Pauline

[Pete Eeles]

After a brief search I did indeed find one but I was not prepared for my first photo to be of a life and death struggle

Superb image Pauline! I must have missed this when you first posted!

Cheers,

- Pete

[Pauline]

I loved the Lulworth's too William and the scenery was just splendid. I am pleased you like the WA and spider but I thought it was just so sad - all that time and effort invested in getting to that stage and then wiped out before it had a chance to have any sort of life. Thank you for your comment.

Thank you Mike - I reckon you are right about the males having a darker colouration but whether it is a deliberate 'military' look I am not sure Thank you for your email - the difference is remarkable and I shall certainly give it a try.

I appreciate your comment Pete but found the situation a little tragic. My recent insight into the difficulties that all stages of the butterfly encounters and my heightened awareness of some of the perils they face, has only increased my wonder that any of them actually survive at all!

Another outing by the sea today - very different from the Jurassic Coast but very pleasant nevertheless:

Whilst enjoying the sun and eating my fish and chips I stumbled across this newly emerged Meadow Brown and had to hang around for a while whilst she got her wings sorted out:

I think I saw my first Essex Skippers today too but need to check the photos first to be sure.

[badgerbob]

Hi Pauline. I had also missed the WA with the spider. Nature in the raw, and a fantastic record of the event. That Meadow Brown is one of those with the bleached effect on the wings, so another fine find.

[Willrow]

Lulworth Cove...ah! the memories your lovely report evokes Pauline...thanks for sharing

Bill

"When in doubt...venture out"

[Pauline]

I'm pleased you enjoyed it Bill. Thank you for your comment.

I appreciate the compliment Bob - you have had some great finds yourself this year. I thought the meadow Brown was very pretty.

During 'Purple Emperor season' I sometimes do not give the other butterflies the attention they deserve. However, I think that Skippers are a feisty, charismatic insect with bucket loads of attitude and as I found myself surrounded by them yesterday I decided to make the most of it. I am embarrassed to admit that after all this time I still struggle with the Small/Essex identification, but I checked the antennae and the sex brand and I THINK that all of these are Essex. If they are not I would be pleased to be corrected.

There were some great grasses at this venue which provided some nice backgrounds.

[Wurzel]

Fantastic Essex Skippers Pauline With those "dabs" it look like you've got them bang to rights

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

Thanks Wurzel. I appreciate the confirmation - it was the sheer numbers which put doubts in my mind (despite the Small Skippers amongst them) as this would seem to indicate that they have been out for quite a few days.

Yesterday I thought it was high time I had a look locally for PE. Despite the cloudy, overcast conditions it was quite warm and a good number of butterflies were on the wing. The weather doesn't usually deter me these days as in 2012 I saw 2PE's sparring in the rain (altho' they probably didn't have any choice that year!). I headed for Alice Holt and just by the entrance, on the nettles, were several nests of what I assume to be Peacocks (I have never seen them as cats before ). Sadly, 2 of these nests appeared to have been attacked by some sort of fly which seemed to be systematically killing the butterflies. Between plundering the cats he would take a break, wipe his face, then start again I was horrified:

I walked slowly along the track, looking both at the ground and the canopy, but no sightings of PE. I came to a colony of Small Skippers. Not only do I find these butterflies extremely photogenic, I also think they are very obliging, and I enjoyed several minutes taking various shots of them:

On leaving I took a last look at the remaining Peacock nest which seemed to be thriving but for how long?

and at the same time spotted this very attractive moth:

I decided to check for PE across the road at the Straits but despite a lot of butterfly activity, yet again, I could not spot a single one. The number of SW (including females) is gradually increasing and White Admirals were aplenty, although getting close to them was another matter. Where did they all come from??? Where were the cats and pupa hiding??? I shall need to try harder next year Some very nice Large Skippers along the route:

The morning was still young so I decided to make a detour on the way home and check out the DGF's which I had been told were flying at Noar Hill. It was also an opportunity to try to find the DoB cat as I have never seen one before and was intrigued by Ashley's recent posting. Sure enough, there were about 5 DGF and they were very active. There could have been more but photos were almost impossible and this is the best I could do:

