David M

[David M]

Wurzel - Yes, HBF and DGF have similar preferences but DGFs are more prone to be found in the open areas than HBFs. That's not to say that HBFs shun these locations, because quite often you'll find a few in exposed territory.

However, if you're going there specifically to get a guaranteed up close and personal audience with HBF then the more sheltered parts will always provide better returns. The Gun Club meadow will always harbour a few and the Fritillary meadow will turn up a few more. The former could also see White Letter Hairstreaks nectaring on brambles/thistles, though this tends to happen more commonly later in the WLH flight period.

The starting point for the new ride has deliberately been created in a sheltered hotspot for High Browns so hopefully the additional abundance of violet growth in the newly cleared areas will make these places even more attractive. Only time will tell.

Chris - The terrain in the image is at its best in early June, prior to the bracken growth extending to its full height (whereupon things can become a little overgrown). I don't have an image taken from a similar spot in the summer but I DID take one 2 years ago from the east facing bank opposite where we've been clearing scrub. The 'bare' region towards the top of the hillside you see is where the ride has been cut. I'll make sure I do a 'before and after' when I return in June:

[David M]

Dates of first UK sightings 2014:

1. Small Tortoiseshell - 24 February, Parkmill, Swansea
2. Brimstone - 7 March, Swansea Vale
3. Comma - 7 March, Swansea Vale
4. Peacock - 9 March, Linda Vista Gardens, Abergavenny
5. Red Admiral - 15 March, Parkmill, Swansea
6. Small White - 16 March, Ewenny, nr. Bridgend
7. Speckled Wood - 11 April, Swansea Vale
8. Green Veined White - 11 April, Swansea Vale
9. Orange Tip - 11 April, Swansea Vale
10. Large White - 18 April, Parkmill, Swansea
11. Clouded Yellow - 18 April, Parkmill, Swansea
12. Holly Blue - 19 April, Kilvey Hill, Swansea
13. Small Copper - 19 April, Kilvey Hill, Swansea
14. Small Blue - 21 April, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
15. Green Hairstreak - 27 April, Welshmoor, Gower, Swansea
16. Small Heath - 4 May, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
17. Dingy Skipper - 4 May, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
18. Wall Brown - 4 May, Danygraig Cemetery, Port Tennant, Swansea
19. Pearl Bordered Fritillary - 5 May, Ewyas Harold Common, nr. Pontrilas, Herefordshire
20. Grizzled Skipper - 5 May, Ewyas Harold Common, nr. Pontrilas, Herefordshire
21. Brown Argus - 14 May, Mumbles Head, Gower, Swansea
22. Common Blue - 14 May, Kittle Quarry, Gower, Swansea
23. Duke of Burgundy - 17 May, Rodborough Common, nr. Stroud, Gloucestershire
24. Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary - 17 May, Alun Valley, nr. Ewenny, Glamorgan
25. Marsh Fritillary - 18 May, Welshmoor, Gower, Swansea
26. Chequered Skipper - 27 May, Glasdrum Wood, nr. Appin, Argyll
27. Large Skipper - 31 May, Alun Valley, nr. Ewenny, Glamorgan
28. Painted Lady - 7 June, Langrove Country Club, Parkmill, Swansea
29. Dark Green Fritillary - 7 June, Fairwood Common, Gower, Swansea
30. Meadow Brown - 7 June, Fairwood Common, Gower, Swansea
31. Heath Fritillary - 14 June, Haddon Hill, nr. Upton, Somerset
32. Ringlet - 14 June, Collard Hill, nr. Street, Somerset
33. Marbled White - 14 June, Collard Hill, nr. Street, Somerset
34. Large Blue - 14 June, Collard Hill, nr. Street, Somerset
35. Black Hairstreak - 15 June, Compensation Area, Bernwood Forest, nr. Oxford
36. High Brown Fritillary - 20 June, Alun Valley, nr. Ewenny, Glamorgan
37. Silver Washed Fritillary - 22 June, Lower Woods, nr. Wickwar, Gloucestershire
38. White Admiral - 22 June, Lower Woods, nr. Wickwar, Gloucestershire
39. Large Heath - 23 June, Cors Caron, nr. Tregaron, Ceredigion
40. Silver Studded Blue - 28 June, St. Govan's Head, nr. Bosherston, Pembrokeshire
41. Small Skipper - 28 June, St. Govan's Head, nr. Bosherston, Pembrokeshire
42. Grayling - 28 June, St. Govan's Head, nr. Bosherston, Pembrokeshire
43. Hedge Brown - 1 July, Alner's Gorse, nr. Sturminster Newton, Dorset
44. Purple Hairstreak - 1 July, Alner's Gorse, nr. Sturminster Newton, Dorset
45. Lulworth Skipper - 1 July, Bindon Hill, Lulworth Cove, Dorset
46. Purple Emperor - 2 July, Bentley Wood, nr. Salisbury
47. White Letter Hairstreak - 2 July, Bentley Wood, nr. Salisbury
48. Silver Spotted Skipper - 26 July, Aston Rowant, nr. Oxford
49. Chalkhill Blue - 26 July, Aston Rowant, nr. Oxford
50. Essex Skipper - 26 July, Aston Rowant, nr. Oxford
51. Scotch Argus - 4 August, Smardale Gill, nr. Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria
52. Adonis Blue - 8 August, Swellshill Bank, nr. Stroud, Gloucestershire
53. Brown Hairstreak - 23 August, West Williamston, nr. Pembroke

