April 2011

[Padfield]

I think that's a male Adela reaumurella, Nick. A curious creature, isn't he!!

http://www.ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=896

Guy

[NickB]

OK - Guy.....
I'll take your Adela reaumurella
and raise you
..how about ...
Adela cuprella
http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=149

N
Edit: Apparently a very ancient form of day-flying moth....crazy antennae!

[Dave McCormick]

Longhorn moths are great, I have only ever seen two, Nematopogon schwarziellus and Nematopogon swammerdamella. None this year yet though.

[web4160]

Duke of Burgundy out at Gait Barrows today. 3 seen at least a week earlier than recent years.

[Wildmoreway]

Painted Lady at Powderham in Devon this evening, looks like a female, it was patrolling one area of the River Exe path and kept returning to almost exactly the same spot.

[FISHiEE]

Hi FISHiEE,

I'd definitely recommend Bentley Woods. Have a look at http://www.purple-emperor.co.uk/page27.htm for details. The Eastern Clearing is the most profitable area I've visited at the site. We had 6 Pearl-bordered Fritillaries, all very confiding thanks to our early arrival time. According to the records book at the car park, numbers of PBF are still pretty low but they are increasing daily. Also plenty of Brimstones, Speckled Woods, Orange-tips, a Green-veined White and a three-eyed Peacock (bird attack maybe?) Plus swarms of Adela reaumurella and St Marks Flies!

Noar Hill was pretty darn good too. We watched a female Duke of Burgundy ovipositing within 50ft of entering the reserve, the first time either of us has seen the egg. We only covered part of the reserve, but still managed 15 Dukes and 11 Dingy Skippers. Also added Holly Blue to the daylist.

The only downside to the day was discovering that of the two pubs in Selborne, one is being refurbished and isn't open until 29th April whilst the other one closes at 3pm (we snuck in at 2:40) so no pub grub this time.

Gibster.

Thanks Gibster. If the PBF's are out then I might have to head to both of those sites tomorrow then and maybe sneak into Sussex on Monday

Sunds like the Dingy Skipper numbers have picked up at Noar Hill. On sunday there was just one spotted.

[Matsukaze]

I've found a couple of White-letter Hairstreak larvae in the last few days, their location being given away by the nibbled seed capsules and feeding damage to the leaves. There is also a green geometrid larva (one of the November moths, I think) that inflicts similar damage and is somewhat more common.

An abundance of Orange-tips at the moment. I wonder how effective their constant activity is; I have yet to find any eggs.

[David M]

Visited Haugh Wood today (between Hereford and Ross-on-Wye), arriving about 10.45am in sunny weather to look for Pearl Bordered Fritillaries.

I followed the south butterfly trail and after being greeted by a couple of Orange Tips between the car park and the wood I spotted a PBF in a newly coppiced clearing. I wasn't able to get a photo but given that this was less than 5 minutes into my walk I reassured myself that there would be others.

Well, I followed the trail seeing only the occasional Green Veined White and Peacock, and was as bedevilled by flies as I've ever been in my life (my legs are bitten to pieces).

As I came to the southernmost stretch, the woodland became lighter and I spotted a Wood White flying up the ride. It irritatingly refused to settle but it disturbed another Wood White which was far lazier and allowed me to get close.

As I was photographing it, I noticed another PBF which again was too flighty to be photographed. Then another appeared and I managed to get a couple of ordinary standard photos.

However, following the track further round the bend I spotted an open clearing with a gully running up it. There were plentiful bugle and dandelion flowers so I walked up the gully and disturbed two more PBFs, which kept flying up and down the gully whilst briefly pausing to nectar on the flowers.

At that point my eyes must have adjusted, as suddenly I saw more and more fluttering higher up the bank. I dragged myself through the bramble scrub and there were PBFs everywhere I looked; up to six in the field of vision at a time. I spent about half an hour patrolling this section and lost count after 15.

I then made my way down a steep slope which led into a scrubby field replete with bluebells. Again, PBFs were conspicuous, but not in quite the same numbers as higher up the bank.

