May 2011

[Paul Wetton]

Nice shots Michael.
Love the Hairy Dragonfly. Not sure I'll get to see any this year.

[Rogerdodge]

Some people have shown an interest in visiting Haddon Hill for Heath Fritillary when venturing west for the Large Blue at Collard Hill.
This is a very mobile species, and the best location last year - about 50 metres east of the "triangle", and 10 metres south of the metalled footpath, is not the best spot this year.
You need to go at least another 150 metres east this year, and a little further up hill (south).
Numbers are pretty good right now, and at one point I had over a dozen individuals in view at one time.
Park in the layby, pass through the lightly woodede area, and bear left to the obvious downhill track. The "triangle" is a Y junction near the bottom. The area to the left (west) held no butterflies at all this year, yet two years ago it was the hot spot.
Good luck.

[SteveC]

I had a most unexpected encounter with a freshly emerged female Black Hairstreak this morning. With the temperature barely 11 degrees, and a leaden sky, I had no real expectation of finding any butterflies. However this female Black Hairstreak was in a grassy meadow near Westcott, Bucks. It is at least half a mile from a known small colony at a disused railway cutting. The hedge surrounding the meadow does contain some Blackthorn but I would not consider it suitable for Black Hairstreak. Eventually she weakly flew up into an Ash tree in the hedge to finish drying her wings. As you can see she was well down in the grass at least 10 meters from the edge of the hedge. This was a most untypical sighting.

This afternoon the sky brightened a little making a trip over the Finemere Wood worthwhile. I managed to see another couple of Black Hairstreak both in the ‘hot spot’ area.

[Pete Eeles]

Some people have shown an interest in visiting Haddon Hill for Heath Fritillary when venturing west for the Large Blue at Collard Hill.
This is a very mobile species, and the best location last year - about 50 metres east of the "triangle", and 10 metres south of the metalled footpath, is not the best spot this year.
You need to go at least another 150 metres east this year, and a little further up hill (south).
Numbers are pretty good right now, and at one point I had over a dozen individuals in view at one time.
Park in the layby, pass through the lightly woodede area, and bear left to the obvious downhill track. The "triangle" is a Y junction near the bottom. The area to the left (west) held no butterflies at all this year, yet two years ago it was the hot spot.
Good luck.

Nice pic Rog - one of the nicest I've seen of Heath Frits!

Cheers,

- Pete

[Rogerdodge]

Nice pic Rog - one of the nicest I've seen of Heath Frits!

You are too kind.

[Gibster]

As planned for way back in March, I visited the Isle of Wight with Sami in search of Glanville Fritillaries in their rightful place yesterday (ie NOT Wrecclesham lol! ) I had wondered if they might be over already, given the early emergence times noted this year.

Firstly we tried a rather random wander of the undercliff near Ventnor Botanical Gardens without success, but the clouds were pretty ominous and the breeze was decidedly cool. Returned to the car and decided to try the undercliff at Wheelers Bay. Success! Found two Glanvilles hunkered down in grasses then several more in quick succession. Bumped into UKB member Astralis and her dad (I guess?) before heading off to a site they recommended near Freshwater. Here we finally found some sunshine, although the breeze was relentlessly unkind. With the sunshine we found several absolutely pristine Glanvilles and a mad chap called Patrick from Reigate. Sam showed him his first ever Glanville and he was so thrilled he tried to kiss her, then kicked me up the bum when I warned him off. Completely bonkers and as mad as a hatter, but a very happy hatter!

Extras included Small and Common Blues, Small Heath, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Large White and several Orange-tip caterpillars. Non-butterfly interest (for us!) included Grey Bush-crickets, Cream-spot Tiger, a tame fox cub, Hobby, Bee Orchids and noting that C.ohridella is present on the island. Sam had a "bloody fantastic day!" which summed it up nicely. Absolutely brilliant to spend some intimate quality time with such a beautiful butterfly in its British stronghold. Shame we couldnt find any egg masses, Id have liked to have seen that.

I guess I ought to do a full account seeing as it was a Calendar Outing? Gimme a few hours...

Gibster.

[Jack Harrison]

Gibster:

Sam showed him his first ever Glanville and he was so thrilled he tried to kiss her, then kicked me up the bum when I warned him off

Having met you two a fortnight ago, I can visualise the scene.

"Our" Susie gave me a little peck on the cheek (actually, on my beard) when we went our own ways after Denbies. But she wasn't quite such a lady a moment or two later. She strode off up the slope with her daughter leading the way at even greater speed leaving me to stagger up at my own pathetic speed. Now a gentleman wouldn't leave a lady behind in that manner would he?

Jack

[Gibster]

"Our" Susie gave me a little peck on the cheek (actually, on my beard) when we went our own ways after Denbies.

