Pete Eeles

[Matsukaze]

Strange how there are no records from north Wales given that the species seemingly once occurred in Ireland.

I'm aware of a 19th century record from the Long Mynd (not quite north Wales but near enough) although unsupported by any evidence other than the word of its discoverer, and, I think, not generally accepted. Interestingly the same is true of an alleged Large Blue from roughly the same time and place - a somewhat unlikely combination of butterflies it must be said!

[Jack Harrison]

Five or six years ago at a Black Hairstreak watch in Glapthorn Cow Pasture, a retired teacher from Oundle School gave an impromptu talk about Black Hairstreak history. I believe the gentleman’s name was Euan Thomas or similar.

Mr.Thomas had noticed that the distribution of the Black Hairstreak correlated quite remarkably with land formerly owned by the Rothschild family. He speculated that a Rothschild, many of whom were nature lovers, might have introduced into his woods Black Hairstreak from Continental stock. Somebody – I think it might actually have been me – wondered whether the Large Blue colony at nearby Barnwell Wold might similarly have been a Rothschild introduction: after all, Barnwell is a long way from the nearest old Cotswold colonies. Mr.Thomas didn’t dismiss the idea out of hand.

So....?

Jack

[Matsukaze]

If it really was an isolated introduced colony of Large Blues, how would it be done? As the butterfly's requirements were unknown at the time, the Rothschilds would have to have got very lucky indeed using eggs or larvae. I know introductions using adults were done in Cornwall in the 1890s, but that was moving them from one valley to the next, and transporting live adults from (say) the Cotswolds to Northamptonshire pre-1860 would have been difficult.

There are very old Large Blue records from Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire (and maybe Rutland - I don't remember exactly right now), which fit with a population in eastern Northamptonshire.

Again, I don't remember the details, but I am pretty sure that the Rothschilds did move Black Hairstreaks around.

[Pete Eeles]

Fascinating...are there any specimens from the old Somerset colonies there and if so how do they fit in with the Cotswold and the far south-west specimens? I wonder if DNA analysis would show - whether the local forms had diverged long ago or relatively recently, and whether the genes and the visible diversity match. That would make a fine PhD thesis for someone...

Presumably the Dale collection has some of the Glanville's Wootton Mazarine Blues, but would it have any of the Swallowtails he took in the area 200 years ago? Would these match the British subspecies or the Continental ones?

Great questions - and do keep them coming! There are so many things to explore it's hard to know where to start.

Yes - Large Blues from Somerset and South Devon are on the wish list. There's LOTs of stuff in the Dale collection, and good thinking about the non-Norfolk native Swallowtails - will definitely take a look at these next time.

As for DNA, I'm told we still a few years away from having the technology that will allow efficient DNA analysis.

Cheers,

- Pete

[David M]

There's LOTs of stuff in the Dale collection, and good thinking about the non-Norfolk native Swallowtails - will definitely take a look at these next time.

That would be particularly interesting!

[Pete Eeles]

OUMNH again!

First off, I forgot to examine the Swallowtails - too busy looking at Meadow Brown, Grayling and Green-veined White subspecies! Will have to wait for the next visit. Anyway, I know that Mark will be posting some information on the Dale collection at some point, but wanted to provide a glimpse from one of Dale's diaries that we pored over during our last visit. The 2nd image below is a typical page from this particular diary (for 1815). In the second image of the selected page I've marked up some of the highlights.

Some of the species names have been amended since 1815 (e.g. Papilio cymon is now Cyaniris semiargus = Mazarine Blue) and, once analysed, it quite clearly demonstrates what you could go out and see on a late July day in 1851! Looking through the diaries, Swallowtail seemed to be commonplace, and this was a fairly unique page in that it contains a confirmed sighting of Podalirius (Scarce Swallowtail). In addition to the sighting of Pontia daplidice (Bath White) from Dover by Mr. Stephens, the most amazing sentence I read was this (annotations within [] are mine):

"Papilio Dispar [Large Copper] in Paludibus arundinetis [marshes and reeds] Cambridgeshire where it is sometimes common".

Dale also adds what I think might be "wishful thinking":

"I think Whittlesea Mere [which is hopefully going to be returned to wetland as part of the Great Fen project] likely for it [Large Copper - confirmed in correspondence with Haworth on the following day] as well as P.Vigaureae [Scarce Copper] + P.Chryseis [prior scientific name for Purple-edged Copper], P.Davus, P.Typhon & P.Polydama [forms of Large Heath]".

Every time I visit the museum my head is filled with ideas of what we can learn from its contents! This particular rabbit hole seems to be going deeper and deeper

Cheers,

- Pete

[David M]

Wow! Scarce Swallowtail.

When was the (verified) last time this species was recorded in the UK?