I got loads of photos and the hardest challenge is going to be selecting the best ones to put on this site (which I'll do on either Sunday or Monday when I'm back home).

So, if anyone wants to go and see Pearl Bordered Fritillaries in numbers, Haugh Wood certainly offers that opportunity.

It's a large wood, and apart from the first PBF I saw, all the others were concentrated in this 'hot spot' at the south end of the wood.

The species seen and their numbers were as follows:

1. Pearl Bordered Fritillary 25-35
2. Green Veined White 10-15
3= Wood White 7
3= Speckled Wood 7
3= Peacock 7
6. Orange Tip 4
7. Large White 2
8. Small White 1

[Susie]

I've cycled almost 25 miles today and my goodness it is a good way to spot butterflies (and get bruises on places you really don't want bruises!). Only the usual species but lots of them: speckled wood, orange tip, brimstones, large white, and a red admiral which appeared to be sussing out the nettles for laying.

[Ian Pratt]

Seen at Afton chalkpit today:
Dingy skipper 3
Grizzled skipper 4
Small blue 1
Small white 1
Orange tip 1
Green hairstreak 8
Small copper 1
Small heath 1
Common blue 1
Earliest records for last two for over 10 years for me.
Glanville fritillaries on the wing today at Ventnor although not seen by me.
Also two red squirrels in my garden chasing each other round an oak tree about six feet from my window!

[Pete Eeles]

Amazing tally, Ian - thx for sharing!

Cheers,

- Pete

[FISHiEE]

First ever visit to Bentley Woods today resulted in a dozen or so Pearl Border Fritillaries - very active initially even just as the sun got onto them - 16c when I left home at 7:30! Then as the day warmed up they were just settling with wings closed so very hard to spot! Also several Brimstone, Orange Tips and a few Peacocks.

Headed on to Noar Hill, but it was around 12:30 by the time I got there, and when I saw about a dozen cars as I got there decided to give it a miss and might go back early tomorrow instead!

Seeing a couple of reports of Wood Whites around (I thought late May was the time for those?!) I might have to have a go at seeing my first in the UK on Monday now I am not so far from a site for these

[Crispin]

This warm weather is certainly bring things out.
Small Coppers are doing well as are Grizzled Skippers. Orang tips tailing off a bit.
Had a look for Silver-spotted Skipper larvae and found one

3 Painted Ladys and first 2011 House Martins.

Crispin

[celery]

Lawts wrote:
Tried Ketton Quarries today - great habitat. I had two fleeting glimpses of what was most likely a Grizzled Skipper - the first the typical zigzag and then I disappear flight. I guess it's still early, despite my burnt head!

Would appreciate any updates from members as numbers of GS grow at this site in the next couple of weeks - plan to be back.

Steve.

I re-visited Ketton today (Friday 22nd) for a couple of hours in the late afternoon and I saw...

...another adder... and a common lizard... but also, Grizzled Skipper (around 10), Dingy Skipper (2) and Green Hairstreak (2) - alongside the usual assortment of brimstones, orange tips, small whites, speckled woods and peacocks. I met another couple of chaps there who seemed rather incredulous about my Dingy sightings... so here's the pics. (not great but sufficient for identification purposes).


Grizzled Skipper


Dingy Skipper


Green Hairstreak

Hope this helps with your planning... cheers, celery

[Cotswold Cockney]

Although only a few miles from my home and I can see it from my south facing bedroom window, local Gloucestershire beauty spot Painswick Beacon I now rarely visit. So far the butterflies passing through my garden this exceptional April has seen the highest numbers ever in all the thirtynine years I've lived here.

Painswick Beacon was where I as a ten and eleven year old boy in the early 1950s saw and caught my first Pearl Bordered Fritillary and Chalkhill Blue. No net for schoolboy me in those relatively impoverished immediate post WWII years, I removed my shirt and captured them with that. In mid April I did not expect to see either of these species but my visit today was to reach the highest point and see if there were any migrant butterflies "Hilltopping". I was not to be disappointed as there were several Painted Ladies and at least two Red Admirals sparring in the air above the limestone footpath on the top of the Beacon where they would settle and bask in the warm late afternoon sunshine.