UK species seen in France but NOT seen in UK in 2014:

54. Northern Brown (Mountain) Argus
55. Swallowtail
56. Wood White
57. Mountain Ringlet
58. Glanville Fritillary

Non-UK species seen in Parc du Mercantour, French Alps, 5th to 12th July 2014

1. Mallow Skipper
2. Tufted Marbled Skipper
3. Marbled Skipper
4. Oberthurs Skipper
5. Safflower Skipper
6. Southern Grizzled Skipper
7. Red Underwing Skipper
8. Glandon Blue
9. Geranium Bronze
10. Mazarine Blue
11. Geranium Argus
12. Green Underside Blue
13. Long Tailed Blue
14. Lang's Short Tailed Blue
15. Mountain Alcon Blue
16. Meleager's Blue
17. Idas Blue
18. Amanda's Blue
19. Eros Blue
20. Escher's Blue
21. Chapman's Blue
22. Baton Blue
23. Purple Shot Copper
24. Purple Edged Copper
25. Sooty Copper
26. Scarce Copper
27. Sloe Hairstreak
28. Ilex Hairstreak
29. Blue Spot Hairstreak
30. Niobe Fritillary
31. Weaver's Fritillary
32. Shepherd's Fritillary
33. Titania's Fritillary
34. Marbled Fritillary
35. Cynthia's Fritillary
36. Queen of Spain Fritillary
37. False Heath Fritillary
38. Spotted Fritillary
39. Knapweed Fritillary
40. Meadow Fritillary
41. Southern White Admiral
42. Scarce Swallowtail
43. Apollo
44. Small Apollo
45. Black Veined White
46. Berger's Clouded Yellow
47. Mountain Clouded Yellow
48. Mountain Dappled White
49. Cleopatra
50. Mountain Green Veined White
51. Southern Small White
52. Bath White
53. Great Banded Grayling
54. Pearly Heath
55. Darwin's Heath
56. Chestnut Heath
57. Almond-Eyed Ringlet
58. Woodland Grayling
59. Large Wall Brown
60. Great Sooty Satyr
61. Piedmont Ringlet
62. Olive Skipper

Total Species seen in 2014 - 120

Last butterfly sighting - Red Admiral - 1st December 2014, Bracelet Bay, Mumbles Head, Swansea

[David M]

Monday 24th February 2014 - Earliest ever sighting.....

Life has been pretty hectic in February. I moved house on 29th January and am now living in a lovely location on the Gower Peninsula. I had Monday 24th February off so thought I'd go and purchase a washing machine. Whilst doing so, I became aware of just how lovely a morning it was (10c and sunny hadn't been forecast that way the night before). As soon as I got back, I decided to drive a couple of miles down the road to a little woodland glade I'd spotted a few days earlier, as it was sheltered, south facing and had potential for an early butterfly.

Well, it took nearly an hour but after having first seen Dippers, Buzzards, Nuthatches and a couple of bumblebees to keep me entertained, I suddenly spied a Small Tortoiseshell fluttering low to the ground near a sparse patch of Celandines.

This is the territory where it was seen:

The sighting beat (by one day) the earliest date on which I've seen a butterfly in the UK:

I also managed my first 'trousering' of the season as the butterfly took a swift liking to my jeans:

I spent 20 minutes or so watching it flutter about lazily, wondering too how its presence didn't attract the attentions of the many insectivorous birds that were also present in the glade.

