Lee Hurrell

[Lee Hurrell]

Despite being on holiday this week I have had to nip into work as my internet connection isn't working at home today

I have posts ready from Somerset and of course that means I can't post them.

So unless my internet comes back before tomorrow night, that's it for a week as I'm off to Spain on Saturday morning!

[Michaeljf]

So unless my internet comes back before tomorrow night, that's it for a week as I'm off to Spain on Saturday morning!

Lee,
it seems your Spain Holiday has been on the cards forever have a nice time. I'm sure the Small Coppers in the Cemetery will notice you've gone too
Michael

[Lee Hurrell]

Thanks Michael. (Internet cafe in Greenford now to check in online as I didn't take my passport to work)

I have a series of a mating pair I watched copulate yesterday, (which I probably won't be able to post until I'm back now), and that's it, no more Small Coppers until next year, promise.

Cheers

Lee

[Lee Hurrell]

Monday 20th September 2010

Brompton Ralph sunshine

What a glorious day in Somerset. The sun shone all day and I spent a long time in my favourite field, the paths through the forest next to it and walking around the village.

In the garden there were 2 Small Tortoiseshells present all day, feeding up, a few Speckled Woods, a Comma and several Red Admirals on the blackberries, plus Small and Large Whites.

Elsewhere in the village another 2 Small Torts, Speckled Woods and Whites were enjoying the sunshine.

The Small Coppers I saw yesterday were in a particular field nearby. I first found that colony last year and it was good to see it was still there, although I think it must be a small one as I saw 1 last year and only 2 were seen this year.

However, my favourite field is in the other direction. It’s very long, has a stream through it and is pretty much bordered by forest on all sides. At the far end is a derelict cottage too. Here it is:

There are patches of hemp agrimony by the stream and also in the forest path that leads to the field along with a few buddleias. On one there were 4 Red Admirals!

Given the dearth of Vanessids in Middlesex recently it was lovely to see so many.

I saw a few Speckled Woods and Whites in the field although no Commas this year. However, I did find another colony of Small Coppers, and larger than yesterday’s. I saw about 10 zipping about.

Later on, while stalking the Small Torts in the garden I inadvertently trod on this Knot Grass moth caterpillar (thanks for the ID Pete). I feared the worse and placed it in a sheltered place. I checked the following morning and all seemed to be ok as it had moved and was stretched out on a blade of grass.

[Susie]

Welcome back, Lee. Lovely photos.

[Lee Hurrell]

Thanks Susie!

[Michaeljf]

Lee,
how successful was your trip to Spain? I presume I haven't missed some of your photos from the holiday. P.S. Welcome back. I think you missed the really bad weather over here while you were gone!!
Michael

[Lee Hurrell]

Hi Michael,

Thanks! Spain was pretty good, more butterflies than I thought. My Dad had said he hadn't seen many this year but I found quite a few. Now I've got my IDs sorted out (thanks Guy and Matt), I had 12 species in total, 9 firsts for the year and 3 life ticks Also 30 degrees and constant sun was a bit better than you guys had

You haven't missed the photos, I'm still sorting them! I had to catch up with posts from Somerset and next will be the mating Small Coppers from Greenford now my internet is back at home though.

It seems quite a few members have been to Spain recently and all seen different things, so that's good.

Cheers

Lee

[Michaeljf]

Hi Lee,
look forward to seeing the best photos when they're ready. In the meantime, get back to those mating Small Coppers as they definitely need you!
Michael

[Lee Hurrell]

Wednesday 22nd September 2010

Still More Fresh Coppers

In height of summer temperatures I ventured over to Greenford Park Cemetery today. Just inside the wild patch pictured above, a pair of courting Small Coppers buzzed passed me. I watched them settle just inches away and immediately copulate. I don't think I've ever seen the actual act start, and was fascinating to watch. They seemed oblivious to me and I spent a long while watching. In fact a gent came over and commented on how nice it was to see such a large wild area in surburbia. I agreed and pointed out the coppers. Suitably impressed he wandered off searching the hedgerow bordering the allotments, just as I do.

There were plenty more very fresh Small Coppers, the mating pair were 2 of 11 individuals I saw. They really are having a strong year over there. I must have seen in excess of 30 different individuals in this brood. Cemetery sightings:

Small Copper x 11
Brimstone x 1 (male)
Speckled Wood x 1
Large White x 1
Small or Green Veined White x 2

The mating coppers had quite a story. There was (ahem) plenty of to-ing and fro-ing and jostling for position initially on their perch. Both partners were kicking the other with their hind legs while the resting position was sorted out. After some changing of position the female then started sunbathing! Then they swapped again and the male did the same. I took some photos and left them too it. I checked back on the way out, a good 40 minutes after copulation and they were still there but were being harassed by a shield bug. I was tempted to intervene but the bug couldn't do anything to butt in and retreated back its colleagues nearby.

Just seconds after copulation, notice the still bent abdomen

The jostling begins

Kicking from one partner

Then the other

Stop pushing!

The inevitable happens

Phew...

A beautiful f caeruleopunctata is revealed!

Wait...danger lurks

All seemed well as I left them

See your children next year.

[Lee Hurrell]

Cuidad Quesada, Spain 25th September - 2nd October

Part 1

My Dad lives in a fairly built up area but there are still loads of wild places. The only trouble is it is so hot and arid they are practically desert. The 2 flowers pictured below are pretty much the only nectar sources available, apart from the odd garden. At least the yellow flower seems to be loved by everything! It grows like a weed and can be found anywhere. And it's always worth stopping to see what's on top of it too.

