Susie

[Susie]

After the possible brown hairstreak I saw locally last week I definitely saw one today just now while walking the dog in my local park. It was a male searching the ash master tree. This is the spot where I usually see them and it's good to have them back.



1. Peacock - 11/01/14
2. Red admiral - 05/03/14
3. Brimstone - 05/03/14
4. Small tortoiseshell - 09/03/14
5. Comma - 09/03/14
6. Small white - 01/04/14
7. Orange tip - 01/04/14
8. Holly blue - 09/04/14
9. Speckled wood - 09/04/14
10.Green veined white - 13/04/14
11.Dingy skipper - 21/04/14
12.Pearl Bordered Fritillary - 22/04/14
13.Duke of Burgundy - 24/04/14
14.Wood white - 26/04/14
15.Grizzled skipper - 28/04/14
16.Small copper - 28/04/14
17.Wall brown - 28/04/14
18.Small heath - 07/05/14
19.Brown argus - 10/05/14
20.Adonis blue - 11/05/14
21.Common blue - 11/05/14
22.Small blue - 12/05/14
23.Green hairstreak - 14/05/14
24. Marsh fritillary - 20/05/14
25. Glanville fritillary - 25/05/2014
26. Small pearl bordered fritillary - 31/05/2014
27. SWALLOWTAIL!! - 01/06/2014
28. Meadow brown - 08/06/2014
29. Large skipper - 08/06/2014
30. Large white - 08/06/2014
31. Silver studded blue - 16/06/2014
32. Clouded yellow - 17/06/2014
33. Dark green fritillary - 17/06/2014
34. Marbled white - 17/06/2014
35. Silver washed fritillary - 21/06/2014
36. White admiral - 21/06/2014
37. Purple hairstreak - 21/06/2014
38. Ringlet - 30/06/2014
39. Purple emperor - 30/06/2014
40. Small skipper - 05/07/2014
41. Gatekeeper - 06/07/2014
42. Chalk hill blue - 08/07/2014
43. Brown hairstreak - 21/07/2014

[Susie]

Still only the one brown hairstreak flying around the master tree earlier today. Not coming down for photos either.

[Susie]

There have been good numbers of butterflies in the garden over the past few weeks, last week's glut of peacocks have all but disappeared (gone off to hibernate I assume) but the small tortoiseshells are still around with a good dozen or so being in the garden feeding on the buddleias this afternoon. Large whites, female brimstone, small white, comma, meadow brown, gatekeeper, red admiral and silver washed fritillary too. Unfortunately a lot of the dog violet I had been growing has been weeded by an over zealous helper at the weekend but I am hopefully that there is still enough for the silver washed fritillaries to breed here. Today's silver washed looked in very good condition, not tatty and travel worn as the ones I usually see in the garden in past years are, so it is even possible that it was home grown or come from somewhere near as there was a female trying to egg lay here last year.

[Susie]

I went to Windover Hill today, I thought I'd complete my butterfly challenge and see either a grayling, silver spotted skipper or painted lady. Fail! I am sure they were there but I didn't see 'em. There were thousands of butterflies about though In the hot windy conditions I only had brief looks at them but there were good numbers of wall which I've only seen in ones and twos before. Also around were chalk hill blue, common blue, marbled white, all the other usual whites including brimstone, peacock, meadow brown, gatekeeper, small heath, dark green fritillary, small skipper (and possibly Essex?) and good numbers of small copper. It was lovely and it's such a beautiful place with wonderful views. The corns ripe and just ready for harvesting. So pretty.

[David M]

I thought I'd complete my butterfly challenge and see either a grayling, silver spotted skipper or painted lady.

Susie, Scotch Argus is readily available if you wanted to spend a day 'oop North'.

[Wurzel]

Lovely Small Copper Susie and the shot of the Corn ready for harvest is really evocative Lulworths are still flying down in Dorset - I saw a few ragged one at Lulworth itself and nice fresher female at Corfe Castle this week gone - you could call in at the heaths (Arne or Middle Beach Studland) on the way and pick up an aged Silver Grayling

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Susie]

Thanks David and wurzel.

I think oop north is a bit too ambitious for me this year but I am still hoping to make it to durlston

[millerd]

You've still got four on your list I haven't seen this year!
Silver-spotted Skippers at Box Hill and Denbies today, and Grayling near Woking. Not too far from you...
Windover sounds a splendid spot - but then the South Downs are an amazing place altogether. The ripe barley pic is so evocative - I can almost smell the beer!

Dave

[David M]

Thanks David and wurzel.

I think oop north is a bit too ambitious for me this year but I am still hoping to make it to durlston

Go on, Susie. You know it makes sense

I'm going up there myself early next week and it can't be much more of a journey than yours.

[Susie]

Good luck with your journey, David

Early this afternoon I went to denbies. I figured that the combination of cloud and chance of rain should make the butterflies a bit easier to photograph, again I was wrong. The strong wind had most things hunkering down in the grass or being whipped along in flight at terrific speed. And it sure was warm there, I swear that when a few spots of rain did fall it evaporated before it hit the ground in a puff of steam! The chalk hill is like one huge storage heater.

