July 2014

[Perseus]

7 July 2014
After the paucity of butterflies that often occurs in late June, there were fresh butterflies on the wing were very frequently seen on the downs with Marbled Whites leading the way with at least 71 seen, but there were as many of both Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers of the ten species seen in an hour. On the lower slopes of Mill Hill I recorded 33 Marbled Whites before I nearly stumbled into the first of eight male Chalkhill Blues. Other butterflies seen in ones or twos were Comma, Small Tortoiseshell, Small Heath, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral and Large White. Burnet Moths had just appeared and there was small pyralid moth Pyrausta purpuralis. http://www.glaucus.org.uk/MillHill2014.html

[Willrow]

my sense of direction is notoriously bad

But your sense for a good photograph makes up for that 'direction deficiency' Ros...simply lovely Purple Emperor portrait

Best Wishes,

Bill

"When in doubt...venture out"

[Ian Pratt]

First chalkhill blue for me today at Brading Down Isle of Wight. Ian

[JCL]

Birdguides are carrying a report of a Scarce Swallowtail yesterday in a Worcs garden! Anyone know any more?

[Philzoid]

Sunday 6th. Morning

Before you know it Purple Emperor season is upon us again and it was no fun being stuck at work during a warm spell praying for a fine weather weekend that didn't materialise . Saturday was a washout ... .couldn't even catch up on the garden jobs that desperately needed doing, but Sunday offered a break in the gloom so off I went on my annual pilgrimage to Alice Holt Straits inclosure with my youngest Isabella in tow.
Straits was remarkably quiet for PE season but soon I met up with UKB'er Pauline and others who had gathered around the central observation tower with only really decent patch of flowering bramble along the ride. Since I was last there, there had been track resurfacing and the ditches either side of the tracks cleared out. This meant there was less nectar plants for the usual suspects like Silver-washed Fritillary and White Admirals whose numbers were lower than expected.

At the far end, the track was totally gravelled over and the timber logs were all stacked neatly .. there was a sanitised feel about the place. One 20 second viewing of a male high up was all I got and what with the on and off weather I knew this was not going to be a grounded male day .

Moving on to Botany Bay, Chiddingfold the contrast was immediately noticeable with the rides overgrown with lots of bramble and other flowering plants . Brambles are frequented in the main by both butterflies and bees (Bumble and Honey) but they were also patrolled by marauding Hornets a fearsome insect if you happen to be a bee or butterfly. Watching a particular hornet at work it didn't appear to be getting much hunting success and this was particularly evident when it took on a Silver-washed Fritillary which easily 'sidestepped' the Hornet and then cheekily buzzed it back to drive it off . Seconds later though the outsmarted hornet had made a capture, and an unfortunate honey bee was the victim. I took the following photos as the Hornet dispatched it's prey. The first part was to immobilize its victim by dismembering and decapitation so off came the wings; legs and the head. The hornets is only after obtaining the flight muscles in the victims thorax which is high in protein to feed the colony's larvae. Eventually the abdomen was detached and fell into the undergrowth. The whole process was over in 2 minutes.

Discarded remains of the Honey Bee

Further along the ride heading towards the Triangle I met up with Mark Colvin and Nick Hideandseek . They had seen some Emperors and even as we spoke one bombed close by which both me and Mark agreed was a female by its larger size and more rounded shape . Unfortunately neither Mark or Nick had seen any late first or early second generation Wood Whites which had been on my wanted list. However at the triangle junction I did get to see some more Purple Emperors (males) high up until the cloud caused a lull in the action. Hoping that Mark and Nick might be wrong about the Wood whites, me and Izzy then moved on to the overgrown meadow area where I busied myself photographing skippers (but failing miserably to get a shot of either one of two Marbled Whites in that area). A couple of Green-veined were seen but no Woodies.

Essex male taken at Botany bay entrance

Small Skipper in meadow area

On my way out my ears picked up a high pitched buzzing sound (not unlike a mozzie as it flies past your ear ) and on inspection I found it was being made by three hoverflies, or at least two of them, males (presumably). The males remained perfectly static in the air apart from their vibrating wings above what I presumed to be a female sat on a leaf below them . Eventually the top storey male gave up and left the others to it. A couple more shots and we did the same.

