Long tailed Blues in Kent

Neil Hulme · Post by **Neil Hulme** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 9:50 pm

Thanks for your comments above Dave (Brown). Map and Bath White would be rather nice next year. I'll have a word with Santa.
BWs, Neil

Neil Hulme · Post by **Neil Hulme** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 9:53 pm

I believe Richard Fox (and Nick Bowles?) will be writing up the LTB story for Atropos. That'll be a popular issue!
BWs, Neil

Post by **Pete Eeles** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 9:58 pm

Indeed. Richard and Nick have a regular column in British Wildlife that discusses sightings (primarily), and Richard (possibly Nick too) will be writing for Atropos also - so keep the LTB sightings coming in everyone, since Richard has asked for a list of relevant UKB threads to trawl through! Not sure when he should do that, since sightings still seem to be coming in thick and fast!

Cheers,

- Pete

Sandy73 · Post by **Sandy73** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 4:57 am

With sightings in the north and east of Kent, are there more LTB's around that haven't been discovered?

Mark Tutton · Post by **Mark Tutton** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 6:19 am

There are at least three seperate sightings on the Hants BC sightings page although I find it hard to believe that these are the only ones that have turned up in Hampshire. Two would seem to have been original migrants at hayling island on the coast the other rescued from a spiders web at Broughton down which is a good twenty miles from the coast. The other which was found on 27 september at Southampton common see http://www.hantsiow-butterflies.org.uk/sightings.htm would seem to be a UK specimen give the perfect condition.
Mark

Post by **Pete Eeles** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 6:48 am

Sandy73 wrote:With sightings in the north and east of Kent, are there more LTB's around that haven't been discovered?

Most definitely - we're only seeing a very small percentage of LTBs in general.

Cheers,

- Pete

Jack Harrison · Post by **Jack Harrison** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 7:32 am

Pete:

Most definitely - we're only seeing a very small percentage of LTBs in general.

I raised the question earlier in Neil’s diary on 22nd September:

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=4065&start=1300#p76808

about total numbers of LT Blues in England this year based on reports and unscientific extrapolating for the undiscovered localities. I suggested the total number could be as high as 10,000. While Neil disputed that large figure, he did agree that it might be in the thousands.

Jack

Neil Hulme · Post by **Neil Hulme** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 8:18 am

Hi Jack,
That was my educated guestimate of the number of primary immigrants which arrived in August. The total number of LTB flying over British soil this year would be higher, as it would also include all of those which hatched here, as British butterflies

, from 18th September onwards.
BWs, Neil

Jack Harrison · Post by **Jack Harrison** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 8:57 am

No doubt in due course, somebody (bodies) will write a summary of habitat requirements, behaviour, finding techniques (and it seems that aspect isn’t all that straightforward even where they are known to be present) etc. With the undoubted improved understanding resulting from the 2013 Long-tailed Blue influx, there ought to be a better chance of finding them in more ordinary years.

Jack

Testudo Man · Post by **Testudo Man** » Fri Oct 11, 2013 7:36 pm

Susie wrote:Really glad you found your LTBs in the end, Paul I am really pleased for everyone who has managed to see them this year.

Thanks for that Susie, its got to be one of this years highlights for me.

Testudo Man · Post by **Testudo Man** » Fri Oct 11, 2013 7:42 pm

David M wrote:Do we know just how far-ranging LTB sites have been? I'm aware sightings have been made in both Kent and Sussex, but have there been any more from other parts of southern England?

Hi David, a few days ago i uploaded one of my LTB photographs on Flickr, then one of my contacts/flickr friends attached a link, when he was commenting on my pic. The link shows a Dorset sighting, a woman had a LTB(male) fly into her kitchen!!! The link does contain photos of the butterfly as proof. So a definate Dorset sighting then.

Cheers Paul.

Jack Harrison · Post by **Jack Harrison** » Sat Oct 12, 2013 6:55 am

LTB(male) fly into her kitchen!!!

I would express doubts that is a genuine immigrant. The larvae are well know to be pests on Mange Tout (peas)) on the Continent so maybe the lady had just bought some Mange Touts. Old records (I think it was in South's classic) refer to LT Blues being found indoors on window ledges - that was before the reason was understood.

Jack

Testudo Man · Post by **Testudo Man** » Sat Oct 12, 2013 10:15 am

Jack Harrison wrote:
LTB(male) fly into her kitchen!!!
I would express doubts that is a genuine immigrant. The larvae are well know to be pests on Mange Tout (peas)) on the Continent so maybe the lady had just bought some Mange Touts. Old records (I think it was in South's classic) refer to LT Blues being found indoors on window ledges - that was before the reason was understood.

Jack

Thanks for that jack, its certainly food for thought, and an interesting theory/explanation...one which i would not have considered myself.
I wonder if i should tell her

it could shatter her dreams a bit

Cheers Paul.

Jack Harrison · Post by **Jack Harrison** » Sat Oct 12, 2013 4:34 pm

Mange touts are also apparently imported from Kenya. I'm sure LT Blue is widespread and abundant in East Africa.

Jack

Lee Hurrell · Post by **Lee Hurrell** » Sat Oct 12, 2013 9:18 pm

Work commitments kept me from the Kent coast this week. I am keeping an eye on the weather for this week...

Lee

Hoggers · Post by **Hoggers** » Thu Oct 17, 2013 3:43 pm

Hi All, The Long Tailed Blues are still busy at the Minnis Bay site

I saw four today

And bumped into Lee Hurrell too!

I've put more photos in my diary (of Long Tailed Blues, not of Lee, photogenic though he undoubtedly is...)

Happy Hunting

Hoggers

Neil Hulme · Post by **Neil Hulme** » Thu Oct 17, 2013 4:48 pm

Great stuff Hoggers! Really pleased that Lee scored too, together with Fermyn friends Bill and Nigel. Congrats to all, including any other lucky peeps who happened to be there!
BWs, Neil

Post by **Pete Eeles** » Thu Oct 17, 2013 6:42 pm

Yes, very well done Hoggers! Great shots and good to hear that the LTB are still looking to procreate!

Cheers,

- Pete

David M · Post by **David M** » Thu Oct 17, 2013 7:36 pm

Good effort, Hoggers. I guess it's not too surprising given how mild the temperatures have been of late.

I expect this to continue for a while until we get a random 3c night with a touch of frost.

Lee Hurrell · Post by **Lee Hurrell** » Fri Oct 18, 2013 1:08 pm

Hoggers wrote: And bumped into Lee Hurrell too! I've put more photos in my diary (of Long Tailed Blues, not of Lee, photogenic though he undoubtedly is...)

Well...

Great to see you again Hoggers and nice chatting to you. Lovely photos.

Sussex Kipper wrote:Really pleased that Lee scored too, together with Fermyn friends Bill and Nigel. Congrats to all, including any other lucky peeps who happened to be there!

Thanks Neil. Chuffed doesn't quiet cover it, I was so pleased to see anything at all, so not only to see a mating pair but the whole show from initial contact, courtship, mating and separation was beyond my expectations.

We did also bump into UKB member Keith Woonton and colleague.

My report and photos to follow.

Lee

Long tailed Blues in Kent

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