Noar Hill was looking particularly attractive so it was no hardship to spend time here looking at Cowslip leaves

Whilst looking I came across a couple of caterpillars - i have no idea what either is but neither were my target:

I focused on the areas where I remembered the density of the imago to have been the greatest and I found many leaves 'peppered with gunshot' but not a caterpillar to be found. A few of the leaves had what looked like a moulted caterpillar skin on the back but that is as close as I got and whether it was a DoB I have no idea:

I was starting to feel a bit peckish and decided to return for lunch. On my way back to the car I saw my first Hummingbird Hawk moth of the season. It was impossibly fast and this photo is very blurred but I shall keep it as it is the only one I have

[bailey1409]

Hi Pauline

The moth is a Clouded Border.

Cheers

Maurice

[Wurzel]

Great report and shots Pauline Looks like you're slipping into Moths...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[PhilBJohnson]

Hi Pauline, I love the photos as usual.
I did a quick web search.
Does that parasitic? fly look like Sturmia bella?
Here is one link:
http://chrisraper.org.uk/blog/?p=283
Here comes Vince........(edited message )

best wishes.

[Vince Massimo]

Hi Pauline,

I don't think the fly is one of the parasitic species, but just taking advantage of a food source. It has alighted on an old larval web of shed skins (and possibly some parasitised individuals). The mystery yellow and black larva is of one of the Burnet moths and the hairy caterpillar looks like the classic Ruby Tiger "woolly bear".

PM to follow regarding photos

Vince

[Maximus]

Hi Pauline, lovely recent images, however your photos of the Small Skippers are simply stunning

Mike

[Pauline]

Thank you for the ID Maurice. It is my turn to be distracted by painting gates but if you are going to be up here for PE I hope you will let me know.

You could be right Wurzel - thank you for your comment.

I appreciate you taking the time and trouble to do that Phil, so thank you. It certainly does look like that insect but so many look so similar I really don't know. Shall be replying to your pm asap.

Thank you for your help and the ID's Vince - and also the links. Much appreciated.

Ah, Mike, how can you praise my Small Skippers when you are posting fantastic images of ab. Large Blue, egg-laying, and lovely purple PE. Don't think I can keep up with you this year but thank you anyway.

Having missed out by 30 minutes yesterday Mike, I decided to try again this morning. Freshly charged battery in camera, checked as usual (you know what's coming now, don't you!!!). Didn't bother to take the spare - will I ever learn???!!! Anyway, nice to meet the guys there - Doug, Trevor, Robert, and lovely to catch up with you again Colin, pleased you're on the mend (hope you all got lucky). After a couple of hours I saw PE flying low down in Tugley Wood area and then another. Whilst waiting I went to take a shot of SWF but battery was not holding its charge and camera useless. I returned home which was just as well. My pupa had emerged so I was able to gently remove her from the cage and onto a nearby plant where she spent an hour before flying off over the house. It was not unexpected as the pupa had been changing colour so just as well I returned. Every cloud and all that ......

Pupa on 19th June:

Pupa on 29 June:

Butterfly after emergence:

Re PE - 3rd time lucky

[Wurzel]

Beautiful shots Pauline - they need to rename the whites as their underwings always look a beautiful lemon colour. Good luck with the PE , the first was official reported from Bentley Wood yesterday, I've bought my fish sauce, arranged to pack the girls off to the Grandparents for the weekend and then I check the weather App - rain all weekend, let's hope the Met has it wrong

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

I hope so too Wurzel. Please let me know how you get on - I wish you the best of luck. Thank you for the compliment

After the debacle of the camera/battery, and in particular having received the fantastic shots that Colin emailed to me, I resolved that I had to try again at Botany Bay. It was an afternoon visit and although PE was seen by others, despite being there for 3 hours I was only able to manage a distant shot shortly before I left – a PE 60’ up a tree in windy conditions, spotted by Mark and Ian (lovely to chat to you both again, perhaps catch up later in the season):

It was reminiscent of the WLH shots but this only had the effect of making me more determined so the following day I set off nice and early feeling optimistic and hopeful. The weather was perfect and I was in great company. We were only there a couple of hours but saw a conservative estimate of 6/7 PE, 4 different individuals coming down for minerals. The first individual stayed down for about 45 minutes but steadfastly refused to open his wings despite our best efforts to encourage him, which included providing shade. He was not at all perturbed by the dozen or so admirers and totally ignored a group of about 20 walkers who carefully moved past.

