Denbies Hillside - Saturday 6 August

[dilettante]

Looks like a great trip. I'm planning a trip to Denbies on Sat 27th, so hopefully I'll still find some Adonis in fair condition. And it was news to me that SIlver Spotted Skippers are there, so that would be a great bonus. I've never been to Denbies before, so if there's particular guidance on where to look for SSSkipper, I'd love to hear it!

[celery]

dilettante - Last Sunday was my first trip also... so hopefully these 'newcomer' instructions might help.

After leaving the Denbies Hillside carpark (don't get confused with the Ranmore Common car park 1 mile up the road, like I did ) enter through the wooden gate - and with the glorious view stretched out in front of you - turn left and start to follow the waymarked trail. Pass the post marked '1' and continue walking for about 5 minutes until you come to the last piece of field before the gate which leads into the woodland. This field slopes steeply downward towards some impassable brambles and scrub. Hugging the left-hand edge of the field walk all the way down to the brambles. The turn right and walk in the direction as if returning to the car park. If you don't see about a dozen silver-spotted skippers in the next 20 yards I'd be surprised...

I saw adonis and chalkhill blues all the way around the trail... including the small 'easily-photographable' areas beside the carriage road (which is marked on the leaflet/map you can pick up in the car park) - but the field mentioned above was the only place I found for silver-spotted skippers. I'm sure one of the other members more familiar with the site will be able to describe other hot spots for you. Best of luck

I'm still hoping for an answer to my query (and some pictures) about adonis /chalkhill females which is in the final post right at the bottom of page 2 of this thread (so some of you might not have seen it). Thanks, celery


silver-spotted skipper and (aberrant) adonis blue - Denbies Hillside 14-08-11

[dilettante]

Thanks celery! Those instructions looks pretty thorough. Now I'll just hope for good weather.

[Susie]

It really does look like you all had a smashin' time, and there's some fabulous pictures on this thread too...

...but want I want to know is... did anyone get a shot of a female adonis blue? And if so, perhaps they could post it on this thread.

Perhaps they hadn't yet emerged when you went? Perhaps you lot (like me) find it hard to distinguish between female chalkhill blues and female adonis blues? Maybe someone has a shot they think is an adonis but don't want to risk it in case their own identification is off? Well... please post it up anyway... I'd love to see more examples of the various individual specimens at this site.

It would sure help me if someone could give me a few tips on what to look for (both upper and underside) as a means to differentiate between the two - particularly when the specimen is slightly worn and the scales near the bottom edge of the hindwing upper have lost their lustre. Truth is... I'm struggling with my own IDs... I managed to sneak in a trip to Denbies this weekend just gone... and I have photos of around 20 individual 'brown' females which are either chalkhills or adonis (I suspect they're mostly, if not entirely, chalkhills).

So help out an old 'northerner' who doesn't often get a chance to see these two beautiful species... before I post something on Flikr with the wrong label and give me own very amateurish status away

Here's one I can identify...


holly blue - Denbies Hillside 14-08-11

thanks... celery

Hi Celery,

Apologies for the delay in reply, I've been away.

My copy of Butterflies of Britain and Ireland says that the female chalkhill has larger spots and that the spots around the margins of the upper wings are edged in white. For the adonis is says that the paler hindwing scales are blue, not white.

Sorry to not be of more help.

Susie

[dilettante]

Looks like a great trip. I'm planning a trip to Denbies on Sat 27th, so hopefully I'll still find some Adonis in fair condition. And it was news to me that SIlver Spotted Skippers are there, so that would be a great bonus.

Still planning to go tomorrow. Dreadful weather recently, but better forecast for tomorrow. What are my chances of Adonis or Silver Spotteds, I wonder?

[Nick Broomer]

i visited denbies last weekend, and saw a couple of fresh female adonis blues along with a handful of males. these were found on the main hill, when you pass through the carpark gate head straight down the hill until you reach another gate, pass through and turn right and explore. hopefully a lot more of these beautiful butterflies will have emerged. this over the years has been the best area. you will also see s.s.s. the best place for s.s.s. is where you have already been directed to. best of luck,
hideandseek

[millerd]

A walk along the main path towards the top of the hill and then back at a lower level is very rewarding.

Dave

[dilettante]

Just returned from a successful trip. Reasonable numbers of Adonis and Silver Spotted Skippers to be seen when the sun came out.