Hoggers

[Hoggers]

North Devon and Somerset last week; Dorset this week: you'd think I'd retired to live a life of leisure..!

Great fun though: I saw some fantastic countryside and some wonderful butterflies.

I particularly wanted to see Lulworth Skippers again after not having seen them for many years. I'm very fond of Skippers, they have such vim and verve, and the Lulworth is such a distinctive little chap (even without the moustache that this one was sporting)

I've yet to see a Chequered Skipper - that's one for next year!

I've heard that Graylings can be found at Folkestone Warren, which is close to where I live, though I've never been lucky enough to find them there (But then they are masters of disguise!) So I especially wanted to find them at Studland whilst I was on my mini-break in Dorset. I was delighted to see so many of them and thought they looked particularly beautiful amongst the heather

[Hoggers]

On Monday of this week I had a Meadow Brown fluttering around the garden.I can't remember ever having seen one here.

I also watched a Small White lay eggs on the Nasturtiums that I planted in April/May ( and which have grown so well ). She laid her eggs one at a time on the underside of each leaf. I had a look today

I'll keep an eye on them. I don't mind if all the Nasturtiums get eaten up by hungry caterpillars - I planted them for that very reason.
But I haven't relaxed my Nil Tolerance Policy when it comes to Molluscs...So if there are any Slugs reading this, I'm still watching out for you!

Today I found a Gatekeeper in the garden

Another first for my garden.

[ChrisC]

Excellent Hoggers, you know there's no going back now you have been getting butterflies they add a whole new dimension to the garden.

Chris

[Hoggers]

Chris, I am surprised and delighted by the variety of butterflies I'm getting in such a short time. It's exciting and rewarding.

When I got up this morning at 630 the sky was clear. I thought we were in for another sunny day. On my walk with the dogs I noticed a tiny cloud away in the distance. It looked harmless enough. But within a hour there was complete cloud cover. It reminded me of Chemistry lessons when we'd drop a single crystal of Potassium Permanganate into a beaker of clear water and watch it diffuse to colour the whole container ( Mr Elliott, if by some chance you happen to be reading this and just about to mark it with the usual "F-Minus", I hope I've correctly remembered the technical bits: I did pay attention, now and again..)

So today has been overcast and cool, which to be honest has come as a welcome relief from the run of days of unremitting hot sunshine.

To take my Daily Butterflying Medicine I visited Orlestone Forest.

The first thing I noticed was that there were NO MOZZIES!! Extraordinary! They usually know when I'm coming.

The second thing that struck me was the the large number of Ringlets bobbing up and down the rides, including this one which had a lovely Mushroomy texture that I could almost taste

Lots of gorgeous Gatekeepers

Meadow Browns, Marbled Whites

Large and Small Skippers

Essex Skippers

Speckled Woods

And despite the gloomy conditions, five White Admirals

Hardly a gloomy day when you can see so many beautiful butterflies!

[Hoggers]

I went to Warehorn today looking for White-letter Hairstreaks. Unfortunately I didn't see any. But my luck wasn't all bad

A lovely Purple Hairstreak made the trip worthwhile

Last year at this same site I managed to see only one WLH. I don't know if any have been seen here at all this year, there's no news on the Kent Butterfly Conservation Site. Dave Brown visited recently and failed to see any. I hope this doesn't mean they've died out here, not least because it's the only place I know for them in Kent. If anyone reading this knows of a good site for them in Kent I'd be grateful if they could let me know. I'll be very sad not to see them again

[Hoggers]

While the sun was shining this morning I returned to Warehorn in search of White letter Hairstreaks but with no luck, so I moved on to Orlestone Forest.

There were many Ringlets, Meadow Browns, Skippers, Gatekeepers

Marbled Whites

A few Commas, Speckled Woods, two Red Admirals, a Purple Hairstreak high in the canopy and I counted five White Admirals before the rain came down

[Hoggers]

I went to Wonderful Lydden today (Temple Ewell Nature Reserve near Dover). The Chalkhill Blues are out

Mostly males but I did see a few females

Marvellous to see them back - the hill never looks quite the same without its Chalkhill Blues

Marbled Whites

Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers

Small and Essex Skippers

Brown Argus, a Common Blue, a Red Admiral, Large White, Small Heaths

They certainly look after Butterflies at Lydden

[Hoggers]

The fields where I walk my dogs have become parched and sear. But this morning they had a fresher look

In the garden I had a Speckled Wood

And a Small Tortoiseshell

The Buddleias have yet to bloom so I'm pleased that I've got flowers out now that are attractive to butterflies.

[Hoggers]

Peacocks

And Small Tortoiseshells

on my morning walk with the dogs today.

Best of all today was this Brimstone in my garden

I get them here in Spring, restlessly passing through, but I cannot remember ever seeing any here in Summer. This is the first year I've had Wall Flowers, so maybe that's the reason why this is so.

Some of my Buddleia is just starting to bloom but as yet I've seen only one Small Tortoiseshell.

[David M]

The Buddleias have yet to bloom so I'm pleased that I've got flowers out now that are attractive to butterflies.

I think there's going to be an explosion of vanessids on buddleias within the next 2-3 weeks. Unless the weather turns atrocious, I can see these insects visiting gardens for nectar in significant numbers when the wild flowers start to die back, and given how late even garden plants are this year, we could see almost an epidemic of Tortoiseshells/Peacocks/Commas/Red Admirals visiting suburbia during August.

[Wurzel]

Fantastic reports Hoggers. Glad to see that Dorset delivered Cracking Chalkhills but my favourite shots are those of the White Admirals, the one basking on the leave is brill

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

The Buddleias have yet to bloom so I'm pleased that I've got flowers out now that are attractive to butterflies.

