Neil Hulme

[Wurzel]

Don't you just hate it when your target gets buzzed! ? Normally it's Meadow Browns for me - they're definitely on my hit list! Usual cracking standard of photos

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Hulme]

UKB Guests

Yesterday (20th August) was spent in the company of UKB guests Karen and Michael (Michaeljf), who had risked the ever-changing weather forecast to travel all the way to Steyning from South Wales. In the end the sun shone us and we had a great day out. As it's guest's prerogative to write it up I shall add little more than a link to Michael's eloquent and beautifully illustrated story at viewtopic.php?f=8&t=5568&start=80, and the one photo I took that I was really happy with! You are more than welcome to return next spring, for a day of Dukes, Pearls, Green Hairstreaks.........

[Michaeljf]

Hi Neil,
that must be the Small Tortoiseshell that was keen to follow your every command! Beautiful shot - especially nice to see such a streak of blue on the hindwings. I was rather hoping to see the Skipper that you were photographing when I took the photo of you on the downs Even if it isn't up to your high standards!
Thanks again for all your help and company - and don't worry - we fully expect to return next Spring!!!
Michael

[Neil Hulme]

BC Sussex And Blue Peter Record

My annual guided walk at Steyning Rifle Range has always attracted good numbers, but on Sunday (21st August) we broke the BC Sussex and Blue Peter record for attendance, and about equalled the record for Brown Hairstreak sightings! Counting those that went ahead to scout for us, plus a few late-comers, a total of 64 participants enjoyed the fantastic Steyning Downland Scheme area (http://www.steyningdownland.org) and all it has to offer. I'm pleased to say that every one of the party, including a good turn-out of youngsters, got eyeball-to-eyeball with at least one of the 8 female Brown Hairstreaks that came down to meet us. The butterflies posed beautifully and everybody went home with close-up photographs. Those that lingered after the end of the walk saw another 4 hairstreaks, either egg-laying or sunbathing on low foliage. They were also fortunate enough to see a Clouded Yellow!

It wasn't just the Brown Hairstreaks that were out in force and our final tally included Wall, Small Skipper, Brimstone, Small White, Green-veined White, Small Copper, Brown Argus, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Small Heath, plus a few moths including Hummingbird Hawk.

The Steyning Downland Scheme continues to go from strength to strength and I for one will just keep coming back. As always here, a great crowd of people, great butterflies and a stunning landscape. It was a very enjoyable way to finish off my 2011 walks calendar.

Some Of The 64! Image by Pete Varkala

Surrounded! Image by John Williams

[Michaeljf]

Hi Neil,
Great to see such a good turnout - testament to your enthusiasm, hard work and reputation!!
I'm glad that the weather was good enough for the 'little beauties' to show up (i.e. the butterflies!)...to the untrained eye it looks a bit like a lot of off-day twitchers turned up....
Michael
p.s. I'm having trouble with my home pc, so I'm just glad to be able to log in at all at the moment!!!

[Pete Eeles]

I have to say, seeing so many enthusiasts (young and old) attending a BC event has made my day. Kudos to Sussex BC and Neil in particular, who should have been changing nappies at the time

Seriously - keep up the good work. You're setting a high standard for other branches to follow

Cheers,

- Pete

[Susie]

Gutted I missed this. You don't fancy rerunning it next Sunday do you? Gotta be better than changing nappies !

[Neil Hulme]

Still Going Strong

Last Saturday (27th August) I met up with a small group of hairstreak-hunters at Steyning Rifle Range, two of which had never seen the Brown Hairstreak before. Bearing in mind the 'iffy' weather (and the long drive that one of them had made) I was very glad of the 10 - 15 minute spell of sunshine we got around midday. That was all we required and three female hairstreaks appeared almost simultaneously along a short section of the reserve compound. One of the three (which escaped the camera) was still in excellent condition. For those wishing to see this species there are still a few weeks left to catch up with it here.

[Neil Hulme]

The Small Copper Walk

On Monday (29th August) I stopped off briefly at Kithurst Hill, mainly because it had been some time since I last visited my favourite downland meadow. One of the commonest species on the wing was Red Admiral and I counted a dozen beautiful, fresh specimens on the Hemp Agrimony. Green-veined Whites were also in good numbers, but it was a couple of Small Coppers that caught my attention. One of them was repeatedly doing what I've previously seen male Small Coppers doing, although I've yet to work out what it is! Every so often he would alight on the head of a grass, then turn around and slowly walk down the entire length of the stem, before flying to another perch and repeating the process . Answers on a postcard please.