He did occasionally give us a brief flash of his upper side but opportunities were limited by the number of observers and the direction he happened to be facing at the time:

However, there is only so many under wing shots that one can take so when another PE came down at the Triangle it immediately attracted attention. This was a larger butterfly, and very fresh, unlike the earlier specimen. Excited photographers were posed for their shots when walkers allowed their dog (not on a lead) to run straight at the butterfly causing him to return to the canopy. We got neither a glance nor an apology from the owner as we all stood and stared in shock and disbelief. It was not long before a third individual came to ground but this was a very flighty, skittish insect and took exception to some photographers getting to close, returning to the canopy yet again without opening his wings.

We had been there a couple of hours and other commitments called so we started the trek back to Botany Bay. We didn’t get far! Twice our return journey was interrupted as we were intercepted by a PE coming briefly onto the track ..... and how many folk can walk away from a grounded PE? Even when we got to the car, whilst having a much needed cold drink, a PE came down, briefly settled on one of the other cars and then attempted to get moisture from one of the puddles. It was repeatedly disturbed by passing cars and eventually sailed over the canopy across the road. A couple more shots from an enjoyable couple of hours:

So, many under wing shots but do I return for the full monty??? We shall see

[Hoggers]

Smashing photographs of the Purple Emperor, Pauline. I haven't seen one this year and as for past years I've never seen one close up, they've always been way up in the great blue yonder!

Perhaps I need to ask Neil where he buys his moleskin trousers?

Best Wishes,

Hoggers.

[Wurzel]

Fantastic shots Pauline I'm glad you managed to take advantage of this weather while it lasted

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Maximus]

Good to see you got your PE, Pauline, Lovely shots, but will you return for the full monty? You can keep your hat on

Mike

[PhilBJohnson]

Excellent Pauline,
I am really pleased you got the Purple Emperor shots on the ground in the end. As you can see, I am green with envy! The weather isn't looking "too clever" for the weekend so I hope you can make the most of Friday 4th July. I have to work in sunny Lewisham
Best wishes,
Philip

[Pauline]

You might be surprised to know Hoggers that there were no moleskin trousers in sight . In fact, the bait that some were using proved to be very successful .... but I couldn't possibly say more in public, if you get my drift . Seriously, thank you for your comment as those shots were not easy to come by.

Thank you Wurzel - If the forecast is to be believed there is more to come

We shall have to wait and see Mike Thank you for your comment.

Thank you too Philip. It has taken a great deal of perseverance, patience and persistence this year to get any sort of PE shot. The 'f' numbers relate to depth of field btw.

Today I really needed a temporary change of direction - a change of venue and a change of colour. I was getting a little bored constantly looking at Oak trees so I decided to look in briefly at Chalton Down. If you should happen to read this Mark (T.) it has to be one of the best venues you have ever given me directions to. Not huge but teeming with butterflies (16 species today) and wildlife and never another soul in sight. There were several mating pairs of Meadow Browns around today and though the fresh females were stunning it was difficult to get open-winged shots as they hunkered down in the grass. If I inadvertently flushed them a nearby male would pounce!

I accidentally stumbled upon a sleeping fox, sending him into a panic and spoiling any chance of a photo but great to get so close. Another first for the season was a Gatekeeper which had seemingly just emerged. I have never seen them this fresh - he was really lovely.

It was difficult getting these images as he was on a slope with the light in the wrong direction but I wanted to try to achieve at least one open-winged shot:

Eventually I spotted what I had come for - my first Chalkhill of the season, and what a gorgeous butterfly. I didn't have the pleasure of his company for very long as he was fully charged up, raring round, picking fights with anything and everything. His upper wings were beautifully marked, the colour so deep and vibrant but the only shot I managed was blurred so until I return I shall have to be satisfied with these:

How time flies when one is having fun! It was lunchtime already. I couldn't resist trying out the picturesque village pub and I can certainly recommend their food and service : . A delicious seafood salad and I was ready for the off.