My dwarf Buddleias in pots are just beginning to flower but I have a large pink one in the front garden that is an early bloomer and is already past its best, not over yet but I am dead-heading the initial large flower spikes. It is remarkable how the past few weeks of good weather have pulled things back after the late start to the year.

Cheers,

Neil F.

[Hoggers]

I loved my visit to Dorset,Wurzel: Lulworth Cove, Durlston Country Park and Swanage are beautiful places and I'm looking forward to going back again next year for Marsh Fritillaries, which I haven't seen for years.

I remember the White Admiral that you mention very well (and thanks for the compliment): it settled close by me but tantalisingly out of reach. I wanted to get behind and above it and went on an unsuccessful search for a log to stand on (you'd think you could find a log in a forest, wouldn't you?) So I took the photos standing on tip-toes whilst all the time fending off the Orlestone Mozzies which were coming in thick and fast as I'd run out of Jungle Formula. It's at times like this that you get a flavour of what it must be like to be a War Correspondent.

Some of my Buddleia is now in flower, Neil, and David, if this morning is anything to go by, your forecast may well prove to be accurate

In addition to these I had six Small Whites

A Large White

A Green-veined White

The Brimstone from yesterday

A Holly Blue and this battle-scarred Meadow Brown

Which still managed to fly up to the Buddleia to feed.

I'm looking forward to the Small Tortoiseshells and Red Admirals.

[Hoggers]

Yesterday whilst the sun was shining I was stuck at work. Today, when I'm "working from home" (which I usually contrive to mean a butterfly trip followed by a bit of paper work..) it's all very glum and wet and cloudy. So there'll be no butterflying excursion for me today.

But the dog needs be exercised and even though it was spitting with rain I took my pocket camera with me "just in case" when we went out this morning.

Butterflying with a Dizzy Springer Spaniel isn't easy: they manage to be everywhere at once, tail bashing about knocking everything flying, and that's rather unhelpful when I'm stalking a butterfly to try and get a photograph.

But on a quiet cool day when the field looked to be deserted, it's amazing how many Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers and Skippers he puts up, even in the rain,when I let him loose.

This Gatekeeper had found some shelter

I saw a quick flash of blue in the long grass and there was a Common Blue flitting away between the rain drops. Further on I chanced to see a large butterfly lift off from the ground and quickly resettle. I inched closer and up it flew. This time I could see a pinkish colour to it. The rain drops were falling heavier now and the butterfly went to ground but this time it stayed put

A Painted Lady

I managed to take only a couple of photographs before it flew off in the rain. I saw where it landed but I didn't want to disturb it yet again.

But I'm glad I took my camera with me. This was the same field where I saw the Clouded Yellows, so I may have found a Migrant Hot Spot in the heart of Dear Old Concrete Ashford.

[Hoggers]

I have visited my only White Letter Hairstreak site ( at Warehorn ) three times this Summer without any luck. Last year I saw only one. I hope they are still there and I've just missed them.

So I got in contact with Dave Brown who suggested that I try another site in Kent at Bishopstone, near Reculver, and gave me full directions as to where I should look.

I got there this morning at around 10. It was already very warm indeed and there were butterflies almost everywhere I looked; lots of Small and Large Whites, Gatekeepers, Peacocks and Commas.

I followed Dave's directions and soon found the Elms together with a large patch of Bramble and a Privet Hedge in flower.

Literally within minutes of my arrival I saw a WLH high up on the Privet flower and then another on the Bramble. Both butterflies were out of reach so I had to use the full x24 zoom on my camera but I at least managed to get a few photographs

While there I bumped into another WLH Hunter who told me that he thinks the population of WLH in that area is around 30.

Thanks Dave, I think I'd have missed seeing this butterfly altogether if you hadn't helped me out.

[David M]

I know only too well what you've gone through there, Hoggers.

Only Purple Hairstreaks are more frustrating.

[Hoggers]

I had a bad case of "Hairstreak Neck" too,David!

An early finish at Canterbury meant that by 11am I was at Lydden Nature Reserve. Lots of Chalkhill Blues

Many taking an interest in Doggie -Do-Dah

I made my way up onto the hill on the look out for Silver Spotted Skippers. I didn't see any, but as I wandered about my heart stopped at the sight of a gorgeous yellow butterfly that gently lifted off and started to glide downhill where it settled

A Beautiful Clouded Yellow, and this time, a female! Here are some "in flight" shots

I wish i could do justice to this marvellous creature - the sight of it gently drifting down the hill, the gorgeous colours and the broken black of the upper wing margins are simply spectacular

I spent over an hour in her company and it was a complete delight

As if this were not spoiling me, I saw no less than five Painted Ladies

An afternoon with a female Clouded Yellow and five Painted Ladies - No wonder I've got a big smile on my face!

[David M]

That's a cracking first image of the open wing Clouded Yellow, Hoggers. It actually looks as if it's at rest.

[Hoggers]

Thanks David although I take no credit for it as it was a pure fluke.

I may be spouting pure nonsense but it seemed to me that the female was not flying as fast as the males I saw back in June. It had a more gentle and fluttering manner. In fact, it seemed more like a butterfly looking for somewhere to lay its eggs. Maybe that's just what it was doing.I didn't see any Legumes on the hillside but certainly that's the impression I had as I followed it

This afternoon in my garden I had 6 Peacocks, a Comma and a single Painted Lady but no Red Admirals yet.

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Hoggers,

Not only a Clouded Yellow but in flight shots with open wings too

I have had a couple of Red Admirals in my garden the past couple of days, I'll swap you.....

Cheers,

Neil F.