The views from the top of Painswick Beacon, 283 metres above sea level on a superbly sunny day like today is always breathtaking in every direction. Gloucestershire is a beautiful county and not just the Cotswold Hills, the areas west of the River Severn are equally beautiful to this observer. I took a few pictures from the very top today. This one looking out towards Robinswood Hill where I also observed "Hilltopping" back in the 1950s, including Clouded Yellows back then but mainly Painted Ladies. It includes the area where I have lived for most of my life from age nine. Robinswood Hill was mainly grassland back then but today, there is now a Golf Course, dry ski slopes and thick, mature woodlands where once cattle grazed the open steep sided fields.



For the record I took a couple of images of the insects settled on the limestone path. They rarely settled long and were soon off chasing other butterflies. A constant and refreshing breeze also kept them moving actively most of the time :~





The Painted Ladies would close their wings and almost 'disappear' against the limestone background if the sun's heat would be obscured briefly by the light clouds :~



I spent over an hour up there using my trusty Zeiss 10 x 50s to look over the undulating grassland, mainly golf Course now, where all those years ago clouds of Small Blues flew and I often found fully grown larvae of that beautiful moth; The Wood Tiger. Plenty of cowslips there still in areas where I often found ova of the Duke of Burgunday Fritillary by simply looking on the underside of Cowslip leaves.I'll go back in mid-May and see if I can find any on the plants. The west facing slopes around the beacon still look ideal habitat.

I stood a little too close to the edge of one steep slope and an elegant lady about the same age as myself was concerned should I slip which was nice. We got chatting briefly about the weather and views from the top. Several less caring dog owners were also about and evidence where their animals had been was all too frequent.

Back in the early 1950s I had the place all to myself. Magical. Not today, lots of folks and places to park the cars at a premium. Some folks with foreign accents arguing about parking spaces... . ... How times change.

This April has so far been the best weatherwise I can ever remember and apparently will continue for a few more days. My arms are still glowing from the suns rays during the day. It was more like a fine July day than mid-April.
..
The little camera I used was a simple but very competent Canon Ixus Compact about the size of a Swan Vesta box of matches. The butterfly shots were at full zoom all hand held. Not bad considering these circumstances and that constant breeze which was never still.

[Padfield]

That's a great report, CC. I'm fascinated to see the painted lady and (presumably) immigrant red admiral so early.

In an over-populated country with such pressures on its countryside, a paradox arises. You want people to enjoy and support nature, with their feet and with their votes, yet if the urban populations did all spill out onto the heaths and hills every weekend these would lose all their character of peace and wilderness. Your reflections on times gone by are thought-provoking.

Guy

[Michaeljf]

Friday (Bank Holiday!) 22nd April (Two Trips, both times out-witted by the Duke)

Yesterday we visited an old favourite, Buckland Wood (parking at ST188170) near Wellington in Somerset. We missed the traffic and got there in good time for 8:50 – however there was a slight layer of cloud ‘cooling’ the woodlands, and it wasn’t until about 10:45 that the butterflies came out. In the meantime we noticed a slow worm warming up and the abundance of flowers in the wood clearings (they’ve cleared a lot of the trees away in the last 2 years) – the ground is covered this time of year with Cowslips, Violets, Bluebells, Primroses and Bugle. It should have been a haven for butterflies, but for most of the time there were just the odd Green-veined white, Orange Tip, Brimstone, Peacock and Red Admiral. Eventually I saw one Green Hairstreak that was flying as low as it possibly could before stopping on a small Hawthorn suckler about two foot off the ground! After watching this individual for about half an hour, I ventured down the bottom of the Hartley Field and saw one (possibly two) Duke of Burgundy’s. However, by this point the sky had become overcast and I couldn’t really get a good picture. The butterfly was in good condition so I’m guessing the DoB’s may only just be emerging here.