Land

Turn

Walk

[Wurzel]

Not sure what they were up to but some absolutely cracking shots of Small Copper , I can never seem to find them with their wings that wide open . Would it be possible that they were ovispositing, or maybe checking out possible sites to lay? No clue really...but I though I'd have a go

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks Wurzel. I'm giving no points for your guess though, as it's male butterflies performing this strange ritual.
Neil

[Neil Hulme]

Brimstones

While up at Kithurst Hill recently (29th August) I took the opportunity to photograph male and female Brimstones. They were busily feeding up ready for hibernation, but retiring to the scrub when the sun disappeared for any length of time. It won't be long before they've tucked themselves away amongst the ivy or under holly leaves or bramble. Their short summer flight often seems to get over-shadowed by other more 'exotic' species such as Brown Hairstreak and Silver-spotted Skipper, so I'm quite glad that they rapidly evaporate from the countryside and save themselves for next year. I reckon I value each Brimstone ten times more when it marks the end of winter, rather than the demise of summer when we've had our fill of butterflies and recently seen all the gold medal species. They're beautiful now, but their real purpose is yet to come.

Male

Female

[Neil Hulme]

Winter Work Plans

As the butterfly season fades I start to think about how I can go some way towards repaying them for all the pleasure they've given me throughout the year ....... which means hard graft at work parties through the winter. I get even more enjoyment from the butterflies I see each season when I know that the efforts of Butterfly Conservation, South Downs National Park Authority and other volunteers have increased their numbers as the result of the habitat management work performed locally. It's a nice way to give something back, with the considerable added bonus of keeping fit! One of the sites I'll be concentrating on is Heyshott Escarpment, where the Duke of Burgundy population is currently doubling year-on-year.

Another location earmarked for a continuation of last winter's work is Rewell Wood, so I headed up there last week to meet the Norfolk Estate's head forester and a SDNPA ranger. Mark and Simon were somewhat surprised when I turned up with baby Mia strapped to my chest. But she behaved impeccably during the three hours we were either walking around the woods, or planting Primula plugs supplied by the friend that joined us. Start 'em young - she's already seen Brown Hairstreak.

Sussex Nipper

It didn't take long before it became obvious that there had been a massive emergence of Speckled Woods and I rapidly clocked up more than 100 very fresh specimens, staying on to photograph them after the others had departed. After a summer racing around after some of the sexier species it was nice just to sit and enjoy these beauties in the peace and solitude of a seldom-visited woodland ride.

Speckled Wood - Female

Speckled Wood - Male

[Susie]

Mia's looking as beautiful as ever

[Neil Hulme]

Cissbury Ring

At this time of year I get up to Cissbury Ring as much as possible on sunny evenings, as the light is particularly beautiful as it bathes the landscape here. Luckily it's only a ten minute journey for me.

There are still plenty of freshly-emerged butterflies up here and it's worth visiting for the numerous Small Coppers and occasional Clouded Yellows and Brown Hairstreaks at the moment. When I visited on Saturday (3rd September) it was the Adonis Blues that caught my eye, with about half a dozen brand new males on the wing.

[Wurzel]

Back to the Small Coppers - as they're males (how can you tell the difference by the way?) then perhaps this is the evidence required for territory marking using scent

Great to see you've got your littlun off to a flying start
Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Hulme]

"Mia's looking as beautiful as ever" Thanks Susie ..... she's certainly got me wrapped around her little finger.

"Back to the Small Coppers - as they're males (how can you tell the difference by the way?)"
As with most species where the sexes appear broadly similar, behaviour gives the game away.
Males - territorial, argumentative, sex-mad show-offs.
Females - shy, retiring, fed-up.
Male Small Coppers are also usually a tad smaller, have more elongate abdomens and the spotting pattern is often 'heavier' in appearance.

"perhaps this is the evidence required for territory marking using scent"
I'm giving you points for that Wurzel Enjoy the rest of the season!


Neil

[Neil Hulme]

Caeruleopunctata

On Friday (9th September) I bumped into Richard Stone in the car park at Cissbury Ring. I'm pleased to say that just an hour beforehand he had successfully completed his quest to see all of the British butterflies in a year. I had given him an eight figure grid reference for the spot where Mark Colvin had last seen a female Clouded Yellow at Kithurst Hill. Following a patient wait for some sunshine (and a period of six weeks since his penultimate species) he finally struck gold as the butterfly reappeared from the precise area described to me by Mark.

As we walked around the ramparts of Cissbury Ring admiring the beautiful Adonis Blues and Small Coppers, I picked out this particularly nice example of ab. caeruleopunctata. This aberrant is far from rare, but always a joy to see when the definitive blue studs are well developed.

[Wurzel]

Is that a female Small Copper?

Wurzel

[Nick Broomer]

hi neil
lovely picture of male brimstone, the washed-out green background really makes the picture. i have a similar picture [not as good as yours]but the brimstone i photographed was sheltering from the very hot afternoon sun, i moved it on and it did exactly the same thing again by sheltering under another leaf. i have never seen this behaviour before, or since. i know green-vained whites bury themselves under vegetation when its too hot, and once they have cooled down, off they go again at a hundred mph. is this a common practice with butterflies?

hideandseek