If anyone knows what species they are and the behaviour they were exhibiting I'd be grateful to know .

Finally got to see my first Gatekeeper of the year but it didn't stop for its picture.

Phil

[Paul Wetton]

Hi Phil

I think your hoverflies are probably Eristalis nemorum and the behaviour you describe is the males displaying to the females by hovering directly above them whilst they feed.

[Pauline]

Great shots of the Hornet Phil - you had just been describing that behaviour to me so it is very interesting to see your photos of it.

[Philzoid]

Hi Phil

I think your hoverflies are probably Eristalis nemorum and the behaviour you describe is the males displaying to the females by hovering directly above them whilst they feed.

Apologies for late getting back and thanks for the ID Paul . I'll be adding it to my Syrphidae folder alongside the large numbers of the more obvious Volucella's that I've photoed.

Great shots of the Hornet Phil - you had just been describing that behaviour to me so it is very interesting to see your photos of it.

Thanks Pauline . Hornets are fascinating to watch and if you watch them long enough you have a good chance of seeing them make a kill. Watch out for crab spiders too on flowerheads.

[dave_b_james]

Apologies for late posting. I had a well deserved day chasing butterflies last Monday (7/7/14) after being at work all weekend. I started off at Robert's Field in Lincs hoping to see my first Dark Green Frits of the year and I wasn't to be disappointed with lots of DGFs all over the site with loads of Skippers, Ringlets and Meadow Browns

Dark Green Fritillary, Robert's Field

Dark Green Fritillary, Robert's Field

Soon after I some got pics I headed to nearby Bedford Purlieus as the main reason for my drive up here (I live in Northampton) was to try and get pics of White Letter Hairstreak. We had tried and failed during the previous week. Lots of Silver Washed Fritillaries all over the place were present on seemingly every bush.

Silver Washed Fritillary, Bedford Purlieus

I walked up and down the ride without a glimpse but eventually I noticed a tiny brown triangle on the top of a fern. I jumped over the ditch and walked closer to find a pristine White Letter slowly revolving around and posed beautifully for pics.

White Letter Hairstreak, Bedford Purlieus

White Letter Hairstreak, Bedford Purlieus

White Letter Hairstreak, Bedford Purlieus

[CJB]

Hi UKB'ers

Very jealous of all the WLH sightings and am yet to find one!

My tally of species in the garden for 2014 has now hit 20, although the 20th was a fritillary which zoomed around and disappeared before I could id it; either a SWF or DGF. The conditions were particularly good for getting shots, so I have included a few here; as ever taken with the mobile!

Gatekeeper

Meadow Brown

Large Skipper

Flutter on!

CJB

[ChrisC]

glad to see peacock back in the garden this evening.

[Mark Tutton]

I had intended to go to Alice holt today but as I headed up the A3 there was and obvious line of cloud that looked like East Hants and Sussex would be in gloom most of the day (sorry Neil) so on reaching the A272 ( the Purple Highway) I headed west to Winchester and West Wood - good decision
I had my bicycle with me, so after parking up I did a circuit of the main track without much joy, although it did turn up a nice valezina which didn't stop for a photo. 
This wood is dominated by Beech and Pine interspersed with a few Oaks but with there is a distinct lack of Sallows - even less now that the FC have done their ride widening. However the Sallow that is present is of very good quality, dominated by mature broad leaved types with very little narrow leaved.
On my circuit I spied a narrow track that had some lovely broad leaved Sallow on the south side so sat down to have some wine gums and a drink.
No sooner had my bottom touched the floor than a male sailed along the ride at eye level at settled a bit further up the track for a few photos.
A bit later on I found another seriously giddy male on the main track and it ended up sitting on my toe for 30mins giving me the most magical pedicure!!!! No fish paste was used in obtaining these photos - all natural ingredients. Who needs moleskins and boots?
In all I saw four possibly five males but no females.
 I am sure Pauline will recognise the flip flops
Kind Regards
Mark

[Pauline]

Those flip flops are obviously a butterfly magnet Mark Can I borrow them next season?

