Maximus

[Susie]

Wow, your photos of the ab marsh frit are really stunning!

[David M]

Ditto the earlier remarks - that Marsh Fritillary is incredible.

[Lee Hurrell]

I agree, what a corker. I'm off in search of my own tomorrow

Best wishes,

Lee

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Mike,

Some really great Marsh Fritillary photos there, I especially like the pair in flight and as others have said that ab. is a cracker

Cracking Duke photos too. Reckon I will be missing out on both these species this year, just not going to be in the right place at the right time. Mind you, that probably means they will be on my target list next year

Cheers,

Neil

[badgerbob]

That ab. really is a stunner. Great pics as well of both the marshies and the duke!!

[Maximus]

Thanks Alex, hope you sort your Green Hairstreak eggs.

Thanks Suzie

Cheers David

Hope you find what you're looking for Lee

Thanks Neil, I really hope you see the Glanvilles

Thanks Bob, your shots are stunning too

[Maximus]

The Green-veined White ova laid on our Honesty on 21st April hatched on 7th/8th of May. Of the five larvae only one survived, with remainder probably falling to predation.

Freshly hatched larva having eaten most of his egg

Freshly hatched larva with another egg below

We protected the remaining larva which then did rather well.

Freshly moulted

4 weeks old

[David M]

Magnificent images, Maximus. I trust you'll continue to keep us updated as to their progress?

[Maximus]

Thanks David.


Here's the next stage in the Green-veined White story...

Six hours old pupa on Honesty seed pod

[Willrow]

Lovely report and I'm very impressed with your earlier aberrant Marsh Fritillary images, well spotted. Never know what's waiting out there to surprise and delight us do we Max

Bill

"When in doubt...venture out"

[Maximus]

Thanks Bill, and I agree part of the pleasure is not knowing what we will find, or will find us, when we are out there




This chap emerged this morning, very early I know! However with another about to emerge we will release them together where we found them.

Male Brown Hairstreak

These were from the the first two eggs we found, all our others are well behind them.

[Wurzel]

Great photo Mike How come it emerged so early, that's almost two months earlier than the earliest?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Maximus]

Hi Wurzel, through inexperience and lack of indepth information on rearing Brown Hairstreaks, our first two eggs were kept in conditions which protected them against adverse weather and predation which they would have experienced in the wild, therefore they developed at a much faster rate. We now have a better understanding of their requirements and the timescales involved, having reared both Brown and Purple Hairstreaks, so that hopefully this year we will be able to rear any we may find through to adults more in synch with their wild cousins.

Mike

[Pauline]

Congratulations on your BH Mike. Some fascinating stuff in your diary recently and great photos recording the events which is not easy especially in the early stages. Good work.

[Wurzel]

Cheers for the info Mike - I remember reading something like that - looks like you had the oven on too high It all seems very complicated so I don't think I'm ready to be looking after cats yet.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pete Eeles]

How come it emerged so early, that's almost two months earlier than the earliest?

I agree Wurzel - as soon as I get a moment I’m going to complete the article on captive rearing to address such easily-avoidable mistakes - since the butterflies themselves are the big losers here. I’ll also discuss the justification for captive rearing (so, the ethics side of things).

EDIT: I've started a new thread here to get this out of Maximus' diary! viewtopic.php?t=7628

Cheers,

- Pete

[Maximus]

Hi pete, I for one would welcome your articles on captive breeding as there is not that much in depth information out there at the moment on this subject.

I would also like to make it clear that the Purple Hairstreak eggs that we collected were on wind blown Oak twigs found on the ground so would have been lost anyway. The Brown Hairstreak eggs were those which missed the bonfires at Noar Hill and were found on small bits of cut Blackthorn lying on the ground, so also would also have been lost anyway! Of course I would have rather they emerged at the correct time, but there's always a learning curve involved with anything new to you, as I am sure anyone trying this for the first time would find. I also imagine that even those with far more experience than us aren't always able to get the timing right and therefore have adults emerging a month or so too early.

Thats why I look forward to your articles, as I find rearing butterflies is amazingly interesting and very rewarding.

Mike

[Maximus]

As I was interrupted during my last posting, I wish to add that the welfare of the butterflies I am rearing, and their earlier stages, is of paramount importance to me.

Mike

[Maximus]

We enjoyed a brilliant day out on Friday at a favourite site, in search of first brood Adonis Blues. Although it was fairly breezy and overcast we were not disappointed as it was full of Adonis, along with many other species of beautiful butterflies.

It was the females however which stole the show, in varying shades of blue..

Other butterflies we saw included this beautiful Grizzled Skipper..

...and this lovely Dingy Skipper..

and two sharing the same roost..

Mother Shipton moth..

Superb male Common Blue..

and a pair of Brown Argus prior to mating and eventually mating..

[David M]

Some lovely images there, Maximus.

Overcast days can often turn out unexpectedly well for those wishing to get quality images of the butterflies on site.