Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
Whilst at Hills and Holes at the weekend I observed a Brown Argus that clearly showed white within the upperwing spots reminiscent of Castle Eden. They were not pure white, but I was still surprised to see this - how common a feature is this on Brown Argus?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Re: Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
Hi Lawts,
Where abouts is Hills and Holes..?
Felix.
Where abouts is Hills and Holes..?
Felix.
- Neil Hulme
- Posts: 3595
- Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 8:27 pm
Re: Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
Hi Felix,
I think it's near Peterborough.
Neil
I think it's near Peterborough.
Neil
Re: Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
Yes, it's not far from Peterborough - it's in the village of Barnack. A lovely reserve built on a medieval quarry. Good for Chalkhill Blue.
Re: Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
Hi Lawts,
The butterfly you saw was a Brown Argus 'aberration' called snelleni. This aberration is conveyed genetically and can be found regularly at some sites. There are a couple of localities in Somerset (where I gre up) that 'threw it out' with regularity. Although it has been some years since I last found one.
Good spot Lawts, it's certainly worth looking out for again at Hills and Holes.
Felix.
The butterfly you saw was a Brown Argus 'aberration' called snelleni. This aberration is conveyed genetically and can be found regularly at some sites. There are a couple of localities in Somerset (where I gre up) that 'threw it out' with regularity. Although it has been some years since I last found one.
Good spot Lawts, it's certainly worth looking out for again at Hills and Holes.
Felix.
Re: Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
Hi Felix, what do you mean by "threw it out" - you mean record rejected?
- alex mclennan
- Posts: 173
- Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2006 6:01 pm
- Location: Bedfordshire
Re: Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
I think this is Snelleni ter HAAR. I saw it on my local patch in Bedford last year and managed to grab this record shot before it disappeared.
Alex
Alex
Re: Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
Other than the difference in flight periods, it does make you wonder why they are split. Was this prior to dna analysis?
Re: Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
I think he means that it was an abberation which was common in that particular colony - so thrown out by random chance (well not quite).Lawts wrote:Hi Felix, what do you mean by "threw it out" - you mean record rejected?
Bill
Re: Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
Hi Alex,
Yes you're 'spot on' (I'm too funny). Thanks for posting this photo as it illustrates the thread perfectly.
Lawts: is this what you saw? By the way, Bill is right; sorry to mislead you. By "a couple of sites which threw it out" I meant a couple of sites where the aberration occurred.
Felix.
Yes you're 'spot on' (I'm too funny). Thanks for posting this photo as it illustrates the thread perfectly.
Lawts: is this what you saw? By the way, Bill is right; sorry to mislead you. By "a couple of sites which threw it out" I meant a couple of sites where the aberration occurred.
Felix.
Re: Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
Yes, that's what I saw.
Re: Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
The first Brown Argus I saw this afternoon at Mumbles Hill, Swansea was exactly like this. All the others I examined just had the usual black forewing spot but this one stood out a mile.
Re: Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
Interesting Dave that the orange on the upperwing also fades out towards the top and isn't striking. I've got shots of Northern Brown from Bishop Middleham earlier this year with less white on the two spots, and much more striking orange.
Should be fun if/when these two ever overlap.
Should be fun if/when these two ever overlap.
Re: Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
Are they approaching each other in terms of range?Lawts wrote:Interesting Dave that the orange on the upperwing also fades out towards the top and isn't striking. I've got shots of Northern Brown from Bishop Middleham earlier this year with less white on the two spots, and much more striking orange.
Should be fun if/when these two ever overlap.
Re: Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
Sorry for late reply - been on holiday. No. Bishop Middleham is some distance from the range of Brown, and all butt's. at this site are regarded as Northern.
- Jack Harrison
- Posts: 4635
- Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2006 8:55 pm
- Location: Nairn, Highland
- Contact:
Re: Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
Barnack H&H: TF074047
I was there a few weeks ago and was impressed by the large size of the abundant Chalkhill Blues
Jack
I was there a few weeks ago and was impressed by the large size of the abundant Chalkhill Blues
Jack
Re: Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
I live at the top end of Yorkshire ~ 20 miles from Bishop Middleham, and we had agestis here a few years ago.... they are within just a few miles now
- Lee Hurrell
- Stock Contributor
- Posts: 2423
- Joined: Mon May 25, 2009 7:33 pm
- Location: Hampshire
Re: Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
Hi Felix,
How about a white dot on one wing only? Although to be fair, it's hard to see if this is a wing marking or a just a nick.
Cheers
Lee
How about a white dot on one wing only? Although to be fair, it's hard to see if this is a wing marking or a just a nick.
Cheers
Lee
To butterfly meadows, chalk downlands and leafy glades; to summers eternal.
Re: Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
This was the original butterfly in question. This was seen at Bishop Middleham, County Durham. I've treated as Northern Brown Argus, (Castle Eden). However note how strong the orange is on the upperwing all the way to the top.
Does anyone believe this to be a Brown Argus? Interesting position for the site if it is.
Does anyone believe this to be a Brown Argus? Interesting position for the site if it is.
Re: Brown Argus - Upperwing Spots
Here is a different butterfly - same location, same day. The fading out of the orange suggests this is a more typical Northern Brown, (Castle Eden). There were also some classic white-spotted individuals as well.