September 2014

[MikeOxon]

September has certainly brought an improvement in the weather - warm and sunny all day, today. Unfortunately, practical matters kept me at home but there were plenty of Whites passing through the garden and House Martins overhead.

[David M]

Ironic, isn't it? Schools go back and out comes the sun and 70F+ temperatures again!

Oh, for this to have happened a fortnight ago.

Still, with the ex-hurricane pulling air from the near continent we may well have a few more immigrants on their way.

[Susie]

The sunshine brought the butterflies back out. In my garden there were half a dozen red admiral and a couple of small tortoiseshell feeding up on the buddleia and large and small whites pottering about. At the land adjacent to Southwater Country Park over flow car park (I think it is called Bill's field?) there were 3+ brown hairstreak, 1 meadow brown, 1 small tortoiseshell, 1 red admiral, 2 speckled wood, 2 common blue and some whites.

[Philzoid]

At the land adjacent to Southwater Country Park over flow car park (I think it is called Bill's field?) there were 3+ brown hairstreak, 1 meadow brown, 1 small tortoiseshell, 1 red admiral, 2 speckled wood, 2 common blue and some whites.

Has to be good when the Brown Hairstreaks are outnumbering the 'common stuff'

Still, with the ex-hurricane pulling air from the near continent we may well have a few more immigrants on their way.

Good it should bring in some moth migrants too

[P.J.Underwood]

I had the good fortune to visit a neighbours garden yesterday,with banana trees,rice paper trees,castor bean plants,tree dahlias,America poke plants,etc-a right tropical haven.This red admiral was having a good time in the heat-all outdoors in Chiddingfold!
We are wondering if we could introduce tropical butterflies-any ideas.
P.J.U.

[Yashca]

The sunshine brought the butterflies back out. In my garden there were half a dozen red admiral and a couple of small tortoiseshell feeding up on the buddleia and large and small whites pottering about. At the land adjacent to Southwater Country Park over flow car park (I think it is called Bill's field?) there were 3+ brown hairstreak, 1 meadow brown, 1 small tortoiseshell, 1 red admiral, 2 speckled wood, 2 common blue and some whites.

I've not yet managed to see Brown Hairstreak - you couldn't, by any chance, give me specific directions to this site, could you? What sort of weather conditions/time of day is best?

[selbypaul]

As usual, I have taken the first week of September off work, and for the 10th year in 11 years doing this, the weather has been gorgeous!

I was in Brighton on Monday, visiting the "Preston Park twins" - the two 400+ year old Elm trees in Preston Park. It was a bit grey, but very warm. Saw a Hummingbird Hawkmoth later on in Hove, near the seafront.

On Tuesday, I popped into Aston Rowant, National Nature Reserve. Common Blue's, Chalkhill Blue's and various White butterflies were most common. Also a single Brimstone. But the highlight was my first Clouded Yellow of the year.

On Wednesday, I was on the Great Orme, Llandudno, North Wales. Saw a few Wall butterflies, lots of White's, a few Small Tortoishell and Red Admiral. Sadly no Grayling though, which are usually around at this time of year.

Today I'm in Chester, visiting my parents. Quite a few Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral in their garden.

I love this time of year, but there is of course the slight sad feeling that this is the final flourish of butterflies of the year, and then the long wait until March.

[Susie]

The sunshine brought the butterflies back out. In my garden there were half a dozen red admiral and a couple of small tortoiseshell feeding up on the buddleia and large and small whites pottering about. At the land adjacent to Southwater Country Park over flow car park (I think it is called Bill's field?) there were 3+ brown hairstreak, 1 meadow brown, 1 small tortoiseshell, 1 red admiral, 2 speckled wood, 2 common blue and some whites.

I've not yet managed to see Brown Hairstreak - you couldn't, by any chance, give me specific directions to this site, could you? What sort of weather conditions/time of day is best?

Around midday and as hot and sunny as possible is best.

Go to southwater country park, off the a24 in sussex. The overflow car park is clealy marked. The field next to the carpark is the one you want. On the opposite side to the car parking area is the area of trees you want. Easy

[Jack Harrison]

Green-veined Whites Scotland are reputed to be double brooded. Indeed, in the two summers I have lived here on Isle of Mull, numbers peak in May and again July. But this 2014 summer, the July/early August numbers surprisingly weren't as impressive as in 2013 despite it being a fine summer this year - warm, sunny with plenty of rain to keep the vegetation lush. Now, end August/early September, GVWs are again much in evidence.

Might Scottish GV Whites (thompsonii) be triple brooded in fine summers? More likely, the summer brood has simply had a prolonged emergence. But.......

