November 2011 sightings

[MikeOxon]

Another beautiful sunny afternoon here in Oxfordshire! I saw just one Speckled Wood on the wing at my local Radley Lakes reserve. The fat lady hasn't sung yet!

[A_T]

Fenns and Whixall Moss. A couple each of Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshell. Thought the sun might bring out the odd Brimstone but none - not surprising as there was almost no nectar for them much better idea to stay in bed until Spring.

A fair few Black Darter dragonflies and a few Common Darters.

[Reddog]

Today I went for a walk at the Weaver bend near Frodsham. I was delighted to see a pristine Peacock butterfly sunning its self on a bare patch of a grassy bank. I watched for about 15 minutes before it flew down a disused rabbit burrow.
I also saw a Red Admiral.

They made my day.

[David M]

Today I went for a walk at the Weaver bend near Frodsham. I was delighted to see a pristine Peacock butterfly sunning its self on a bare patch of a grassy bank. I watched for about 15 minutes before it flew down a disused rabbit burrow.

That's a comment worthy of note. Do Peacocks hibernate underground?

[Neil Freeman]

Thats a good question David. To a Peacock a Rabbit hole may just look the same as a hole in a tree or a gap in a wood pile.

Cheers,

Neil F.

[millerd]

I believe Red Admirals have been seen exiting rabbit holes in the spring...

Dave

[David M]

Wouldn't they be regularly disturbed in a rabbit burrow though?

[Jack Harrison]

Wouldn't they be regularly disturbed in a rabbit burrow though?

The original poster did say DISUSED burrow.

I recall being surprised some years ago at seeing a Coal Tit using a hole in the ground for nesting (taking in food), but the bird guides do say that they use mouse holes. So I guess that butterflies too will surprise us from time too time.

Jack

[Jack Harrison]

Today, 2nd November, I made my first ever visit to Lynn Point (TF602233) Link: http://tinyurl.com/6eglopl to the north of King’s Lynn docks on the eastern bank of the Great Ouse.

The corrugated track – and you are allowed to drive along it – is a real car breaker. The corrugations are at right angles to the road. I have come across this phenomenon before. This is the best explanation I can find for corrugations but it is not entirely convincing:
http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/trek/s315126.htm
Does anyone have better ideas?

One Red Admiral seen, numerous Brent Geese and most intriguing of all, a pair of good-condition men’s trousers in the middle of the path by The Point; they obviously hadn’t been there long otherwise they would undoubtedly have blown off the raised track into a ditch.

Jack

[marmari]

A Red Admiral in my back garden today while the sun was shining.Seem to see a RA most days now.Also a Common Darter at my garden pond yesterday,the first dragonfly noticed around the pond since 2nd October.

[David M]

Wouldn't they be regularly disturbed in a rabbit burrow though?

The original poster did say DISUSED burrow.

How would a butterfly know a burrow was disused though?

....or a human for that matter.

[Dave McCormick]

That is interesting about the rabbit burrows, never really noticed that myself.

Not a lot around here, starting to miss seeing butterflies as I have not seen any in a while now, despite during the day being sunny and a bit warmer than usual for this time of year.

[Reddog]

How would a butterfly know a burrow was disused though?

....or a human for that matter.

I could tell the Burrow was disused because it had a cobweb over most of the entrance.
The butterfly on the outer hand i guess was just lucky.

[m_galathea]

Today I went for a walk at the Weaver bend near Frodsham. I was delighted to see a pristine Peacock butterfly sunning its self on a bare patch of a grassy bank. I watched for about 15 minutes before it flew down a disused rabbit burrow.

That's a comment worthy of note. Do Peacocks hibernate underground?

Yes, Peacocks do hibernate underground. I often see them in caves (limestone), attached to the wall a few metres in. Other species regularly found in caves are Herald moths and Tissue moths. Usually they are completely covered in dew, and despite the fairly consistent conditions throughout the year, I suppose they must be near enough to the entrance to warm up in the spring.

Alex

[David M]

Yes, Peacocks do hibernate underground. I often see them in caves (limestone), attached to the wall a few metres in. Other species regularly found in caves are Herald moths and Tissue moths. Usually they are completely covered in dew, and despite the fairly consistent conditions throughout the year, I suppose they must be near enough to the entrance to warm up in the spring.

That's interesting. If Peacocks do this, I'm sure the other adult hibernators must do likewise.

[m_galathea]

That's interesting. If Peacocks do this, I'm sure the other adult hibernators must do likewise.

Possibly, although I've never this in other butterflies, just Peacocks.

[David M]

I'd expect any of the dark underside hibernators to turn up in places such as this, but what of Brimstones? With their relatively bright undersides they wouldn't necessarily reap the same benefits from a camouflage perspective.

What sort of places do Brimstones hibernate in and has anyone actually seen one?

[Jack Harrison]

What sort of places do Brimstones hibernate in and has anyone actually seen one?

I understand they go deep into ivy. I have never actually found one there but have seen them landing and then crawling into ivy as the sun went in and pretty obviously the sun wasn't going to come out again for some time. I have also found in the late winter the remains (wings) of a Comma in ivy so I would imagine that is where it had attempted to hibernate but was presumably found by some hungry predator.

Jack in very wet northwest Norfolk. First significant - and very much needed - rain for months.

[Gibster]

Yes, Peacocks do hibernate underground. I often see them in caves (limestone), attached to the wall a few metres in. Other species regularly found in caves are Herald moths and Tissue moths.

Not exactly relevent to this thread, but it has been demonstrated that Herald Moths and many species of British bats have very similar requirements for hibernation sites. So if you do find clusters of overwintering Heralds be sure you are not about to inadvertantly disturb a colony of hibernating bats too!

Cheers,

Gibster.

[Ian Pratt]

What a weird year we are having. Last week I noticed that the mimosa (acacia dealbata) on the Isle of Wight which normally flowers in February/March at the earliest had started to flower! In October! Perhaps there will be more butterflies before the end of the year?