[Ian Pratt]

Presumably the attached photo is of a small skipper and not an Essex skipper? Am I right?
Ian

[Adrian Kennerley]

Two male Chalk Hills photographed today at Barnack

[Philzoid]

Absolutely fantastic shots of the Emperor Mark Have no time left to fit in any searching as I'm off on holiday (next year I'll book it

Things have been busy for me recently what with getting ready for a family holiday to Tenerife and trying to fit my butterflying and moth-ing all around it. Saturday weather was lovely but I had to take my daughters into town for some last-minute clothes shopping and by the time I got home there was only time enough left to fit in a whistle-stop trip to a small heathland site that is Dawneys Ridge near Brookwood cemetary . I'd been there on 18th of June (again early evening) for Silver-studs and very productive it was too . Also enjoyed meeting up with fellow UKB member Maximus and his wife .

The sun was still shining when I arrived and I was greeted by a Large skipper as I entered through a stile-gate. On entry you meet a huge patch that has been scrub bashed. The result? stumps of sprouting birch; sprigs of gorse that annoyingly penetrate your shoes if you've not wearing the right type (trainers: when will I ever learn ); and 'total devestation' it seems. However in the central part there is an untouched stand of heather and gorse, pretty much as it was last year and this is where the main colony of Silver-studs are to found.
My main quest this time was for Grayling and it wasn't long before I put one up. Being late in the day it fell to the ground after a short rapid bouncy flight . For anyone who has ever 'hunted' Grayling on a heath you will know how much of a challenge they represent even though you 'know' where they have landed. For me conceding defeat means swiping my hand across the area to set them up again. On this occasion it was 3-2 to me and although I initially thought I'd seen two individuals, my photos suggest I only saw one.

On horse dung. Ponies graze to keep the scrub in check

Giving me the 'keep back'warning flash

The only patch of site dung free (lol)

In addition to the Grayling and a brief sighting of a solitary Gatekeeper, I saw lots of Silver-studs but the majority were well worn. However I was able to find both a single male and a single female in good condition .

Also encountered was this Purple-bordered Gold moth; a Geometrid belonging to the Sterrhinae (Waves) sub-family and a first for me .

Purple-bordered Gold

Despite a good old tour of the site I was unable to see any more Grayling and then a dirty grey cloud, as is so often the case, put paid to further activity.

PS. Hoping the DGF's are still about when I get back from holiday lovely photos of them and the White Letters

PPS. Nice photos of your garden butterflies CJB Have only seen nine species in my garden so far.

Phil

[Greenie]

Whilst doing my transect yesterday at High Elms LNR near Bromley , I spotted what I thought to be a female SWF fluttering amongst the ground vegetation .
Eventually it stopped to nectar , and with binoculars got sight of it's left topwing , which showed the four dark bars of a male . Intrigued , I folled the specimen , and after a while managed to get behind it . I was amazed to find that it had a male left wing and a female right . I managed a few shots before a male disturbed it , trying to court it . After a couple of laps of the glade , the pair disappeared over the surrounding trees .
When I got home I rand fellow member Spock and described what I had seen to which he replied 'halved gynandromorph' , something that he had never seen in the wild or in captivity . I emailed a picture and he noted that eyes , antennae , tufts between them , and abdomen were all different from one side to the other .
I'm leading a walk for Kent BC next Sunday , I hope it turns up again .
Greenie

[David M]

Stunning specimen! I don't think I've ever seen a gynandromorphic Fritillary before. It'll be interesting to see how the male SWFs behave towards it.

[Mark Tutton]

Wow greenie that is a stunning insect - what a find
Kind Regards
Mark

[Philzoid]

Apologies in advance if I've misinterpreted this but first picture intrigues me because the butterfly looks symmetrical yet the male SWF has more slender, slightly falcate wing shape than the female. The left forewing does have the sex brands of the male but the hindwings looks almost identical(?)

Does a "halved Gynandromorph" have to be fully half male and half female in terms of its structure or do pattern differences in this case, suffice

Phil