Pauline

[badgerbob]

Great to see you got your mating SSSs Pauline. They always seem to be doing the courtship bit but its not that often that the male gets his way!!

[Pauline]

Thank you for your very kind comments Wurzel and Paul - they are very much appreciated. You have been taking some great shots yourself Mike so thank you for taking time to comment (so favourably) on mine. All these 'first' experiences are so exciting!

Thank you too Bob. I almost didn't recognise it as such but having seen WLH like this a couple of years ago I took a second look . I was thinking about you yesterday and wished I had taken you up on your kind offer re Wall Browns but this year (with current commitments) I decided it was just a little too far. Perhaps next year if the offer still stands?

Events conspired against me yesterday and my plans for an early start to track down a few Wall Brown at Keyhaven didn’t come to fruition until nigh on mid-day, following a nightmare-ish journey. Consequently, instead of ending up in the pub, that is where I started out, with a delicious crab sandwich and a cold drink.

Refreshed, I set off along the track and was surprised at how strong the wind was. I was able to lean into it and it buffeted me about as I tried to take a few early shots. It reminded me of growing up in South Shields where it was always, always windy, the sound roaring in your ears, but then it was a cold wind which numbed your whole face whereas today it was baking hot. I was surprised at how dry the site was, the water levels lower than I remember.

The views were just as stunning as I remembered but as I made my way towards Lymington I was disappointed by the lack of butterflies. I had seen more in the pub garden where a Red Admiral seemed intent on sharing my crab and continually landed around me.

I know little about the birds in this area but in the absence of the butterflies I resorted to taking a few shots.

One particular little bird totally captivated me. I don’t know what it was about him but I was completely enthralled and took about 100 photos though I don’t even know the species. He was quite small, all alone, and very entertaining.

As I made my way across some land which I believe used to be the site of an old tip I flushed a Clouded Yellow which was hunkered down in the grass, away from the wind. What surprised me was how small he was – to my eye he was no bigger than a Chalk Hill Blue and for that reason I am including a shot I took from a distance in the hope that someone who knows about plants may be able to use them to gain some sort of size perspective and confirm his size. It is only now I am remembering Mark’s (Tuts) method of using a bit of grass or similar as a measuring tool!

I think the lack of butterflies must have been due to the strength of the wind as I looked in all the usual places for Wall Brown without any success. I kept looking. I looked for 2.5 hours and by now now I was regretting not taking Bob up on his kind offer to point me in the direction of Wall Browns in East Sussex. A little disappointed and disheartened at the total lack of my target species I decided to call it a day. As I made my way back to Keyhaven, trying to keep out of the worst of the wind I eventually spotted my target. I took a quick shot and then the butterfly flew out over the reeds.

Not long after I spotted it again flying up and down the track. It was really quite difficult to get any sort of quick snatched shot and it was only on my return that I realised that I had in fact taken shots of more than one butterfly.

So much for being observant! Nevertheless, a great afternoon out as it always is at this venue.

[Wurzel]

Brill shot of the female Wall Brown Pauline As your little wader was on it's own I'd hazard that it could be a Curlew Sandpiper - it's the right time of year for them but I haven't see one for a few years now and without the size comparison with other species I can't be too sure - so it could turn put to just be a Dunlin

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Paul Wetton]

Hi Pauline

The little wader is a Dunlin. Not quite slim and smart enough for a Curlew Sandpiper.

[badgerbob]

Well done on the Wall Browns Pauline. They are now a little past their best here now although numbers still pretty good. The 3 larger waders on their own are Godwits, almost certainly Black-tailed Godwit. Bar-tailed have shorter legs!!

[Pauline]

Thank you guys for your comments and the ID's - really appreciated. Just a quick update tonight on my White Admiral cats. The good news is - I haven't killed them yet . The bad news is - there is still plenty of time yet . I am coming to the conclusion that these tiny creatures only really need 3 things:

1. Protection from predators
2. Plentiful supply of fresh food plant
3.Temperature/environment to be as natural as possible.

Put concisely like that it sounds quite simple but in actual fact it is really quite difficult. I have been mindful of the lessons I learnt from the Hairstreaks (eg slugs, not indoors, etc) and I am doing my best to give these cats the best chance of survival. In return they are providing me with a great deal of interest and educational opportunities. A few shots taken over a period of time:

It would seem that this little chap has decided it is time to retire for the Winter but he seems ever so small and I'm not sure what to do when his leaf drops off :

It has been a nightmare feeding these little guys as they were just on little branches and as the leaves started to die - to the point that the leaves they were on dropped off - I tried to replace the branches and/or coax them onto a potted plant I had. They refused point blank to leave their leaf or their little platform, steadfastly refusing to budge and throwing their heads around in disgust when I tried to introduce fresh nourishment. It was really hard work.

[Padfield]

Amazing pictures, Pauline.

It doesn't surprise me they don't like being moved. They keep track of exactly where they are with silk threads and secure their chosen leaves with silk. They have their 'set-up' - which costs them the energy of making the silk - and don't want to be plonked somewhere else.

They hibernate in the second instar, when they measure 3-4mm, and make themselves a hibernaculum out of a leaf, folded or rolled up around them - as I'm quite sure you've read all about. The chosen leaf will be secured with silk and will not fall off - but again, they will expend a lot of energy doing this. Once the process has started I wouldn't move the caterpillar.

Guy

[Neil Freeman]

Interesting stuff Pauline and great images as well

All the best,

Neil.

