July 2012

[MikeOxon]

is it a Small Skipper?

Definitely not a Large Skipper but Essex remains a possibility. The antennae look rounded and uniformly dark but, perhaps, not black enough for Essex.

Mike

[Ian Pratt]

Today is one of those rare days when the sun is shining and the butterflies think it is summer!
When walking the dog I saw 5 species:1 marbled white, 3 large skippers, 2 red admirals, 1 small tortoiseshell, and 5 meadow browns.
I managed to photograph four of the species too!
Amazing as it will probably be raining soon!
Ian

[David M]

is it a Small Skipper?Don't think is a Large one.

To me, that's a cast iron Small Skipper.

[badgerbob]

My son Matt decided to go up Frog Firle and count the Burnt Orchids, so feeling a little down as its back to work tomorrow I decided to go with him. One minute it was breezy, then hot, then a down pour that got us soaked. We notched up exactly 100 orchids but also saw lots of Marbled Whites including a mating pair. A very smart Ringlet also put in an appearance. This individual appeared to have very small rings on its underside, however only topside pictures were obtained.

[David M]

A rare good forecast saw me visit Alun Valley near Ewenny, Glamorgan this morning to reacquaint myself with High Brown Fritillaries.

Managed to see my first UK Ringlet of the year:



The first five fritillaries I positively identified were all Dark Green, but the sixth was a High Brown, as was the seventh, eighth and ninth!

This one looks slightly aberrant with its particularly dark wing colouration in the basal area:



Best I could do for an underside shot was this blurred effort of the same individual:



Got a bit concerned when I met four guys with nets on the site, though it turned out that they were transect walkers (not quite sure why they'd need to catch HBFs to identify them though, if that's what the nets were for. This species isn't that hard to distinguish from DGF even in flight, and when at rest it's surprisingly easy).

Saw 25-30 large Fritillaries, of which 10 were positively identified as Dark Green and 8 as High Brown. Meadow Browns and Ringlets each exceeded 30, whilst 5 Small Tortoiseshells and 2 Large Skippers were also seen.

[Hoggers]

In between showers at Orlestone Forest this afternoon, lots of Ringlets

Several Marbled Whites

Eight White Admirals

And a Comma

[Jack Harrison]

not quite sure why they'd need to catch HBFs to identify them though, if that's what the nets were for. This species isn't that hard to distinguish from DGF even in flight, and when at rest it's surprisingly easy

No doubt true (I'm not all that familiar with HBF) but capture/release might be a quicker way to survey. However, I hadn't thought that capture is a normal transect method.
As a parallel, Essex and Small Skippers CAN be distinguished without capture but netting certainly makes things easier and quicker - that is what I have done in the past.

Jack

[David M]

However, I hadn't thought that capture is a normal transect method.

I actually thought High Browns were a protected species and as such couldn't be netted at all. Daft thing is, given the current conditions on this site and the fast flying nature of HB and DG Fritillaries, I'd have thought attempting to swipe one into a net would be potentially injurious to the health of the net bearer!

[Jack Harrison]

Did you get any photos of the netters? One advantage of an articulated screen - you don't need to be apparently looking at the subject!

Jack

[David M]

Did you get any photos of the netters?

Yes. One from a distance, but in truth I'm convinced they were kosher. The second pair had transect maps and seemed to know their way around the site. They also mentioned a couple of names I was familiar with.

I'm not one of the hysterical 'anti-net at all costs' brigade, but when you're on a site which harbours a species that can be found nowhere else in a given country, you are naturally prone to be defensive.

[Neil Freeman]

The one reason that I can think of for netting would be to mark individuals so that they are not counted more than once, just guessing but it would explain the nets.

Neil F.

[Mark Tutton]

Spent nearly nine hours in the various woods at Alice Holt today. Drove there in a monsoon and had to slow to thirty mph as the windscreen wipers couldn't cope! Needless to say I nearly turned back. Whilst the gloom was stilL present I took the opportunity to explore some areas that I haven't been to before. The sun came out about noon for a while and in that short interlude I encountered a few skippers, white admirals and silver washed fritillary nearly stepping on an adder while I admired a fresh female swf! A slightly brighter period encouraged me to visit Goose Green old car park to eat a late lunch and between 2.50 and 3.05 i was treated to three sightings of a male Purple Emperor high in the oaks - he quickly chased off a blue tit that invaded his airspace. The rain returned so I took a stroll down straits Inclosure when the sun came out with some vigour bringing with it the best numbers of swf and white admiral that i have seen so far this year including half a dozen female silver washed. Taking the hint I returned to goose green for an hour where I saw what I think was another purple emperor male six times between 5.20 and 5.45. At no time did I see any male/male clashes. Having seen the forecast for the week it looks grim. Mark.

