to see how Long Tailed Blues get on over these next few weeks.

[Bertl]

Nice to see those Small Torts,

Thanks David. Unfortunately I haven't seen any in my Aberdeen garden yet.

Last year at this time there were well over 30 butterflies in my garden on a daily basis with a mixture of red admiral, peacock and small tortoiseshell.

This year only around a dozen max have appeared with no small tortoiseshell seen as yet. The peacock butterflies only appeared yesterday.

Cheers

Bert.

[zigzag_wanderer]

Sometimes I regret not taking up a kind offer of a lift back from archaeology, but other times I'm very glad I walked.

I'm hoping this slightly worse for wear gorganus individual is a migrant and not yet another escapee from the nearby Middleton Common Farm butterfly house !

[bugboy]

Some American Painted Ladies photographed on a Pembrokeshire coastal Path yesterday. Look very fresh.

Too fresh to have come across the Atlantic? What is the thinking on the origins of these.

Don't see any reason to doubt them being genuine. We've had some recent warm southerlys that could have brought it/them from their European strongholds and plenty of weather systems from across the Atlantic. looking fresh means nothing with regards to whether they travelled a long way.

[aeshna5]

Some American Painted Ladies photographed on a Pembrokeshire coastal Path yesterday. Look very fresh.

Too fresh to have come across the Atlantic? What is the thinking on the origins of these.

Don't see any reason to doubt them being genuine. We've had some recent warm southerlys that could have brought it/them from their European strongholds and plenty of weather systems from across the Atlantic. looking fresh means nothing with regards to whether they travelled a long way.

Agree, could easily have come across the Atlantic in the same system that has brought 2 Cliff Swallows to UK shores & a range of American wader species in recent days.

[millerd]

Another Adonis Blue aberration today, this time at Denbies Hillside. This one probably deserves full ab. krodeli accreditation.

There were more fresh male Adonis today, just into double figures. There are still fresh Chalkhills as well, with the usual variety - including one with reduced underside spotting that looked white in flight.

Also seen: Silver-spotted Skippers, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Small Heath, Brimstone, Brown Argus, Common Blue and Dark Green Fritillary.

There was also one butterfly I initially thought was a female Silver-spotted Skipper straying from the grass and into the trees; on further scrutiny I now think it was a female Large Skipper - entirely possible in this unusual season.

Any thoughts, anyone?

As usual, a lavishly illustrated full report will appear in my PD in a while...

Dave

[David M]

Friday 16th, West Williamston, Pembrokeshire:

Hedge Brown 23
Small White 10-15
Large White 7
Speckled Wood 6
Brown Hairstreak 5
Common Blue 3
Red Admiral 3
Comma 1
Peacock 1
Silver Washed Fritillary 1
Small Copper 1

[David M]

Sunday 18th, Pembroke Coastal Path, nr. Little Haven:

Speckled Wood 23
Wall Brown 5
Small White 3
Meadow Brown 2
American Painted Lady 1
Hedge Brown 1
Red Admiral 1
Holly Blue 1

Many thanks to Paul (Bugboy) for being the first to flag this up yesterday, after which I got the GPS co-ordinates and took a punt.

[Bertl]

David that's a stunning American Painted Lady

[Bertl]

At last, a tortoiseshell and a painted lady appeared in my Aberdeen garden today amongst the peacock and red admiral butterfly .

[bugboy]

Sunday 18th, Pembroke Coastal Path, nr. Little Haven:

Speckled Wood 23
Wall Brown 5
Small White 3
Meadow Brown 2
American Painted Lady 1
Hedge Brown 1
Red Admiral 1
Holly Blue 1

18S.APLups1(1).JPG

18S.APLuns(1).JPG

Many thanks to Paul (Bugboy) for being the first to flag this up yesterday, after which I got the GPS co-ordinates and took a punt.

Had an inkling you'd go for a look! Stunning looking butterfly, if I lived closer I'd go myself. If it's a genuine immigrant it looks like its maiden flight went a bit wrong! Timings certainly spot on for a genuine though.

[millerd]

Sunday 18th, Pembroke Coastal Path, nr. Little Haven:
Speckled Wood 23
Wall Brown 5
Small White 3
Meadow Brown 2
American Painted Lady 1
Hedge Brown 1
Red Admiral 1
Holly Blue 1

Well worth the drive, I'd say, David! Great to see.

Dave

[Katrina]

Sometimes I regret not taking up a kind offer of a lift back from archaeology, but other times I'm very glad I walked.

I'm hoping this slightly worse for wear gorganus individual is a migrant and not yet another escapee from the nearby Middleton Common Farm butterfly house !

Great find Zigzag Congratulations!

[Katrina]

Sunday 18th, Pembroke Coastal Path, nr. Little Haven:

Speckled Wood 23
Wall Brown 5
Small White 3
Meadow Brown 2
American Painted Lady 1
Hedge Brown 1
Red Admiral 1
Holly Blue 1

18S.APLups1(1).JPG

18S.APLuns(1).JPG

Many thanks to Paul (Bugboy) for being the first to flag this up yesterday, after which I got the GPS co-ordinates and took a punt.

Well done for tracking the American Painted Lady down !

[Pete Eeles]

Sunday 18th, Pembroke Coastal Path, nr. Little Haven:

American Painted Lady 1

I bet that got the heart racing! Of course, as with all rarities, there's the usual comments regarding the origin, especially when the initial sighting suggested more than one adult in the area. And the usual plethora of comments on Facebook going into overdrive: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1113218 ... 785737759/

Cheers,

- Pete

[Neil Freeman]

Yes, I had a feeling too you would be going for a look David.
Worth pointing out that there have recently been few Oleander Hawk Moths reported, including at least one from West Wales, which would support the possibility of it coming up from one of the populations in the Canaries, Spain or Portugal rather than across the Atlantic.

Cheers,

Neil.

[David M]

Thanks, all. It was something of a unique experience to get a lifer in my own country.

This is probably the only species that I would 'twitch', although given I was the only person there yesterday I don't think that particular term can truly apply.

It even trumps Monarch in terms of its rarity, and of course it is an exceptionally beautiful butterfly which only adds to its kudos.

I honestly don't think the UK can get a more desirable migrant/vagrant coming in. Whether it was transatlantic or from Europe doesn't really matter. This species isn't one you can reliably find anywhere in Europe, so to have one less than two hours drive from my front door was too good an opportunity to miss.