I look forward to exploring this area in more depth when spring arrives properly. Meantime, it's a good feeling to know that butterflies are awake!

[Chris Jackson]

I look forward to hearing about your new environment David as the year goes on - I've seen your recent selection of "Favourites"!
Chris

[Hoggers]

I think being trousered by a Small Tortoiseshell at any time of year is a considerable honour but so early in the season must be a Good Omen!

There are Great things to come David!

Lovely photos as always

Best wishes

Hoggers

[David M]

Thanks for the comments, guys. Yes, I'm very much looking forward to exploring this beautiful area, many parts of which have lain largely untouched by man's influence on the landscape. I'm fairly confident I'll find Marsh Fritillaries and Green Hairstreaks within walking distance, and there are plenty of mature elm and oak trees which could throw up Purple and White Letter Hairstreaks. Time will tell.

Friday 7th March 2014 - First truly mild conditions of the year....

Temperatures peaked at 14c in Swansea this afternoon, so I took a two hour long lunchbreak to go Brimstone spotting in the area around my workplace.

I saw at least three and possibly four if the one seen on my way back was a different individual to the first three seen. All were males and none alighted for more than a split second:

On my way back, I disturbed my first Comma of the year. Fortunately, this butterfly was far more obliging than any of the hyperactive Brimstones and settled fairly readily:

I was quite surprised there weren't more butterflies on the wing, but given the forecast, I expect this to change over the course of the next few days.

[David M]

Sunday 9th March 2014 - A taste of May, TWO months early.....

I spent an hour and a half early this afternoon in Castle Meadows and Linda Vista Gardens in Abergavenny. I don't think I've ever experienced such gloriously warm, sunny weather in the first third of March before, and I've certainly never seen FOUR different species on the same day at this time of year.

First up were Small Tortoiseshells - they were all over the place! Definitely at least 30 seen, with many engaging in courtship activities:

I also saw 4 Peacocks, which were kept very busy by the warring Tortoiseshells:

3 Commas were spotted, although these were trying their best to stay out of the line of fire:

Most pleasing of all though was the sight of a male Brimstone, which is the first time I've ever seen this species in Abergavenny. They're fairly common in Swansea but strangely thin on the ground further inland. To make things better still, this male actually settled briefly on some Butterbur giving me a rare photo opportunity:

So, with all the adult overwinterers now firmly awake and in action, we have to hope we don't end up with a repeat of 2012, where conditions took a huge turn for the worse for a whole two months! Fingers crossed.

[Pauline]

Lovely photos David - puts my total of 5 to shame! I have never been to Abergavenny but someone close to me comes from Grosmont - perhaps you might know it?

[Chris Jackson]

That's a great start David, and some nice photos too!
Chris

[David M]

Cheers, guys. Yes, things are moving quickly now - I've never seen such butterfly numbers so early in the year. If we can steer clear of poor weather for the next few weeks, we could be in for an absolute bonanza!

Saturday 15th March 2014 - Royal Flush.....

It was a pleasant enough morning so I decided to pop down to the woodland glades at the back of the nearby Gower Inn to see what was about. I'm glad I did, because I racked up a 'Royal Flush' of adult overwinterers.

Half a dozen Tortoiseshells were active, along with 2 Commas and 2 Peacocks. Then, on my way back to the car park, I spotted my first Red Admiral of the year:

A male Brimstone flew by soon afterwards and on the bank near my car was a nice Comma feasting on celandines:

Footnote: The following day, Sunday 16th March, I was helping with scrub clearance work at Alun Valley near Bridgend. Again, it was a mild, sunny day (14c) and although I wasn't surprised to see 2 Tortoiseshells, 1 Peacock and another Red Admiral, I certainly WAS surprised to see a Small White. This insect flew in front of my car at the traffic lights coming out of Ewenny. Last year it took till the second half of April to see the first of the Whites, so this year is remarkably 'early' and given that I've seen cuckoo flower starting to 'whiten' up, I'm confident that Orange Tips will be with us within the next week or so.

[Chris Jackson]

Hi David,
I'm hoping this good weather will hold out as well and will bring us through fully into Spring. The gaps in my records remind me that this week 1 year ago there was one week of particularly unpleasant weather down here.
Glad you've got a Small White, that must be a good sign. I'm envious of your Comma - for me that's exotic - I may get 1 vagrant Comma once a year if I'm lucky.
I hope you won't hold it against me if I manage to get an Orange Tip a couple of days before you !
Eyes peeled now.
Cheers, Chris

[David M]

Friday 11th April - Couldn't wait......

