SUPER SUNNY SWANAGE!
We usurally have a holiday on the Isle of Purbeck in mid to late August. I have always seen the Lulworth Skipper on these trips but with everything running early this year,i couldn't take the risk of waiting and missing them,so i drove down on Wednesday for a day trip.
We arrived at Durlston Country Park and,in the first patch of long grass,were several Lulwoth Skippers-butterflying has never been so easy! Walking round the site,Lulworths were everywhere. As i expected,many were old,tired adults and i wondered if any would have been present had i left it until late August. But there was a sprinkling of fresh females,and all were a delight to see-there is a certain pleasure in watching these cracking little butterflies-there rarity and certainly their charisma. One of the females we watched for several minutes,as she crawled down a grass stem,and pumped 6 glorious white eggs,surprisingly large for so small a butterfly. I wanted to take a picture,but if i unfurled the grass stem to show the eggs,it may have broke,so i decided not to-it wasn't worth it.
Many other species were around,including a few late Dark Green Frits and plenty of Marbled Whites. A pair of stonechats near the lighthouse,with young in tow,were amongst the bird hilights.Another super day.
Full list for Durlston; Small Skipper,Lulworth Skipper,Brimstone,Large White,Small Copper,Common Blue,Brown Argus, Peacock,Red Admiral,Painted Lady,Small Tortoiseshell,Wall,Meadow Brown,Marbled White,Gatekeeper and Speckled Wood. Photo's to follow.
hi Wurzel,you must go and see the Scotch Argus. They don't take the place of Meadow Browns,as both were common,flying side by side,and have different LHP. But,where they occur,they are as common,but Meadow Browns are on the decline by time the first male Scotch Argus emerge,so its more about extending the season,and keeping the northern season going through August.