June 2014

[Willrow]

Nice one David its all been heavy showers with sunny intervals further east all a bit frustrating as our summer is being nibbled away without the yellow lady smiling on us

Bill

"When in doubt...venture out"

[dave brown]

Hoggers wrote I finished work early today so popped in to East Blean Wood for the Heath Fritillaries. I saw only two in the car park area

Did you note the Norfolk Hawker flying around the car park? It was there at 13.15 hours and still there when we left at 14.30 hours. Fellow UKBer Marc Heath and others saw it there around 17.00 hours, so it was probably there in between those times. That was the second day running it was present around the car park. Today it has been more mobile and seen along one of the rides.
Norfolk Hawker is really rare in Kent with less than 10 modern records, although it probably breed at Westbere last year.

Pleased you found more Heath Fritillaries, we only found one. The area around the car park is looking overgrown and needs some attention in the winter. There is a distinct lack of Cow Wheat around that area this year. Two years ago it was excellent.

Dave

[Willrow]

Aberbargoed Grasslands NNR, Monmouthshire. And yet another visit to my local patch cos' I just can't get enough of the Marsh Fritillary and mid-week I had counts of around 120+ and another of in excess of 150+ and conditions on both occasions were not exactly conducive to count surveys, but it looks like another good year and I think the peak will hit several hundred, incidentally I saw a late larvae during the count so it could also be a nice long season

Lovely Marsh Fritillary on fresh bracken frond

Many of the Marshies were very obliging (which they are by nature!) and posed nicely for some photographs, I've done just a little editing on the images so I apologise for the cobwebs that remain visible.

The same Marshy continued to pose nicely for me

Happily I also managed to see around 6 or 7 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary as well, sadly I had to put the boot in one because he would not keep still and pose as requested for his photograph - please don't tell Butterfly Conservation though

Get them S P-b Frits to behave - just put the boot in...

The same individual (once sorted out!!!) then posed with it's wings held together in 'roosting' mode and allowed some further shots to be taken and that's the way to do it folks!!!

Good behaviour now from the S P-b Frit!!!

Bill

"When in doubt...venture out"

[David M]

Staggering Marsh Fritillary numbers, Bill. It's clearly an excellent year for them.

[David M]

Spent a highly enjoyable two and a half hours today wandering about Fairwood Common on the Gower. Butterflies seen (in descending order of abundance):

Common Blue
Marsh Fritillary
Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary
Large Skipper
Green Hairstreak
Speckled Wood
Green Veined White
Small Tortoiseshell
Red Admiral
Meadow Brown
Large White
Small White

[Rosalyn]

Lovely Frit pics Bill.

Monks Wood Cambs.
We thought the perfect end to our week would be a possible Black Hairstreak in our own 'back yard'. So with fingers crossed I headed out early as it was already warm and sunny. Within minutes of getting to the best ride I had 2 in my sights, woohooo. They were not having any thoughts of coming down to pose for close up photos but we (Phil, Nigel, Bill and I) counted at least 5 by mid morning.

[Hoggers]

I saw Small Tortoiseshells, a Painted Lady, a Red Admiral, Large White, Small Heaths and this female Clouded Yellow at Dungeness today

[kevling]

A couple of yearly first sightings for me today along the River Gipping at Needham Market, Suffolk. Two Red Admirals and a Painted Lady. Outnumbered by a large quantity of Small Tortoiseshells.

Regards
Kev

[kevling]

Rosalyn,

Nice shot of the Black Hairstreak. This is a species I have never seen and a trip to Monks Wood is being planned for next weekend. Would you be so kind as to point me in the direction of the best rides to see them. I've never been to Monks Wood before and looking at the OS map, it looks large enough to come away empty handed if you don't locate the correct locations. Also is there a time of the day that is best.
Many thanks in advance if you are able to help.

Kind Regards Kev

[Rosalyn]

I've never been to Monks Wood before and looking at the OS map, it looks large enough to come away empty handed if you don't locate the correct locations. Also is there a time of the day that is best.

Hi Kev
As long as the sun is shining Black Hairstreak can be seen throughout the day, although the middle of the day is generally regarded as the best time.
If you want to meet up with Phil and myself we would be happy to show you the best spots next weekend.
Park off the road at the junction of the B1090 & Bridge Street (TL 2061 8053). Just let me know the time & day you intend to arrive.
Regards, Rosalyn

[kevling]

Rosalyn,

Many thanks for information and kind offer for next week. I will send you a PM later in the week to confirm which day I can travel up to the wood.

