May 2010 sightings

[Andrew Mc]

20+ Marsh Fritillaries today at Hazelbury Common, vying with Dingy Skippers as the most abundant species.

Andrew

[NickB]

On the subject - watched a pair of Small Copper last year; she certainly made those males work! Off like the clappers through the grass and flowers, and it seemed to work.
....In that, not many seemed able to keep up and she lost most of them easily; she certainly wanted the fittest
N

[lee3764]

My wife and I drove up to the Scottish Highlands last Wednesday, in the hope of finding Chequered Skippers

We had booked the trip a couple of months ago and had been very worried that the cool spring weather would have held the butterfly back by a few days and we might arrive a day or two too early. Still... "He who dares Rodney, he who dares"

Thursday was dull and mizzly but after much patient searching, I finally spotted one in the grass - fresh out of the wrapper!
We took loads of photos of the underside, but however long we waited, the insect would not open its wings. I finally had to resort to "huffing" warm air over it.... By the time it obliged, I was feeling very dizzy
We found a second one later in the afternoon and a third on Friday a few miles to the East, together with a single (fresh!) Pearl-Bordered fritillary.
Definitely worth the 1000+ mile trip in the car - and the weather was perfect.
Yvonne got this photo with her compact camera... It had obvioulsy even combed it's hair for us!



Trev

What a brilliant photo of a Chequered Skipper Trev for a compact camera!!!! If you look at the main home page of Pete's website you will see my article on 'Revisiting a colony of Chequered Skippers at Glen Loy in 2008' there and you must be so pleased to travel all that way & get such a perfect photo as you did! I was tickled pink with my photos some of which I used in my article and the mating pair photos of the Chequered Skippers pleased me most.
I hope your posting/photo inspires more people to take the long trip north. Actually it was 1300 mile round trip for me from Cornwall!!!
Cheers,
Lee.

[Dave McCormick]

I went to Strangford Lough today and saw my first Painted Lady, didn't get a shot as it was flying really fast over the lough... possible migrant? This is an area where quite a few different migrants appear, recorded Vestal, Silver Y, Clouded Yellow, Whites and Painted Ladies migrating up Strangford lough in various years. Stragford Lough is connected to Killard Point which is the gateway between the Irish sea and Strangford lough where migrants appear from

Also saw 10 GV White and 20 Small White too. Trev, smashing shot of the shipper

[Ian Pratt]

Here is some video of Adonis Blues on Bonchurch Down near Ventnor Isle of Wight last weekend. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37FPiv4vT0Q

[NickB]

I couldn't make out if it was something disgusting the Adonis were attracted to......
but a nice little video....
N

[Ian Pratt]

Yes you were correct.Often butterflies are attracted to faeces.

[millerd]

I used a spare afternoon to visit Bentley Wood today. The Eastern Clearing produced a lot of new Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries and a handful of older, scruffier Pearl-bordered cousins. The sun was in and out, making it relatively easy to take photos, and by 6pm, they were settling down for the night, often in pairs. Lovely creatures...

Dave

[Gruditch]

Got one this time Jack. It is turning out to be one hell of a good year for PB and SPB at Bentley Wood.

Regards Gruditch

[Jack Harrison]

It's turning out to be a good year for most species - except Large Whites. My LW pupae have yet to emerge but seem to be almost ready.

Wall Brown hunting tomorrow but success far from guaranteed.

Jack

[Matsukaze]

No Small Blues in evidence yet at Odd Down Park & Ride, perhaps just as well as the foodplant is not yet in flower.

[NickB]

Well, the first Common Blue of the year in Mill Road Cemetery on Thursday lunchtime, a Large White (really!) and a couple of Small White and Speckled Wood. But the best thing was my first-ever sighting of a Small Copper in the Cemetery. Up to nineteen species in there now
N

[Dave McCormick]

It's turning out to be a good year for most species - except Large Whites. My LW pupae have yet to emerge but seem to be almost ready.

Latge whites here seemed really common in March/April, then small whites now seem more common, not as much as LW though... Nymphalids like Peacock or Small Tortoiseshell seem few and far between here for some reason. Haven't seen many Speckled woods either are not common, seen 5 the whole year.

[NickB]

Got one this time Jack. It is turning out to be one hell of a good year for PB and SPB at Bentley Wood.
Regards Gruditch

Nice one Gary!
N

[Jack Harrison]

Dave:

Nymphalids like Peacock or Small Tortoiseshell seem few and far between here for some reason.

I would suggest that is because the adults have nearly all died, their offspring being larvae at present.

Jack

[Jack Harrison]

Nick ref a REAL Small PB Frit:

Nice one Gary!

You scoundrel Nick

Jack

[NickB]

Nick ref a REAL Small PB Frit:

Nice one Gary!

You scoundrel Nick

Jack

Dare I mention Small Whites on steroids

[Jack Harrison]

Nick:

Dare I mention Small Whites on steroids

You have a memory as annoying as that of Queen Elizabeth 1

She [Elizabeth] could be forgiving too. John Aubrey, the diarist, tells a story about the Earl of Oxford Edward de Vere. When the Earl made a low obeisance to the Queen, he happened to let go a fart, at which he was so ashamed that he left the country for seven years. At his return the Queen welcomed him to her Court and said, "My lord, I had quite forgot the fart"!

Jack

[Jonathan Evans]

At Brean Down, Somerset, today were 14 Wall Brown (between steps and Eastern end). Also today in Somerset, at Priddy Pools, were 9 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary and 4 Green Hairstreak.

[Ian Pratt]

What about a prize for the most species seen in the smallest area? I propose Afton Downs chalkpit carpark on the Isle of Wight. Yesterday in no more than 25 m2 I saw dingy, grizzled, and large skippers, common, small and adonis blues, brown argus, green hairstreak, Glanville fritillary, small copper and green -veined white. In addition, there were many small heath on the adjacent Downs.11/12 species- are there any challengers.