Maximus

[Maximus]

Thanks Pauline, I've also seen your excellent photos showing the parasitised Comma larva in the SSA

[Maximus]

The parasitised larva which I posted photos of in my diary entry of 22nd September is amazingly still alive and active! Several other larvae from the batch we brought inside have also succumbed to the parasite, but have not survived! Not sure why this one has?

The larva still alive

[Wurzel]

A fascinating sequence of shots Mike, it's Alien all over again and I've only just got over the nightmares from the original film

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

How can that even be possible??!! Incredible!!! You need to keep an eye on that one - no telling what it might turn into

[Maximus]

Thanks Wurzel, Alien has a lot to answer for


Pauline, I think that its a bit down to luck if you can call that luck Apparently these grubs feed on the fatty layer of the larva's body so avoiding the vital organs. A parasite would not want to kill it's host, at least not too soon, but I guess that it doesn't always work out this way, accounting for the dead larvae. I have watched the grubs emerging from larva several times now and it would appear that rather than eat their way out, they emerge through the spiracles along the larva's side, which it breathes through. The skin is therefore not punctured so as long as there is no damage to the internal organs, perhaps survival is possible! I'm probably way out on this, but I can only report what I have seen. I still don't know what it might turn into though

[Vince Massimo]

Excellent observations, Mike

I have not seen a survival story like this and do not have all the answers, but I believe your theory to be sound. It would be very interesting if you could monitor this particular larva to see how it develops. Assuming it survives and pupates, it is now too late in the season for it to develop into an adult, so the final words may have to wait until next May.

Vince

[Maximus]

Thanks Vince, i'll keep an eye on the larva and see how it goes

Mike

[Goldie M]

It will be very interesting to see what happens Mike Goldie

[Maximus]

Thanks Goldie



I recently saw this female Speckled Bush Cricket on ivy, when I was watching a female Holly Blue ovipositing.

This morning a female Red Admiral settled for a while in our garden on the Pampas Grass, looks like she is full of egg, I wonder if she be migrating south soon?

A Small Copper has been around the garden for several days now, but I have been unable to get a photo!

[Goldie M]

Just catching up on the postings, love your Red Admiral Goldie

[Maximus]

Thanks Goldie, Red Admirals are beautiful butterflies and are a real favourite of mine

Mike

[Maximus]

During the recent spell of good weather we have been experiencing, there have been a few butterflies about. Mainly Red Admirals, a few Speckled Woods, some Commas, a couple of Small Tortoiseshells and a single female Holly Blue. We have not purposefully set out to find any, and those that we have seen have all been local to us. The change in the weather today is probably the cue I needed to attempt to reflect on our 2014 butterfly season. Having seen the excellent photo montages by Mike and Pauline, I felt that I would like to try to portray our year in a similar manner. It proved to be a bit more time consuming than I had imagined and brought home to me my lack of in-depth knowledge of Photoshop. However with some perseverance and a bit of web browsing, I got there in the end. The photos of this year's species we have seen are in chronological order. The last two montages of special sightings and our reared butterflies I have put in my order of preference.

The following montage of photos are of sightings of thoses species or abberations seen in 2014, which are of special significance to us. We felt very privileged (and lucky) to see a second brood Duke of Burgundy, and witnessing the brilliant grounded Purple Emperor left us on a high for days, if not weeks! The High Brown Fritillary was a first for us in the uk.

The following montage contains photos of those species that we reared in 2014, all apart from the Green-veined White were rescues, which without our intervention would have been lost. We learned a great deal whilst rearing them, and it gave us a real insight and appreciation of just how fascinating the early stages are.

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Mike,
Your Marsh Fritillary and Large Blue abs. together make a truly great season, irrespective of the rest! I very much doubt you'll repeat that particular double, at least not in this lifetime.
BWs, Neil

[jenks]

WOW !! Seeing those butterfly species in one year would be worthy of credit but photographing them to that level of expertise is even more so. Beautiful images and beautifully presented. I note most of the photos were taken Dorset/Hants/ Surrey. You are lucky to have such a variety of species close to hand. Still, we do have High Brown Fritillary in Glamorgan !

Jenks

[David M]

Fantastic array of montages. You've sure had a productive year.

[Wurzel]

Fantastic sequence of shots Mike

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Maximus]

Hi Neil, it was a really great season for us and I agree, it's highly unlikely we will repeat the Marsh Fritillary/Large Blue ab double in this lifetime

Thanks Jenks, you are very generous with your positive comments you are very lucky to have the High Brown Fritillary in Wales

Thanks David, and yes it was a very productive year for us

Thank's Wurzel, your comments are much appreciated

Mike

[Goldie M]

Just seen your photo's Mike, Fantastic, I can see I'll have to buy Photo Shop, mind you you've got to have lovely photo's like yours to show Goldie

[Maximus]

Thanks Goldie, you should get Photoshop, you have some great photos




Attached are a couple of photos illustrating the size difference between our reared Large and Small White butterfly pupae. When comparing Large and Small White butterflies, to me at least, there does not seem to be a massive size difference. The Small White pupa as seen in the photos however, appears to be almost half the size of that of the Large White!

[Wurzel]

Interesting shots Mike clearly showing the size difference How far into pupation are they?

Have a goodun

Wurzel