We left about 12:40 and drove back up country to try a new spot for us with the same species – Rodborough Common, about 2km from Stroud, Gloucestershire (car parking at SO852036). Anyway, the spot surprised us as it looked an absolutely fantastic bit of landscape, especially in the sunshine. Looking down on Bear Hill there were fantastic views and the common was covered with Cowslips and Green-Winged Orchids. We soon found the slope to the South-East dropping down where the Green Hairstreaks and Duke of Burgundy’s were supposed to be (40 Walks in Gloucestershire, Butterfly Conservation Booklet). On the way down we saw a medium-sized bird of prey being mobbed by a Carrion Crow – could have been a Sparrowhawk, but it may have been something bigger and more exciting. Anyway, walking down the slope we must have seen about 8 Green Hairstreaks, all low-flying, all very excitable in the hot sunshine (i.e. Impossible to photograph). Also at the bottom of the slope I saw 2 Duke of Burgundy’s, both slightly tatty – obviously they had emerged earlier than the ones in Somerset. Again they were fast-moving in the sun and getting a good photo was out of the question. I also saw briefly some Grizzled Skippers, Orange Tips, Peacocks and a few Whites. We left about 4:30pm a bit hot and quite knackered, but had really enjoyed our Stroud trip.

Michael

Slow Worm sunning itself at Buckland Wood, about 9:15 am

Plenty of flowers including Bugle

Green Hairstreak meandering about

Green Hairstreak finds a bush to its liking, about 2 foot tall!

Duke of Burgundy - under cloud, not the best photo ever...

Buckland Wood, towards DoB spot

Green-Winged Orchid, Stroud

Rodborough Common, Stroud

Bird of Prey being mobbed

Duke of Burgundy at Stroud, fleeting shot..

A view back up from the Hill towards the Rodborough Common

[Ian Pratt]

To whet your appetites- seen today at Wheelers Bay- fresh Glanville fritillaries (7).

[Lee Hurrell]

Yesterday we visited an old favourite, Buckland Wood (parking at ST188170) near Wellington in Somerset. We missed the traffic and got there in good time for 8:50 – however there was a slight layer of cloud ‘cooling’ the woodlands, and it wasn’t until about 10:45 that the butterflies came out. In the meantime we noticed a slow worm warming up and the abundance of flowers in the wood clearings (they’ve cleared a lot of the trees away in the last 2 years) – the ground is covered this time of year with Cowslips, Violets, Bluebells, Primroses and Bugle. It should have been a haven for butterflies, but for most of the time there were just the odd Green-veined white, Orange Tip, Brimstone, Peacock and Red Admiral. Eventually I saw one Green Hairstreak that was flying as low as it possibly could before stopping on a small Hawthorn suckler about two foot off the ground! After watching this individual for about half an hour, I ventured down the bottom of the Hartley Field and saw one (possibly two) Duke of Burgundy’s. However, by this point the sky had become overcast and I couldn’t really get a good picture. The butterfly was in good condition so I’m guessing the DoB’s may only just be emerging here.

Hi Michael

That's good news - my mum lives not too far from Wellington (one of the villages north of Taunton) so that gives me somewhere else to go when I'm down that way!

Thanks

Lee

[David M]

Visited Prestbury Hill today, arriving at 11am on a beautiful sunny morning. Winds were light and views were impressive. Spent an hour and a half there and thankfully did get to see some Dukes (only 4, but better than nothing). Green Hairstreaks were also thin on the ground (again, just 4 were seen).

I positively identified one Dingy Skipper (which infuriatingly kept looking as if it was to land, only to decide otherwise at the last second), and am also confident I saw two others in an aerial joust down the hill near the shrub line.

The ground is SO dry for April. I fear we are going to need some decent rainfall soon.

The numbers seen today were:

1. Speckled Wood 15-20
2. Brimstone 8
3= Green Hairstreak 4
3= Duke of Burgundy 4
5= Orange Tip 3
5= Green Veined White 3
5= Large White 3
8= Small Tortoiseshell 1
8= Holly Blue 1
8= Dingy Skipper 1

As an aside, I also saw a Painted Lady while driving through Andoversford (though obviously no picture).