Machaon

Swallowtails seemed more common than last year. They were seen everywhere and anywhere the yellow flowers were found. I discovered they nectar by starting at the bottom of a bush, moving up the stems to the highest one and then moving on to the next plant. Where there was a long line of the yellow flowers I followed one individual about 20 metres and 8 bushes once I'd worked this out, allowing easy photos. I had two wonderful trips to the banks of Rio Segura (another big patch of yellow flowers) and here there were loads of Swallowtails amongst other species, with at least two in view at any one time and sometimes up to 5! I counted 40+ the second day.

White and Yellows

Bath Whites were an occasional sighting, mostly seeming to prefer the white flower below rather than the yellow, despite the first photos.

female

female

female

male

Small Whites were only seen along the banks of the river between Quesada and Guardamar. There were a lot of them, in excess of 75 on the second Segura trip, where I cycled along a track by the river between the two towns .

It took a few days to see a Clouded Yellow but I did see a few, including a lovely f helice. I also watched a male go to roost for the evening but couldn't get the settings right in the diminished light to get a decent shot that time.

[Padfield]

Wonderful photos, Lee! What a good idea to go south in the evening of the year - it lifts the heart!

Guy

[Michaeljf]

Lovely photos Lee, looking forward to seeing the rest over the next week or so!

I guess those Swallowtails must be about the 3rd brood for the year (unless you just admit they are continuously brooded). Makes me wonder where all the caterpillars were when I went to Spain at the start of August, especially as there was fennel everywhere though looking slightly past it's best. Nice to see the Bath whites too. I noticed that when I saw Swallowtails in August in Cyprus a couple of years back they too were feeding on the same nectar plant (the white one) when the rest of the ground was pretty parched of other flowers and vegatation.

Michael

[Lee Hurrell]

Thanks Guy & Michael

It certainly did lift the heart and it was lovely to see so many leps, given the heat and dryness out there. Quite a contrast to the evening landing in the dark at Gatwick on 2nd Oct when it was lashing down. That was quite a landing

I would imagine they are 3rd brood. Dad did report seeing Plain Tigers in December last year but didn't mention Swallowtails so I don't really know if they are continuously brooded. I do wonder how the hibernating life stages of any species differs in the heat of the south Med when daytime temperatures are still in the mid 20s In the UK you'd expect to see a Red Admiral or two! Caterpillars or chrysalises hibernating wouldn't be torpid for very long, assuming that it's the temperature that drives these things and not genetics.

There was plenty of Fennel about too and I did see a few females hovering around it but didn't find any eggs or larvae. If they are continuously brooded would you expect to see the early life stages as well as the adults now for instance or would they still follow a pattern of breeding and emergence as it were?

More tonight if I have time!

Cheers

Lee

[Lee Hurrell]

Cuidad Quesada, Spain, 25th September - 2nd October 2010 - Part 2

Blues and Browns

Lang's Short Tailed Blue was a fairly common sight on waste ground in and around the town, near a market we went to one day and also along the river. They preferred the white flowers on the whole.

I was a little surprised to see what turned out to be a Common Blue (thanks Guy) but in a Spanish form. It was quite stunning, with extra orange on the underside, a wider black border on the upperside extending into the blue and black hindwing spots. It was also a different shade of blue, being quite vivid. He was on top of a yellow flower shrub as I cycled out of Quesada on way to the river and the only one I saw.

I thought I'd seen Geranium Bronze before but I don't think I had now. I found them twice, once on some waste ground near a cafe after Sunday lunch and then on a flower bed of geraniums in the middle of Torrevieja. Life tick for me!

That left one blue quarry for my trip. It proved elusive this time, being much more frequent last year. A couple of possible sightings here or there but nothing definite. I checked each blue I saw but no, another Lang's Short Tailed. I was getting worried. You know you're desperate when you list possible in your field note book! And then on the Friday, (I flew back on the Saturday), on the second trip along the river, there she was! A quite pale female Long Tailed Blue and the only one I saw, definitively.

[Matsukaze]

[img]I%20discovered%20they%20nectar%20by%20starting%20at%20the%20bottom%20of%20a%20bush,%20moving%20up%20the%20stems%20to%20the%20highest%20one%20and%20then%20moving%20on%20to%20the%20next%20plant.[/img]

Bumblebees quite commonly do this, including in gardens on foxglove or viper's bugloss. They learn that the flowers at the bottom of the plant have the most nectar, and work their way up until it no longer becomes worthwhile to nectar, then descend to the next plant. I've never heard of or seen butterflies do this before, although it must make sense for them to do the same thing.

[Lee Hurrell]

Thanks Matsukaze.

The plants used were in a very straight line, being at the edge of a new but unused road and so particularly noticable in this instance. I guess with the Swallowtail, such a wide ranging large butterfly, they must need an awful lot of nectar too.

Cheers

Lee

[Lee Hurrell]

Cuidad Quesada, Spain, 25th September - 2nd October 2010 - Part 3

Skippers

My second and third life ticks came from the Skipper family. Mediterranean Skippers (thanks Guy and Matt) were found along the river and a hot dusty track leading off it, but nearly always on the yellow flowers.

male

male

male

female

female

female

I saw about 4 Mallow Skippers too but only along the track. It was at the base of a rocky outcrop and I didn't see any nectaring. They were displaying the sort of Skipper behaviour you see in the UK; perching and buzzing anything that flew past. One looked very olive in colour and reminded me of the colour of an Lime Hawk moth.

[Zonda]

So that's what a decent LTB shot is like. All great pics Lee.

[Lee Hurrell]

Thanks Zonda!