june 2011

[celery]

selbypaul wrote:
I then moved onto Arnside Knott to try and see my 2nd bogey species, the Northern Brown Argus. No luck sadly.

Here's a northern brown argus from Arnside taken on Sunday (26th June).



I saw about a dozen individuals in a little patch - past the gate, through the little wood and up towards the summit. I had no luck with high brown fritillaries though - the only positive IDs I made were all dark greens. I guess what you gain on the swings you lose on the roundabouts...

[MikeOxon]

Here's a northern brown argus from Arnside taken on Sunday (26th June).

Sounds similar to where I found mine - alongside the path climbing through the woods, rather than on the open summit. Good luck to others!

Mike

[Pete Eeles]

I've an unusual request. I'd be very grateful for an I.D of a butterfly I didn't actually get a photo of

The story goes that I was out on my morning run in the heat of last Sunday and stopped short when I saw what was clearly a Hairstreak feeding on some red clover. Having never had the pleasure of seeing anything other than a Green Haistreak, I didn't have a clue which one it was. I was able to get a really close look and the mass of purple/mauve hairs on the body suggested PH. However, the underside looked more like WLH/BH and the only other minor factor was that I was in a shallow valley, next to a hedgerow with no oak trees anywhere around. There was a large tree about 50m away; it had leaves like this - could they be Elm, suggesting my butterfly was WLH?

Any suggestions appreciated

Chris

Definitely elm (the base of the leaf is asymmetrical) - Wych elm I believe. So yes, could have been a WLH!

Cheers,

- Pete

[sahikmet]

Hi lots of ringlets at Bold Hill today. Cheers Sezar

[Lawts]

Spent the day in the Lake District.

The gorgeous weather allowed me to see one of my bogey species, the Mountain Ringlet. There were around 10-15 just south of the Drumhouse near Honister Slate Quarry.

I then visited Whitbarrow. Despite much better conditions than on my visit last year, there was less around. No Grayling, and no Silver Washed Fritillary in the woods below. I suspect the latter will be out in the next week or so, to coincide with the soon to emerge Bramble flowers. The hot weather made the Dark Green/High Brown Fritillary's unbelievably active. Didn't positively identify either, but from the "jizz" I suspect most if not all were DGF's. Also saw a couple of Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary.

I then moved onto Arnside Knott to try and see my 2nd bogey species, the Northern Brown Argus. No luck sadly. I did manage to see lots of High Brown Fritillary however, including a mating pair. Also a profusion of Grayling, must have counted 40+, never seen so many.

Hi Paul, is it much of a walk to the Drumhouse?

Also, whereabouts on the Knott were you getting the HBF's?

Thanks.

[NickB]

Spotted this morning in Fermyn woods, by PhilB & myself:

A Sussex Kipper, having a very enjoyable time!

Will post some more later; just why was Neil looking so happy...?
...

PhilB & myself had just finished photographing that beauty - and saying how much Neil would wish he were there - when who should turn up on his little bike, "bait" in hand, but the Kipper himself!
Our friend had just taken a break and was sitting in the trees above the track...Needless to say, the Kipper did wait; The result is him above enjoying some shots of the same abs. At one point in 100m there were at least seven males down at any one time - from very tatty to mint - so they have been out a few days already. What a day!

[Zonda]

Its just emerged from his ear, no wonder he was deaf all winter.

[admiral halsey]

Decided on a change of scenery today. One Tree Hill, Thurrock. Came across a very small meadow environment (approx 300' x 50') with a surprisingly large number of our friends. Saw about thirty marble white, 5 Essex Skipper (too lively to capture), and a few each of meadow brown, small white and Ringlet. The amazing thing was that several pairs were going through the Butterfly kama Sutra. There was a slight breeze which had one pair fluttering haphazardly between grass stem foot-holds. Heady stuff! I saw at leat three courting couples, there might have been more.

Rich

[millerd]

A late afternoon walk local to me in the southwest corner of what I still like to call Middlesex brought forth my first Gatekeeper sightings this year. They are splendid little things when newly emerged, a lovely deep orange. I also spied Purple Hairstreaks in two separate locations: one a mature solitary oak by the River Colne, the other a line of young oaks next to the J14 roundabout of the M25. Plenty of Small and GV Whites, Commas and Red Admirals, and a couple of Ringlets which were new to this patch (more probably just not seen by me in previous years).

Dave

[NickB]

Its just emerged from his ear, no wonder he was deaf all winter.

...sorry? What was that, Zonda?

[walpolec]

Definitely elm (the base of the leaf is asymmetrical) - Wych elm I believe. So yes, could have been a WLH!

Cheers,

- Pete

Thanks Pete (and to Piers for the PM)

Weather permitting I'm hoping to go back to the site in question tomorrow for another look. I suppose the butterfly must have been WLH because it can't have been anything else! Here's the tree in question:



Cheers

Chris

[Piers]

Simply superb emperor there Nick, amazing!

For those that like to name such things, it looks very much like an aberration known as afflicta (Cabeau, 1910)

Piers.

[NickB]

Right place; right time! Thanks for the ID, Piers.

Here are the two undersides; it had a slightly different left and right side - and this is reflected in the underside....

[admiral halsey]

One tree hill, Thurrock. Went to a meadow which the local warden assured me had a population of Essex Skipper. Saw scores of Skippers and Ringlets, about two dozen Marbled White, three Comma and a number of ?Small/Large white. The pics below are of two Skippers. One of these clearly has the orange underside of the antennae denoting a Small Skipper. In the other it is not clear. Can anyone id it please?

Rich

[Rogerdodge]

Nick
That PE is simply stunning.
I am envious.

[NickB]

Hi Roger
I feel similar emotions when you post your fritillary shots from Heddon's Mouth and Exmoor.....
I'm sure Phil and Neil feel equally privileged too and lucky to have been there, when there were just so many PE's down!
Here's a more "normal" male...

[Zonda]

This is the very end of June, and so far its been a great butterfly season in Dorset. This morning i photographed a Purple Hairstreak, and White-letter Hairstreak at Alners Gorse. Alners gorse is coming alive now, with all the early summer species in good numbers.

[millerd]

I can't compete with the foregoing, but I saw 16 different species locally this morning, including a second brood Brown Argus. None were unusual, but the variety made the walk interesting. My only disappointment was the camera battery ran out before I could do justice to brand new editions of Small Copper and Common Blue. An extra point of interest was an orchid: there are none of any sort anywhere nearby - can anyone I/D from this photo?

Dave

[MikeOxon]

An extra point of interest was an orchid: there are none of any sort anywhere nearby - can anyone I/D from this photo?

Your orchid is a Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera) Where was it? They tend to thrive on rough waste grassland on chalk soils, often at the side of paths where the ground gets compressed.

Mike

[John W]

Spotted this morning in Fermyn woods, by PhilB & myself:

A Sussex Kipper, having a very enjoyable time!

Will post some more later; just why was Neil looking so happy...?

Maybe we should have a special photo competition for portraits of Neil? He seems to be appearing in a lot of pics lately!