October 2009 Sightings

[Piers]

I've yet to meet anyone online who was as I imagined.

You ain't met me yet, but I am even worse than you imagine.

[Lee Hurrell]

The whole QoS story here is fascinating, especially given the previous query about the possibilty of an egg laying female being seen (or not).

Assuming the females here that have mated lay eggs, are they likely to sucessfully overwinter and may we see further insects in the spring?

After reading for years about the scarcity of immigrants such as the QoS, Long and Short Tailed Blue and then reading about sightings (and seeing photos!) from this season really is one of the best things. Now, Camberwell Beauty anyone?

How things have changed over the years, when I started my interest in butterflies and moths, well before the internet, things were much different! You wouldn't have heard about these sightings or know where to go to see them. I understand Neil's initial reticence in sharing the site but hats off to you, really, hats off.

For me, the more people that can get excited about all butterflies and moths, common and rare, the better. I'm already looking forward to spring!

Cheers

Lee

[Lee Hurrell]

Oh, I should point out I know what Zonda, Nick B and Dave McK look like (only from photos on here though!)

Cheers

Lee

[Mikhail]

I do wonder if the QoS breeding habitat will be destroyed when the farmer comes to plough his maize field, or does he leave an unploughed margin?

Misha

[Zonda]

Lee, are you a stalker (peers out through curtains)

I'm so pretty,,,oh so pretty,,as pretty as pretty can beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

[Zonda]

Gosh yes! That's a big worry Misha.

[Lee Hurrell]

Lee, are you a stalker (peers out through curtains)

Not this year. It was from a link to your Wikipedia page I think!

[Neil Hulme]

Hi all,
The QoS will overwinter as either egg or immature caterpillar (preferably the former!). Survival depends upon both weather conditions this winter, and to a certain degree on what happens to the field. To an extent (irrespective of climatic issues), the butterfly will have to be able to look after itself, as the habitat in which field pansy flourishes will invariably be subject to everyday agricultural process. However, I will be attempting to liaise with the farmer, in order to assist them in getting 'a foot in the door'. This will of course depend on goodwill. Unless the eggs are all deeply buried (unlikely) some should hatch and the young caterpillars will seek out regenerating spring pansies. The severity of the winter is probably the key factor here.
Neil

[Padfield]

Adult QoS can emerge very early in the year and they do need a nectar source too. In Switzerland they use the early flowering mats of speedwell, which are often the only thing flowering in their sites at that time of year:


(28th February this year)

Obviously, your insects are unlikely to be that early if they hibernate as eggs or young caterpillars, but I thought it worth mentioning (and given the nature of QoS generations it is I suppose possible that there are some more advanced caterpillars ready to go into hibernation). Here, the speedwell is in full flower while the pansies are still just leaves, so the adults can nectar on the former and lay on the latter.

Guy

[Susie]

I've yet to meet anyone online who was as I imagined.

You ain't met me yet, but I am even worse than you imagine.

You don't know what I imagined yet

People may be different from how I imagined but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

What happened to the weather today? All that is flying here (Cranleigh, Surrey) is a small white.

[thepostieles]

just a small tortoiseshell today while out on my round

[Dave McCormick]

Nothing here, despite clear sunny day...maybe I'm just looking in wrong places? People are still reporting butterfiles here, but they elude me.

[Zonda]

Scrabbling around Buller's Cliff near Abbotsbury again today. Loads about, Painted Ladies and Red Admirals nectaring on the ivy covering the ruined castle. Clouded yellows (half a dozen),,,nearly died going after them. A fair few Large whites on cabbagey stuff. See my gallery for a shot of me resting.....

[Susie]

Two peacocks and loads of painted ladies in the garden today. It almost feels like May all over again except this time, instead of some being very worn they are all pristine. It's a beautiful sight to see them feeding on the vebena bonariensis, vebena rigida and wallflower bowles mauve.

A couple of red admiral and small white have just turned up too.

[IAC]

Hi all,
Red Admiral numbers are tailing off a wee bit up here in SE Scotland just 30 or so today. I did see 3 very fresh Comma though, and the chances are very high that these guys are autumn brood Commas following on from the July brood....timing would be about right. I just dont know if we have had a 2nd brood up here before. Small Tortoiseshell still skulking around saw one nectaring on Nasturtium.

Cheers IAC.

[NickB]

Out on my bike ride - a couple of fresh Comma up here too - and just one Small White and a Red Admiral as well.
N

[geniculata]

went for a short mid day visit to southbourne undercliff today,

found well in exess of 35 clouded yellow still active on this end of the cliffs, including 3 helice but a considerable number of them had the tell tale signs of bird predation with large chunks of the bottom of the hind wings missing even on fresh specimens, know doubt from the ever present familys of stonechat's found here.
also seen good numbers of painted ladys, small and large white, several red admiral and 2 male common blue.

other than butterflies there were some nice brassica shield bugs and a couple of cool wall lizards!

gary.

[roundwood123]

Still seeing Clouded yellows with 2 today in Point Clear Essex [ Nr Clacton ] also Large White and what i am almost certain was a Brown Argus, is it to late for a BA or is it more likely a Common Blue?. Steve

[Padfield]

Common blue is more likely by the phenology but brown argus is not impossible. I've seen some in Switzerland in October. Did you see any of the critical features (lack of cell spot, 'Aricia colon', chequered fringe, upperside dark spot on forewing)?

Guy

[roundwood123]

Thanks Guy, The sighting was over in a flash so i could not be positive in my id, Still nice to see a few Butterflies so late in the year. Steve