Oh Gawd...just wait for the jealous cries of the "Uncouth UKB Rabble" to clog the thread. They'll be baying for your blood! You are hereby dubbed "Jack Smooth " from now on.

[NickB]

Nice to see some "Sightings".....
Been cold and windy with a little rain over here. Didn't see any butterflies on my bike ride this morning; but did sit, listen and watch the sky-larks slowly rising and then parachuting down, with a final dive in the last few metres....
N

[NickB]

Oh Gawd...just wait for the jealous cries of the "Uncouth UKB Rabble" to clog the thread. They'll be baying for your blood! You are hereby dubbed "Jack Smooth " from now on.

Like any well-bred Englishman, Jack is mostly harmless as they say!

[Jack Harrison]

Nick:

Like any well-bred Englishman, Jack is mostly harmless as they say!

Careful Nick or I'll have to take out a super-injunction

Damn, I can't do that. I had forgotten that I don't like lawyers.

Jack

[millerd]

Popped into Thursley Common this afternoon on the way back from an outing with my three boys. Like magic, the recalcitrant sun made an appearance, and after a slight delay, so did the Silver-studded Blues. We saw five, all males, and all shining and new. In one of them, the sole concession to its name was a single blue scale.

My eagle-eyed 14-year-old spotted a caterpillar in the assorted clutter under a heather bush, but by the time I could train the lens on it, it was being hustled quickly away by ants. The somewhat blurred photo nevertheless confirmed its identity as another SSB.

Dave

[Gibster]

Nice to see some "Sightings".....
Been cold and windy with a little rain over here. Didn't see any butterflies on my bike ride this morning; but did sit, listen and watch the sky-larks slowly rising and then parachuting down, with a final dive in the last few metres....
N

Not doubting you or anything Nick, but your Skylkarks weren't Meadow Pipits were they? Its just that you describe their songflight quite nicely.

Have to say that butterfly numbers have really fallen away in my neck of the woods too. I drive a lorry round the streets of London for a living. Usually I see a fair scattering of butterflies as I drive around. Havent seen even a single 'white' for quite some time now. Guess the so-called June Gap is here? Having just read Millerds post re SSBs I think I'll nip across to Fairmile Heath before the sun drops. Stay tuned!

Gibster.

[Dave McCormick]

Nice images Dave. Been strange here, cloudy, very windy, sunny and rainy lately. Have not seen a butterfly in a while, but starting a butterfly transect tomorrow along a field and part of bog land, weather looks good enough, so maybe something will be around. Its not far from a colony of marsh fritillary so may get to see one but have to see tomorrow. Thunderstorms are set for monday but I am busy then. Next dry and free day I get, going to the coast to see what is around, been asked to check the wildflowers there to see what is around.

[Susie]

Gibster:

Sam showed him his first ever Glanville and he was so thrilled he tried to kiss her, then kicked me up the bum when I warned him off

Having met you two a fortnight ago, I can visualise the scene.

"Our" Susie gave me a little peck on the cheek (actually, on my beard) when we went our own ways after Denbies. But she wasn't quite such a lady a moment or two later. She strode off up the slope with her daughter leading the way at even greater speed leaving me to stagger up at my own pathetic speed. Now a gentleman wouldn't leave a lady behind in that manner would he?

Jack

It was because I was a lady I bade you farewell at that point rather than forcing you to keep up as we rushed up the slope as we were running late. as I remember you continued butterflying after we left .....

[Gibster]

Well, as promised I shot off to check for Silver-studded Blues at Fairmile Heath. Sure enough I found a total of 7 individuals (4 males and 3 females) tucked up for the night in the taller heather bushes. Without exception, every individual had precisely positioned itself to present the greatest area of hindwing to the weak setting sun. And all head downwards on a stem, which seems to be a favourite pose for the species.

Back home again just after 10pm, a large beetle wavered slowly across a treetop. I suspect Stag Beetle, they are frequent around here.

Cheers,

Gibster.

[Gibster]

I was just comparing Millerd's SSB pics with the ones on my camera. No sign of any underside aberrations anywhere. Will SSB be just as likely to produce aberrations as the Adonis Blues at Denbies? I understand that SSB is a particularly variable species anyway?

Cheers,

Gibster.

[walpolec]

..but what's this on our oregano?



Length ~8mm

Any ideas?

[Jack Harrison]

Susie took the baits:

It was because I was a lady I bade you farewell at that point rather than forcing you to keep up as we rushed up the slope as we were running late. as I remember you continued butterflying after we left .....

That WAS a wind up!

If I recall correctly, you had to collect another daughter from school. Pity you did have to go then - you missed an excellent view of an Adder.

Jack

[Pete Eeles]

..but what's this on our oregano?



Length ~8mm

Any ideas?

Not completely sure, but think this might be an early-instar Vapourer moth larva.

Cheers,

- Pete