[Pauline]

I very much appreciate your comment and advice Guy. I was surprised when both cats abandoned their leaf/platform initially for no apparent reason (at least not one that I could see), simply because of the effort involved in recreating it elsewhere. I am now convinced it is a protection against predators. It is also interesting that this, their 3rd platform, is now made from the actual leaf, rather than frass. Presumably, this is because they were so small to begin with they couldn't actually eat enough leaf to make a platform? I am fascinated by the whole process, take photos every day and check up on them several times daily. At 2.00am I was out (again!) in the storm making sure they were OK

Thank you too Neil - let's hope I can keep them alive cos that would just be the best thing, to see them go as adults. There is much that can go wrong I am sure between now and Spring.

I have at last had the chance to see and photograph a Swallowtail. What a magnificent butterfly it is – better than I had even imagined. It was a reared specimen – not by me I hasten to add – but I was pleased to be given the opportunity to spend some time with it, even if I did not have the pleasure of seeing it fly as the owner took it home with him. It has spurred me on to become even more determined to see them flying free. A few photos for my diary and memories for me:

[Maximus]

Lovely early instar photos of the White Admiral larvae Pauline you can now see them beginning to look more like the final instar cats. Amazing observations and images of their early life
Beautiful photos of the Swallowtail

Mike

[Pauline]

I'm finding the WA development fascinating Mike and I will be gutted if anything happens to them thru my mis-management cos I am such a novice. I'm glad you liked the Swallowtail - I thought it was magnificent and I was pleased that I got a phone call to go and see it. I note more are emerging in Sussex. Look forward to seeing you both again - somewhere

This morning Noar Hill was looking better than I can ever remember it. My primary aim was just a pleasant walk in lovely surroundings with the chance, perhaps, of another Clouded Yellow. In a couple of hours I saw 20 species and thousands of butterflies. My first sighting however was a bird - a Red Kite soaring upwards on the thermals but by the time I got my camera sorted out (wish there was a quick release button for that close-up lens) he was quite a distance away, but probably my best shot of one to date:

The first butterfly of interest was a very large, fresh Common Blue which was a brilliant blue. Because it was so large I stopped to take a closer look and realised it was a female . Just as I was about to take a shot a male barged in and they both flew off giving me a chance to compare the two at close quarters. The female was twice the size of the male but exactly the same colour on the upper wing! Small Tortoiseshells were literally everywhere:

My next sighting of note was an old faded, really tatty, Large Skipper - poor b***er I thought, hope he had a good life. As I made my way towards the triangle (well, you never know) I came across another Painted Lady which wasn't quite as fresh as the last one I saw but very welcome all the same:

I was desperately trying to get an underwing shot when a female Brown Hairstreak was spotted, hunkered down in the grass. Thoughts of the Painted Lady were immediately forgotten. No doubt I am again covered in ticks as I lay down to try to get a shot of her:

She didn't stay in one place for very long but stayed really low down and was behaving in a way I haven't seen before, landing on flowers and stems:

She began egg-laying on Blackthorn branches that were literally inches from the ground before flying into a small Oak tree:

I carried on exploring the site and was pleased to see a female Clouded Yellow taking nectar from flowers. Although I didn't stay with her long she was still there an hour later when I passed by on my return - not on any one plant but continually flitting from one to another in the scorching heat:

not a great effort!

I never did get to the top 2 chalk pits as right by the Clouded Yellow there were 3 second brood Duke of Burgundy:

On my way back I was pleased to see more of both the Painted Lady and the Clouded Yellow:

A smashing morning. What more could I ask for - a Scarce Tortoiseshell

[millerd]

What a wonderful (and possibly unique) selection and splendid photos, Pauline. Brown Hairstreak and Dukes in the same spot - now that would make a good two species photo...

Dave

[William]

A smashing morning. What more could I ask for - a Scarce Tortoiseshell

You might well get one at this rate - an incredible variety of species!

[Maximus]

Scarce Tortoiseshell, here you come What a great day out, and great photos Pauline. Second brood Dukes must be pretty rare but to get the other three species as well Returned earlier this evening from another Hampshire site, the heat was gruelling and we only saw two of those species and was not easy to get decent photos, due to the heat and strong breeze. We were at Noar on Tuesday and didn't see any of those four species, although we looked for them

[Wurzel]

Fantastic shots and report Pauline Does this mean that you won't be heading over to Shipton this year?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

Good to hear from you Dave and thanks for the comment - I'll give it a go next time I'm there and throw in a couple of LTB just for good measure

Thank you too Mike and I'm so pleased that you caught up with the Duke - some great shots there!

Wurzel, you have Shipton all to yourself this year but you've always done better than me there - smashing BH shots last year and open wing Brimstone so now you have to live up to the standard you have set yourself

Thank you too William but who needs Scarce Swallowtail when I have this (see below).

I am grateful for being pointed in the right direction to this location. Am I becoming a twitcher??? Perhaps!!! But I could not resist the lure of the reports on these Map butterflies . I am not usually able to be so spontaneous so I owe a lot of people a lot of drinks. To cut to the chase I had just the best morning - I saw a butterfly I have never seen and will never see again, I met some smashing folk, in particular Steve and Brian who I doubt will ever read this, but they were just so friendly and helpful. Anyway, I don't usually post in 2 parts but so much happened today I shall make an exception. This first installment will focus on one of the highlights for me where I watched a lovely fresh female spend 20 minutes egg-laying and was able to record the event. I won't go into too much detail now but will post below the sequence of events showing her ovipost 5 strings of eggs:

More later

[William]

Superb images Pauline - I'm very jealous, some people have all the luck!

BWs

William

[MikeOxon]

What a wonderful record of a remarkable event The expertise you gained while recording the early stages of the butterflies you reared has certainly paid off here.

Mike

[David M]

Fascinating stuff, Pauline, and well done for getting these images.

Can Map butterflies survive southern English winters?

[Neil Hulme]

Historic images! Great capture of an event which may prove to be very significant.
BWs, Neil