[Willrow]

Regarding my Lulworth Cove Posting

Now that really got you guys out of wet summer weather mode did'nt it!!! Thanks to David M, Mike Oxon, Dave (Millerd) and Guy for their input and ID corrections on my Skipper and Blue images, I've now edited the post, which was rather hastily put together to begin with I must be a little more particular in future.

Bill

[selbypaul]

Had a great day walking along the coast and army firing range to the east of Lulworth Cove today. The weather was gorgeous, and finally, after my third attempt in three years, I saw Lulworth Skipper. But not just one, a profusion of them, I'm guessing somewhere between 30 and 40 of them, and that was without even trying to count them.

Was disappointed not to see a single Common Blue or Adonis Blue however.

That now completes the UK native list for me. Just the introduced Marbled Fritillary and questionable Large Tortoishell to see at some point. But given that I'm not someone who watches butterflies for ticks, I look forward to many further years of butterfly watching enjoyment

[MikeOxon]

Now that really got you guys out of wet summer weather mode did'nt it!!!

Indeed it did! Thank you for some stimulus, while looking out of a rain-streaked window - pleased you had such a good day.

Mike

[Philzoid]

Forecast for Sunday said best weather to be found West, so decided a meet-up with Wurzel at Bentley for Purple Emperor and woodland species was our best chance rather than Alice Holt. If Bentley wasn't going to yield his majesty then we had a contigency plan to go to Martin Down for Dark Green Fritillary.

Apart from an early afternoon deluge, the weather wasn't too bad . In between photo-ing Silver-washed; fresh Ringlet (nice pohtos Hoggers) Large Skipper and Meadow Brown (White Admiral proved too difficult) we met other enthusiasts who were staking out a tree where Purple Emperor had been seen on Thursday . Such dedication to the cause (and a likely crick in the neck) was not for us and we moved on to an area to the south where a gravel path was surrounded on each side by grassy areas. Right on cue the sun showed its face and the place came alive with butterflies and other insects . On a thistle I came across a Marbled which who was sharing the head with a burnet moth and a bumble-bee. However there was another noticable creature in attendance: a brown crab spider was doing its best to get the butterfly. As the drama unfolded I snapped away. I could see that the butterfly was much more content to carry on nectaring and despite having its hind wing bent by the spider as it grappled to get in close for a bite , the butterfly refused to leave the flower head and seemed able to break from the grip of the spider by just changing it's position on the thistle head .
On checking my Canon to see what the pictures looked like, horror of horrors the message was "no card in camera" I borrowed my daughter's card from her compact but after insertion all I got was an error message . giving it back to Isabella it then wouldn’t work in her camera . Subsequently when I got it home I had to re-format it and then it wouldn't work at all . It was my fault that I forgot the card in the first place , but doesn't technology frustrates sometimes
After walking back to the car with a 10 minute time-out to shelter from a deluge of a shower, I switched my pretend camera over to my Panasonic Lumix DMC G3 (grrr) camera .... usually brought along for the ride only. Thankfully this was a good move as after we moved onto Martin Down I was able to get these pictures of Dark Green Fritillary .

male with faded Small Skipper

Weather on the Down was sunny; was like you'd expect for summer. Hopefully we'll get some more before PE season ends. BTW, congrats on getting to see Purple Emperor Mark, dedication rewarded

[Jack Harrison]

Congratulations Phil on joining the “Forgotten Memory Card Club”. It has active branches throughout the country. Meetings are usually held at 1900 hours every Friday 13th.

Membership applications are available via the website (PDF format). Most branches offer a discount scheme for members who carry a spare card in the camera case.

Jack

[Jack Harrison]

My butterfly season is significantly curtailed because of a medical problem – cartilage in left knee. Walking and bending is excruciating so I can’t go far. It might be old age or it might (being an intermittent problem) stem from a trip I had a year ago when I landed on my knee. Doctor thinks that I might require a bionic knee.

However, my garden adjoins superb mature deciduous woodland. I am 99% certain I saw a White Admiral dashing in characteristic manner through the lower part of an oak. It was a brief sighting but habitat is ideal so I am pretty confident about it being a White Admiral.

This Large Skipper posed just over the garden boundary.



Jack

[selbypaul]

My butterfly season is significantly curtailed because of a medical problem – cartilage in left knee. Walking and bending is excruciating so I can’t go far. It might be old age or it might (being an intermittent problem) stem from a trip I had a year ago when I landed on my knee. Doctor thinks that I might require a bionic knee.

However, my garden adjoins superb mature deciduous woodland. I am 99% certain I saw a White Admiral dashing in characteristic manner through the lower part of an oak. It was a brief sighting but habitat is ideal so I am pretty confident about it being a White Admiral.

This Large Skipper posed just over the garden boundary.



Jack

Hard luck about the knee Jack. As you say though, at least you live in a lovely wildlife rich area. Plus, given the weather this year, its not like you're missing too much!

[NickB]

Several GVW today. plus 1 Comma, 1 RA, one geriatric male CB, a female Large and several Small Skipper...