[Jack Harrison]

When was the (verified) last time this species was recorded in the UK?

Phil Grey (Still alive? Good friend of Ken Willmott) lived near Swanage and told me many years ago that he once had an unmistakable view of a Scarce Swallowtail flying inland over his head at on the coast in the Swanage area. (Can't remember where. St.Adhelm's Head perhaps?)

Jack

[Pete Eeles]

Spring Doings

With home duties complete, and lawn cut, I took the opportunity to spend a couple of hours mid-afternoon to visit a couple of sites where I normally find the early spring species, such as Orange-tip, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue, Green-veined White, Grizzled Skipper and Green Hairstreak. Spring must still be way behind because I didn't find any of these - despite the highest temperatures for some weeks.

The first stop was Woolhampton Gravel Pits, where I found plenty of Brimstone, Peacock and Comma. The Peacock, in particular, were doing very well, with a least a dozen seen - including a courting couple. The courtship consisted of the male moving behind the female and seemingly tapping her on her hindwings with his antennae - reminiscent of a Small Tortoiseshell courtship.

Courting Peacocks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SLmkFtb ... e=youtu.be[/video]

Comma

The site is also renowned for its Grass Snakes, with an entire family hunkered down under a piece of corrugated iron.

Grass Snake

The briefest of visits to Greenham Common turned up a few more Peacock and Comma, but no Grizzled Skipper or Green Hairstreak. The visit reminded me that I'd rescued a couple of Grayling ova last year, so I took a look this evening at the pot of grass I've kept them in, and was very pleased to see them both feeding, one in the typical position at the tip of a blade of Sheep's Fescue.

Grayling larva

Grayling larva

Cheers,

- Pete

[Wurzel]

Alright Pete? Great shots of the Grayling - they don't seem that cryptic but I suppose that's because I'm not seeing them in context? And what is that courtship behaviour like!? It's a bit like a bloke in a pub going up to an attractive lady, tapping her on the shoulder repeatedly and asking her if she "fancies a bit?" And that works does it?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pete Eeles]

Hi Wurzel - the larvae are deep within a grass tussock during the day and completely out of sight. However, with the onset of evening, they climb up to the top of a grass stem to feed. They're actually quite easy to spot if you know they're there - although they're only around 8mm long at the mo! Although the brown colouring against a green stem is quite a contrast, what you're not seeing is the brown colouring of nearby dead stems, which they're very camouflaged against.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Pete Eeles]

The Boys are Back in Town

Oh yes. 'Nuff said

Orange-tip - Woolhampton Gravel Pits - record shot

Cheers,

- Pete

[David M]

Oh, how I yearn to see this in Swansea. Could be a few more days yet, sadly.

Well done, Pete. First Orange Tips always give a boost to the senses.

[Wurzel]

Nice "record"shot Pete Still no Orange-tips here in Salisbury but I'll be looking harder over the weekend

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks chaps. The little blighter gave me the runaround for at least 15 minutes late this afternoon, before settling for about 3 seconds. It's the most exercise I've had all day, so it's not all bad

Cheers,

- Pete

[Pete Eeles]

Home Doings
Probably my busiest butterflying day of the year. Starting at home, the first of two Orange-tips emerged from its pupa, with the other due to make a showing tomorrow. The last shot of this sequence is a close up of the wing scales, clearly showing that the illusion of green is created using a mix of yellow and black scales.

Orange-tip Pupae

Orange-tip (male)

Orange-tip

Orange-tip wing scales

I also checked on some Small Skipper larvae that overwintered in a pot of grass and managed to find this chap snuggled up in a rolled up leaf:

Small Skipper larva

Noar Hill
A quick jaunt to Noar Hill produced a couple of Duke of Burgundy, the first pointed out to me by none other than UKB's Dave Miller Both were seen in the chalk pits toward the back of the reserve and, after a quick plea, the second obliged by landing on its foodplant - in this case, Cowslip.

Duke of Burgundy

Magdalen Hill Down
I popped into Magdalen Hill Down on the way home and my tally of species for the year almost doubled, seeing my first Grizzled Skippers, Green-veined White, Small White, Large White, Holly Blue and Green Hairstreak for the year! Butterflying days don't get much better than this!

Green Hairstreak

Cheers,

- Pete

[Mark Colvin]

Glad to see you had a successful day, Pete.

That's a really cracking shot of the sylvestris larva. Great work

[Wurzel]

That Duke shot is something else Pete

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks chaps

Cheers,

- Pete

[Vince Massimo]

Butterflying days don't get much better than this!

I entirely agree Pete . With so many species being reported by everyone, the day felt like a turning point in the season.
I think your Small Skipper larva image is spectacular and very elegant . It also looks like it's ready to moult soon (or perhaps explode). I'm sure we'll find out soon.

Cheers,

Vince