With the weekend forecast changing from sunshine to cloud by the day, I took my camera to work today given that 14c, sunshine and light winds was nailed on.

I duly took a long lunch and spent an hour combing the wild areas near to my workplace.

It wasn't long before I encountered my first Speckled Wood of 2013:

Shortly afterwards, I spotted my first Green Veined White of the year, and although this one was too flighty to photograph, I managed a rather poor record shot of another seen later:

Although the cuckoo flower was in bloom by the stream running through the light woodland, I didn't see any Orange Tips until I made my way back over the marshy wasteland adjacent to the path. This was the only one of the three males I saw that settled, and sadly it did so with wings shut:

The full tally was 13 Peacocks, 7 Small Tortoiseshells, 5 Green Veined Whites, 4 Speckled Woods, 3 Orange Tips (all males) and 3 Brimstones (2 of which were females):

It's frustrating that the weather may stay cool and cloudy here in S. Wales this weekend, as now that the first batch of non-adult hibernators is on the wing, I'm always eager to spend as much time out in the field as possible.

Still, it's nice to know that things appear now to be in full swing and there are plenty of species to see for the first time over the next couple of weeks.

[Chris Jackson]

Hi David, Hi Wurzel,
That's not a bad haul for a long lunchbreak David, particularly at 14°C. Down my way nothing moves at 14°C !! Keep 'em coming.
Cheers, Chris.

[David M]

That's not a bad haul for a long lunchbreak David, particularly at 14°C. Down my way nothing moves at 14°C !!

I know just what you mean, Chris.

Whenever I've spent time in southern France I've found butterflies reluctant to fly unless conditions are perfect.

Cloudy, light winds and 23c will see few venture out.

Of course, UK butterflies can't be so choosy. We can observe ours in conditions far less ideal than yours.

Strange, isn't it? The same species will be active 10 degrees further north whilst their continental cousins will remain in a state of inertia in even MORE favourable conditions.

[David M]

Friday 18th April 2014 - Big shock..........

On the Richter scale of butterfly surprises, this one registered high.

I spent a delightful hour and a half in the two large woodland clearings at the back of the Gower Inn, Parkmill, today.

I was watching two male Brimstones interact with an Orange Tip when a grubby orange insect fluttered into view. I thought it was a moth initially but when it settled I crept up towards it and couldn't believe what I was seeing - a male Clouded Yellow!!

I know they've overwintered along the south coast of England but it would be lovely to think this one (and maybe more) has done likewise in south Wales.

He fluttered off and settled a little further away and I was lucky to get a couple of photos before he rose into the tree canopy and out of view:

Peacocks were the commonest species with 15-20 seen, though there were double figure numbers of Green Veined Whites and Small Tortoiseshells too. I only saw 5 Orange Tips (all males) but 4 male Brimstones were encountered along with this female, who rather obligingly settled to have her photo taken:

I also managed to get an open wing shot of an Orange Tip, albeit from a distance:

I saw my first Large White of the year too; a male purposefully meandering down the path no doubt in search of a mate. One Comma and one Red Admiral were also spotted:

Surprisingly, there were no Speckled Woods but I hope to see plenty of these over the next couple of weeks.

[Chris Jackson]

Well that was an hour and a half well spent David. I could spend plenty of time myself in that relaxing scenery.
Looking forward to more.
Chris

[Maximus]

What an amazing find David, and lucky enough to get a photo too

[Padfield]

Wow! A good find and an excellent photograph. His wings look all soft still and my guess is he's a freshly emerged local. Quite remarkable.

Guy

[David M]

Wow! A good find and an excellent photograph. His wings look all soft still and my guess is he's a freshly emerged local. Quite remarkable.

Guy

Thanks for the input, Guy. This might also explain its weak flight perhaps? This species usually bombs along at great speed, but this individual was flying feebly and erratically, hence my initial error of mistaking it for a moth.

I saw 4 Clouded Yellows in south Wales in August & September last year, so there will doubtless have been pairings. If it stays sunny tomorrow I think I'll pay a visit to Crymlyn Burrows on the coast which is where I saw an egg laying crocea last August.

[Lee Hurrell]

Wonderful stuff David! Glad you got out and what a find!

What a beautiful setting.

Best wishes,

Lee