June 2012

[Wurzel]

Very chuffed for you that you managed to get some cracking shots of Marsh Frits Philzoid! Catch up later...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

PS I think the mimic is a Volucella bombylans which is a overfly which mimics a range of bees or it could be a Narciccus fly? I really must buy myself a copy of the Collins Guide to Insects...

[badgerbob]

Well, who would have thought it. An unexpected extra day off and the weather was bad. However, getting fed up looking out at the rain I decided to go for a walk. As I approached The Comp, a footpath at the back of Seaford about 1 mile long with bushes both sides which kept the wind away, the sun started to come through the clouds. I soon saw a fresh Speckled Wood. The further I went along The Comp the warmer it got and more Speckled Woods came out. By the time I reached the end of the path I had counted at least 27 Specklies!! Also seen along the path was my first Painted Lady and Large Skipper of the year. Red Admirals were also very evident with double figure numbers seen. On Greenway Bank, that was also protected from the wind Adonis Blues, Wall Brown, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Green Hairstreak and Dingy Skippers were also seen. All this whilst listening to a Turtle Dove.

[Philzoid]

Nice shot of the Painted Lady Bob . Lets hope we have good influx this year .... oh and Clouded Yellow would also be a treat

Phil

[David M]

Visited Haugh Wood in Herefordshire today hoping to see some Wood Whites and late PBFs.

Sadly, despite the weather being fairly sunny in nearby Abergavenny, when I arrived at Fownhope there was barely a break to be seen. The sun only shone for about 3 minutes, but that was enough to bring one Wood White to life. the only other I saw I spotted roosting on a grass stem.

A solitary Speckled Wood appeared briefly though there were a handful of Speckled Yellows active, and the dull conditions meant I managed to get a photo of one:



Shame conditions weren't better as I reckon this species should be in full flight right now:

[Rosalyn]

Dodging the showers a Grizzled Skipper from Woodwalton Marsh and one from Monks Wood

[NickB]

Returned to my CB site in a local chalk-pit and found several males and females again.

On this site, I have yet to see a normal brown female; all have been blue to some degree...a couple..

and a female OT dropped by...

Then the clouds closed in...
Nice Grizzlies (OAS) , Rosalyn....

[ChrisC]

intersting contrast in those grizzlies Rosalyn, are they within normal variation?

and they are some lovely female blues

Chris

[David M]

Must admit, I've noticed certain Grizzlies have that white dusting on the upperside forewings. I wonder whether it's to do with them being fresh specimens?

[Willrow]

BBC weather forecast for Monmouth was reasonable if on the cool side, I decided to risk a trip along the banks of the River Wye to look for Common Clubtail and White-legged Damselfly ...Odonata...this is UK Butterflies I hear you all shout..okay okay!!! then I shall move on and pay a visit to Dixton's Embankment, this is a Gwent Wildlife Trust meadow, it's sandwiched between the M50 and the Wye, it's pretty good for a range of butterfly species, most of the commoner species are usually present, at this time of year though it's awash with yellow flowers, so I hoped to find some pristine Common Blues, although it was still rather chilly mid morning (about 11C) I managed to find half a dozen and the males were kind enough to pose for open wing shots when the sun shone through the persistent grey cloud. The meadow had lots of Burnet Companion day-flying moths and some super Banded Demoiselle damselfly, there was also a rather nice Mother Shipton nectaring on a large Dog Daisy.

Not a spectacular day by any stretch of the imagination, but a pleasant few hours strolling in superb countryside, the simple pleasures of life for me

Bill

Nice fresh specimen of male Common Blue to brighten up the morning!

This is really a witch disguised as a moth, notice the daisy is pointing a petal at something...weird eh!!!

When the sun goes in they always seem to close up don't they?

Super damselfly the male Banded Demoiselle.

Wonderful colour contrasts between plants and butterfly...

One of the commonest day-flying moths, the Burnet Companion.

[Neil Freeman]

Wyre Forest today, started cloudy but some decent sunny spells this afternoon.

PBFs still around and SPBFs in fair numbers. Also a very faded Speckled Wood, a couple of Brimstones and a few Common Blues.

Loads of Chimney Sweeper moths, a couple of Mother Shipton moths and a Burnet Companion.

I will post photos on my diary when I have had time to go through them.

Cheers,

Neil F.

[Rosalyn]

intersting contrast in those grizzlies Rosalyn, are they within normal variation?

I was wondering the same, that's why I posted them together. I have only noticed the very grey ones at MW.
Could be a newly emerged female?

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Rosalyn,
Both of your Grizzled Skipper shots are beautiful. The specimens fall within the normal range of variation; males are often a wee bit smaller and darker, sometimes completely lacking the dusting of white scales seen over the inner areas of the female's wings.
Neil

[Rosalyn]

Thank you Neil and Nick. I was pleased with them, and thanks for the info

[Podster]

Out and about in Cumbria this bank holiday weekend I came across these two Fritillaries, I think they're Pearl-bordered rather than Small P-B am I right?

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Podster,

I think that they are Small Pearl Bordered going by the wing edge 'triangles' that look linked and the row of spots look nearer to the outer edge rather than more central as in Pearl Bordered.

Cheers,

Neil F.

[Wurzel]

Alright Podster? I was going to say the same thing as Neil but he got there first! Cracking shots by the way

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Podster]

Cheers Neil and Wurzel, it was 50/50 as I've never seen either before and I just could not get a glimpse of the underwing. I'm a rather decent birder (some say) who's new to Butterflies so its a learning curve each time I venture out. Actually doing Dragonflies as well but they're doing my head in...never still

[Willrow]

Actually doing Dragonflies as well but they're doing my head in...never still

Dragonflies are known as the birdwatchers insect Podster, a challenge most certainly, but great enjoyment too and a very warm welcome to UK Butterflies.

Bill

[Philzoid]

A tip-off from Alan Thornbury of Glanvilles in Surrey sent me scurrying back to Wrecclesham this morning for the fourth time this year. On the shady pathway lead-in to the site, a solitary Speckled wood flew on ahead as it had done on all the previous visits. This time I hoped it would be a good omen ….. and it was .

Within five minutes I spotted a Glanville nectaring on buttercup, but with the cameras in their bags to protect them from impending rain, the butterfly had made off before I was properly set up . My daughter Izzy came along with me and was very helpful with looking after my camera bags, lens caps, moving obstructing blades of grass etc. She was also kitted with a raincoat which proved a wise move as the clouds came over and the heavens sprinkled.

In the interim period of finding another Glanville I snapped those two grassland favourites: the Burnet Companion and the Mother Shipton moths, the overcast conditions keeping them reasonably quiet.

Burnet Companion

'old hag face'

Small Noctuid, Tawny Marbled minor perhaps? any ideas?

Later on the persistent searching paid off as I spotted a male Glanville on a thistle .

Male Glanville with slight wing damage

The torn wing may have been a result of a wind blown crash landing into this prickly plant .The butterfly was quite torpid until the sun returned. A couple of minutes of solar blast and the butterfly fluttered rapidly from daisy to daisy, belying it's behaviour earlier.

On onoe of the plentiful Ox-eyed daisys

Further searching got me another male, this one is better nick than the previous

Glanville No. two

.
After 2 hours searching I reckoned I'd saeen only two butterflies … not the great numbers of last year but possibly more to come?

[Wurzel]

Alright Philzoid? You lucky get!

Have a goodun

Wurzel