Regards Kev

[millerd]

A single Marbled White and a single Dark Green Fritillary seen today at Dukes on Box Hill. No photos I'm afraid - both were highly active. The latter butterfly was seen for a while at the bottom of the slope and around the trees along the edge. The Marbled White was in the scrub towards the top of the hill. Silver-studded Blues then seen at Fairmile Common a bit later in the day.

Dave

[ayjay]

I paid a visit to Figsbury Ring today, I'd been told that it was a good site for Adonis blue (but that my informant hadn't checked the info he'd been given). A strong wind (slightly unexpected in view of my local forecast) meant that I'd be quite pleased to see anything having given up a days Dragon hunting to take the wife looking for butterflies. We found a couple of Adonis Blues but they were quite tatty, several Common blues and some Small Blues, good numbers of Dingy Skippers and Small Heath, one Brimstone seen and one pretty minty Small Tortoiseshell.

Small Tortoiseshell.

Small Blues.

[Zoylander]

Popped up to Haddon Hill yesterday afternoon, at least six Heath Fritillary on the wing plus a single Green Hairstreak. Just up the road at Haddon Moor two fresh Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary present.

[David M]

Good report, Hoylander. I may well pay a visit to Haddon Hill very soon.

[Zoylander]

Cheers David, if anyone is planning on visiting Haddon Hill next Sunday (15th) be aware that the main road there will be closed between 8am - 1pm due to the Ironman run!! Regards Roger

[David M]

Cheers David, if anyone is planning on visiting Haddon Hill next Sunday (15th) be aware that the main road there will be closed between 8am - 1pm due to the Ironman run!! Regards Roger

Saturday it is then!! (weather permitting).

Thanks for the advice.

[False Apollo]

Great Heath Fritillary pics Zoylander. I visited Haddon Hill on Sunday but saw no Heath Fritillaries. There was another couple looking but they had no luck either. Admittedly it had clouded over and there was a spell of heavy rain, but this was the only day I could make it. I would like to have another go next weekend when I hope more will be active. I did see a Small Tortoiseshell and Small Heaths in the brief sunny spells. The other couple had been there during the longer sunnier period but not a sign. I am not totally familiar with the area. I was wondering if I was in the best spot. Is there a particularly good place to see them at Haddon Hill ? I would be grateful to find out so I can see them on a return visit, hopefully next week if the weather holds.

Regards
Mike

[Cotswold Cockney]

Working outside in the warm sunshine this afternoon, delighted to see a Hummingbird Hawk Moth spend a while visiting various flowers in the garden @ 1300 hrs.

Wished they reached Gloucestershire more frequently as they do more often on the south coast. Thirty odd years ago, a long since departed relative had a house with a small garden/yard close to and facing the sea at Budleigh Salterton. Some summers in the late afternoon as many as five hummers would be over the Buddlieas and it was not that unusual to see the odd Clouded Yellow come in off the sea ~ strong flyers I suspect on migration. You would think that after crossing so many miles over the sea, they would stop and feed up at the first opportunity. They did not. They all continued their relentless strong flight a few inches above the ground further inland. There again, they could have been insects which had aborted flights towards mainland Europe and had second thoughts so returned back to shore. Buildings in the way did not stop them. Styraight up and over and onwards to the north. I have observed that same strong flight up and over buildings in Essex when I lived there many moons ago.

One childhood memory I will never forget. It was in 1947 when me, aged five was taken by my father when he tended his allotment alongside the North Circular Road between Chingford and Walthamstow. Much more rural then and in "Essex" not london apparently. Close to the location of the now a busy underpass known as the Crooked Billet... an old pub name which was maybe still is closeby. During that hot sunny day at the allotment, every so often a bright yellow butterfly would cross the plot diagoinally at a fair speed always in the same direction. Had no idea what they were and were doing but, I do now.

Some years later, when in my early twenties when I was much fitter of course, I chased one for the best part of a mile through a large wood and surrounding fields on its relentless ever onwards flight. Even so, I thought I would burst a blood vessel trying to keep up ~ never say die me ~ and I netted a perfect .. male which I let go as I wanted a female to breed from. They are easy to raise and breed. As I was kneeling down examining the Clouded Yellow through the net, a shadow of a large butterfly passing overhead closeby could be seen on the gravel track. Looking up, I saw a large specimen female Purple Emperor.

Memories eh ...

[David M]

Sounds like a totally different world, CC, to that we have today (more's the pity).