Anyhoo, despite that I saw eight or more silver spotted skipper, plenty of chalkhill blues, common blue, brown argus, small skipper, meadow brown, gatekeeper, small tortoiseshell, marbled white, and one fresh Adonis blue.

The chalkhills are mainly past their best now and today certainly wasn't one of the 'oh wow!' experiences like I've had before there.

If anyone is thinking of going there next weekend it might be an idea to avoid the Sunday as there is a cycle race in the area.

So I guess that's my 44 done for this year. It certainly felt a bit autumnal this afternoon at Denbies despite the heat. I feel rather deflated rather than excited at finishing my challenge. Hey ho, there's always next year!




1. Peacock - 11/01/14
2. Red admiral - 05/03/14
3. Brimstone - 05/03/14
4. Small tortoiseshell - 09/03/14
5. Comma - 09/03/14
6. Small white - 01/04/14
7. Orange tip - 01/04/14
8. Holly blue - 09/04/14
9. Speckled wood - 09/04/14
10.Green veined white - 13/04/14
11.Dingy skipper - 21/04/14
12.Pearl Bordered Fritillary - 22/04/14
13.Duke of Burgundy - 24/04/14
14.Wood white - 26/04/14
15.Grizzled skipper - 28/04/14
16.Small copper - 28/04/14
17.Wall brown - 28/04/14
18.Small heath - 07/05/14
19.Brown argus - 10/05/14
20.Adonis blue - 11/05/14
21.Common blue - 11/05/14
22.Small blue - 12/05/14
23.Green hairstreak - 14/05/14
24. Marsh fritillary - 20/05/14
25. Glanville fritillary - 25/05/2014
26. Small pearl bordered fritillary - 31/05/2014
27. SWALLOWTAIL!! - 01/06/2014
28. Meadow brown - 08/06/2014
29. Large skipper - 08/06/2014
30. Large white - 08/06/2014
31. Silver studded blue - 16/06/2014
32. Clouded yellow - 17/06/2014
33. Dark green fritillary - 17/06/2014
34. Marbled white - 17/06/2014
35. Silver washed fritillary - 21/06/2014
36. White admiral - 21/06/2014
37. Purple hairstreak - 21/06/2014
38. Ringlet - 30/06/2014
39. Purple emperor - 30/06/2014
40. Small skipper - 05/07/2014
41. Gatekeeper - 06/07/2014
42. Chalk hill blue - 08/07/2014
43. Brown hairstreak - 21/07/2014
44. Silver spotted skipper - 02/08/2014

[Wurzel]

Congrats on completing the challenge Susie and with some cracking species too So 45 species next year - you'll have to make it down to Lulworth/Durlston then?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Susie]

Thanks wurzel

I still hope to make it to durlston this year. Perhaps I'll get a bonus species or two!

And yes, 45 next year. Shouldn't be too difficult but will necessitate increased effort as the years tick passed.

[MikeOxon]

will necessitate increased effort as the years tick passed.

Once you get towards my age, you could start adding counts for earlier life stages

Mike

[Pauline]

Lovely shot of the Adonis Susie

[Susie]

will necessitate increased effort as the years tick passed.

Once you get towards my age, you could start adding counts for earlier life stages

Mike

When I get to the stage where I can't see enough butterflies in the UK I hope to be in a position to be able to go butterflying abroad

Thanks Pauline

Today there was a very welcome guest in the back garden. There is a small patch of birds foot trefoil (which fortunately didn't get weeded!) and today a tiny common blue female visited and laid eggs

[P.J.Underwood]

Susie,
As I have told you,after a few years the challenge of the rest of Europe becomes too great,as one finds there are several hundred new species not too far away.For me this year has thrown up Cleopatras,Cardinals,Large Copper,Large Tortoiseshell,Poplar Admiral,Arran Brown,Woodland Brown,Chequered Skipper,Chequered Blue,Balkan Zephyr Blue,Green underside Blue,Hungarian Glider,Common Glider,Twin spot fritillaries,Lesser Heath Fritillaries,Lesser Marbled fritillaries,Assmans fritillaries,Black hairstreaks,Sloe hairstreak,Chestnut heath,Pearly heath,Clouded Apollo,and many others I am still working through.This is as well as the Purple Emperors at Botany Bay.
It is a joy going to these ex-communist countries.I hope you can make it one day.
P.J.U.

[Wurzel]

Great news about the Common Blue ova Susie Good luck with your charges

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Susie]

Just had this little beauty in the garden

[CJB]

Hi Susie,

And I thought my garden was productive!?!?

I have had 20 species in the garden but if my memory serves me right you also had a European Swallowtail!?

Amazing.

Flutter on!

CJB

[badgerbob]

We would all love to have those 2 as garden ticks!! Fantastic stuff!!