Second generation Wood Whites at Botany Bay.
Second generation Wood Whites at Botany Bay.
Hi all. I would like to pop down to Botany Bay at Chiddingford in Surrey this year to photograph the second generation of Wood Whites. Please can someone advise me when they are on the wing. Cheers.
Peter.
Peter.
- Pete Eeles
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Re: Second generation Wood Whites at Botany Bay.
They've just started, but are in extremely small numbers.nomad wrote:Hi all. I would like to pop down to Botany Bay at Chiddingford in Surrey this year to photograph the second generation of Wood Whites. Please can someone advise me when they are on the wing. Cheers.
Peter.
Cheers,
- Pete
Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies: http://www.butterflylifecycles.com
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British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
Re: Second generation Wood Whites at Botany Bay.
Thank you Pete. Will their numbers build up, or is the second brood always very small
Regards Peter.
Regards Peter.
- Pete Eeles
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Re: Second generation Wood Whites at Botany Bay.
The 2nd brood is sometimes better than the first! You'll be fine
Cheers,
- Pete
Cheers,
- Pete
Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies: http://www.butterflylifecycles.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
- Mark Colvin
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Re: Second generation Wood Whites at Botany Bay.
Hi Peter,
Chiddingfold Forest summer brood Wood White were on the wing on Saturday, 12th July; and probably a day earlier. I only saw two males on this date but by now their numbers should have increased. As Pete said, 'the second brood is sometimes better than the first', but not always in my experience locally ...
I'm sure you'll be lucky if the sun is shining.
Good hunting.
Kind regards. Mark
Chiddingfold Forest summer brood Wood White were on the wing on Saturday, 12th July; and probably a day earlier. I only saw two males on this date but by now their numbers should have increased. As Pete said, 'the second brood is sometimes better than the first', but not always in my experience locally ...
I'm sure you'll be lucky if the sun is shining.
Good hunting.
Kind regards. Mark
Re: Second generation Wood Whites at Botany Bay.
Many thanks Mark and Pete. I choose a fine day during the week or next weekend.
Regards Peter
Regards Peter
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Re: Second generation Wood Whites at Botany Bay.
Hi Peter,
i visited Chiddingfold Wood this afternoon for a couple of hours and counted at least 15 individuals, including two ovipositing females. Over the next few days their numbers should increase with new butterflies emerging.
Good luck.
All the best, Nick.
i visited Chiddingfold Wood this afternoon for a couple of hours and counted at least 15 individuals, including two ovipositing females. Over the next few days their numbers should increase with new butterflies emerging.
Good luck.
All the best, Nick.
Re: Second generation Wood Whites at Botany Bay.
Thank you very much for the information Nick, I will hopefully make the trip this coming Saturday
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Re: Second generation Wood Whites at Botany Bay.
I am hoping to make the trip to Botany Bay in the next few days in the hope of seeing & photographing Wood Whites, which would be a new species for me.
I have searched the forum hoping to find directions to the site, as I have never been there before, but so far I can't seem to find anything.
Please could I ask if it would be possible for someone to advise me on how to find the correct location, as all I know is that it is somewhere in Chiddingfold Forest.
I will be travelling from Kent by the way.
Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to give,
Best regards,
Adrian
I have searched the forum hoping to find directions to the site, as I have never been there before, but so far I can't seem to find anything.
Please could I ask if it would be possible for someone to advise me on how to find the correct location, as all I know is that it is somewhere in Chiddingfold Forest.
I will be travelling from Kent by the way.
Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to give,
Best regards,
Adrian
- Neil Hulme
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Re: Second generation Wood Whites at Botany Bay.
Hi Adrian,
Park at SU978348 and walk down the track towards SU984337. If you haven't already spotted them by SU981342, you soon will do, as numbers increase significantly from this point onwards. Explore other areas and you will find them there too. Either go later in the day and stay into the evening if full-on sunshine, or pick a day with periodic cloud cover .... otherwise they just won't stop for you, despite their deceptively weak flight pattern. They are just coming to peak now, so you won't have difficulty locating them.
BWs, Neil
Park at SU978348 and walk down the track towards SU984337. If you haven't already spotted them by SU981342, you soon will do, as numbers increase significantly from this point onwards. Explore other areas and you will find them there too. Either go later in the day and stay into the evening if full-on sunshine, or pick a day with periodic cloud cover .... otherwise they just won't stop for you, despite their deceptively weak flight pattern. They are just coming to peak now, so you won't have difficulty locating them.
BWs, Neil
- Jack Harrison
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Re: Second generation Wood Whites at Botany Bay.
I have often wondered why it's called Botany Bay? It is not marked on Ordnance Survey 50,000 maps but is on the 25,000 scale. Incidentally, a search on StreetMap draws a blank. so every excuse for not knowing where it is.
Does Brown Hairstreak still occur there? I saw one some 40 years ago
Jack
Does Brown Hairstreak still occur there? I saw one some 40 years ago
Jack
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Re: Second generation Wood Whites at Botany Bay.
Many thanks for the info Neil, it is much appreciated. Looking forward to seeing them.
Re: Second generation Wood Whites at Botany Bay.
I spent two days last week, the Wednesday and Friday exploring Chiddingfold Forest. The Wood Whites were in good numbers along several rides. The females seem to ova-deposit from mid morning onwards and like to lay their eggs low down or under scrub and trees in the shady parts of the track edges. I watched a couple of their strange courtship displays, where the male and female face each other and flick their antennae and wings in sharp movements. I did not see the first courtship display untill the Friday afternoon and then saw another soon afterwards, just as thunderstorm approached . Not having any waterproofs, In the deluge I got a good soaking. In one place along a track on Wednesday, within ten minutes, I saw a Purple Emperor female egg-laying in the Sallows and then circle me and come down. A male Brown Hairstreak sipping nectar from a creeping-thistle and as he did this, there was a couple of Wood White males patrolling the ride edge just beneath him. I not sure where else you could see such an assemblage of rarities in Britain. A quite magical moment and very enjoyable visit. Peter.
Re: Second generation Wood Whites at Botany Bay.
P.S Yes Jack, the Brown Hairstreaks are still there.