Jack

[Neil Freeman]

Might Scottish GV Whites (thompsonii) be triple brooded in fine summers? More likely, the summer brood has simply had a prolonged emergence. But.......
Jack

Returned earlier this afternoon from a week in Dorset and saw some fresh looking G.V. Whites down there, from what I saw the cool and cloudy August has led to a prolonged emergence of a number of species.

All in all a great week with 20 species seen;

1 - Large White. Seen nearly everywhere on most days.
2 - Small White. As above but in greater numbers.
3 - Green-veined White. A few seen at most places.
4 - Clouded Yellow. 15+ seen during the week.
5 - Common Blue. Good numbers around in varying condition
6 - Chalkhill Blue. A few still on Bindon Hill.
7 - Adonis Blue. Good numbers at some sites, fewer at others.
8 - Brown Argus. Lots about still but mostly worn and faded.
9 - Small Copper. Seen at a number of sites, usually 4 or 5 at a time.
10 - Small Tortoiseshell. 1 or 2 seen at most places.
11 - Peacock. 2 seen at Osmington.
12 - Red Admiral. Loads about.
13 - Comma. 1 seen at Studland.
14 - Painted Lady. 4 seen, 2 at Osmington, 1 on Portland, 1 at Durdle Door.
15 - Speckled Wood. Seen at most places.
16 - Meadow Brown. Loads about, some still fresh looking.
17 - Marbled white. 2 seen at Durdle door, remarkably fresh looking still.
18 - Wall Brown. 2 seen, 1 on Portland, 1 at Osmington.
19 - Grayling. Loads seen, particularly on the slopes above Durdle Door.
20 - Small Heath. Loads about at most places.

Also a few Hummingbird Hawk Moths during the week

Loads of photos to sort through which will be in my diary in due course.

Cheers,

Neil

[Ian Pratt]

Good day for butterflies on the Isle of Wight today at Walters Copse and Afton chalkpit- the following were seen:
Clouded yellow
Large white
Common blue
Adonis blue
Comma
Meadow brown
Peacock
Red admiral
Speckled wood
Brimstone
Small tortoiseshell
Southern hawker
Not bad for mid September.
Ian

[Ian Pratt]

This year I have not seen a painted lady nor a small copper. Have there been a scarcity of these two species or have I just been in the wrong places?
Ian

[jonhd]

Hi Ian,

just the one rather ragged Painted Lady, by the monument on Tennyson Down, early August. Small Copper, a (very) few, first brood, at Stockbridge Down (where I usually see dozens) - no second brood, and hoping for third brood about now... So, yes, very poor year (in my book), for both of those. OTOH, it's been a good year for second brood Holly Blue!

Cheers, Jon

[David M]

This year I have not seen a painted lady nor a small copper. Have there been a scarcity of these two species or have I just been in the wrong places?
Ian

Definitely a poor year for both. I've seen just 3 Painted Ladies and fewer than 20 Small Coppers all year.

[ayjay]

This year I have not seen a painted lady nor a small copper. Have there been a scarcity of these two species or have I just been in the wrong places?
Ian

Saw my first Small Copper of the year today, it was outnumbered by the many Clouded Yellows at Barton, (the under-cliff), yet to see Painted Lady this year.

[Ian Pratt]

First "tatty" painted lady of the year seen today at Walters Copse Newtown plus several pristine red admirals and a gorgeous large white- very underrated in my opinion. Thank goodness for scabious and fleabane!
Ian

[Allan.W.]

Hi All,
you,ll have to excuse me,i,m new to this and a complete technophobe, I made a trip to Dungeness today mainly to look at the Small Coppers which seem to be doing exceptionally well,last Sunday I fluked a "radiata" the second Copper I saw on leaving the car ,and today my luck seems to have held, it was very windy at Dunge ,today and I found the best place,the hotspot if you like,was around the moat causeway,there were about 15+ around the Ragwort plants,I found one Blue spotted individual,and then one caught my eye,I hope it shows up in the pic,unfortunately,it only settled for a couple of seconds,i,m no photographer,the odd one is a bit blurred,and the Radiata just wouldn,t pose .
regards Allan W.

[Padfield]

Well spotted, Allan. It's definitely a lucky day when you see radiata. I've never seen one.

Guy

[David M]

Well spotted, Allan. It's definitely a lucky day when you see radiata. I've never seen one.

Guy

Indeed. Not a bad start!

[dilettante]

Nice reports of second brood White Admirals from Essex: Cambs-Essex BC sightings page (including photo for the sighting on the 12th)

Are these being seen in other WA strongholds?