Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

Cracking photos and observations on the Skippers Wurzel

Looking forward to the next post.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Nick You're too kind
Cheers Bugboy The best thing about that shot was that I took it after shwing the local warden, Mr Death , the Grizzlies
Cheers Kevling Let's hope 2015 is 'easier', good luck with your targets.
Cheers Neil I need to get writng proper for that next post...but work keeps getting in the way

Into February...

Still no butterflies for me in 2015in fact the closest I got was seeing the photo of a Small Tort taken by my sister in-law in my old garden on 2nd Jan . So I have taken to reading in the downtime between work and sleep (usually about 20 minutes ) and I’ve just finished reading ‘A Buzz in the Meadow’ by Dave Goulson. It was a very informative read covering various aspects of the natural world from mating behaviour of the Deathwatch Beetles to plant reproduction. After reading ‘A Sting in the Tail’ I expected plenty of Bee stories and there were but two butterflies also got starring roles and both species were reasonably topical.

The first referred to a PhD project the author completed on Meadow Browns to determine whether the small spots on the under-wing serve any purpose. Through the chapter various reasons for the small spots were given however towards the end of the chapter is the topical part. One of his studies was into the genitalia of Meadow Browns and it seems the males are highly variable in shape, not fitting the expected lock and key model seen in most other species. This may explain why Meadow Browns are physically capable of mating with a wide range of species; their genitalia are like skeleton keys. However it doesn’t give any suggestion into the ‘why’.

The second relevant chapter comes towards the end of the book and uses Glanville Fritillaries as an example of meta-population collapse due to inbreeding. Strange that one the same day that I read this the Matthew Oates article on Sand Point was published.

Anyway – sorry no photos but if like me you’re suffering from SLB disorder this book makes for a good distraction.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Things are looking up, Wurzel!!

The mornings and evenings are getting lighter and butterflies are only a few weeks away from stirring. By this time next month I'm sure many of us will have had our first encounters of 2015.

[Wurzel]

Cheers David We're currently in the middle of cold snap here - snow and hard frosts - let's just hope it's enough to mean a great season ahead

The Whites

8 Clouded Yellow, 08-06 Martin Down

Last year I found a nice little spot at Martin Down near the hollow about mid way along Bokerley. Away from the Dyke is part of the hill where there has been a slip and the chalk underneath left exposed. Sunning itself there was a Clouded Yellow possibly picking up the sun rays as they reflected off the bright white chalk. This year when Philzoid and I paid an early visit to Martin Down that’s where we headed straight away and there was our first Clouded Yellow of the year, a whole two months earlier than last year. It wasn’t really a vintage Clouded Yellow year but I did alright for them with sightings at 7 or 8 different sites, mostly singletons but with the odd couple amongst them so a pretty good year for them considering that it wasn’t an actual ‘Clouded Yellow Year’.
Seeing one of these canary beauties is always a bit special and this year there were lots of highlights courtesy of the Cloudy – whilst having a picnic and over looking Lulworth Cove, a late showing at The Devenish and a totally unexpected surprise find at Collard Hill. But the best sighting of 2014 for me unfortunately wasn’t accompanied by a photo and was at Five Rivers. Next year it would be nice to get one at Larkhill to complete my ‘local site set’!

9 Brimstone, 08-03 Five Rivers

This species actually had a pretty similar emergence this year compared to last and bucked the trend as when I look at the actual number of days difference it as 3 days later, although the statistical confidence in this data is very low. With the first Brimstone it normally comes down to being in the right place at the right time rather than any particular pattern in emergences as they fall into the ‘hibernator’ class and should there be favourable weather there one will be. Last year I was lucky enough to witness some very unusual behaviour with a male basking open winged which I couldn’t match this year. However I did manage to capture my first ova and ovi-positing female and through the wonders of Sports mode I did capture another male with wings open. Brimstones seemed to have a pretty good year number wise this year and my gut instinct is that they did well because of the milder winter and I even managed to photograph one at Larkhill which was probably my most impressive ‘Brimstone first’ for 2014.

10 Large White, 11-04-2014 Harcourt Terrace

I found my first Large White of 2014 about three weeks earlier than last year. I was walking into town with my girls and I’d taken my camera but I wasn’t quick enough and the butterfly had nipped from the edge of the bush next to the side of the footpath further into the garden and onto private property so I couldn’t get a shot off. “Never mind there will be plenty more” I thought. Wrong! I think in all I managed to photograph only four Large Whites all year. I was seeing them when I was out and about but nowhere near as many as last year and so I think that 2014 was a bad year from them.

11 Small White, 31-03 Kingston Lacey

The Small White I think had a reasonable 2014 – I saw my first one earlier by almost 4 weeks this year and they were a common sight when out looking for other species. That being said I don’t recall seeing them in such high numbers as last year although perhaps 2013 was a particularly good year for them and so skewed my perceptions? They were also one of the later species that I saw with a mating pair well into September so it will be interesting to see how they fair in 2015 and whether later broods have an impact on their numbers?

12 Green-veined White, 13-04-2014 Ffos-y-ffin

I saw this species about 3 weeks earlier this year than last and surprisingly after my first Small White. Out of the three ‘named ‘whites’ (the others being Small and Large) I think this species did the best this year as I saw it at pretty much each site that I visited and also in higher numbers than last year. It still wasn’t as common as the Small Whites but it was catching up and easily outnumbered the Large White. It was one of my favourite butterflies of my first trip to the Outlaws as a male entertained my up the Lane leading me a merry dance up and down the roadside ditches before eventually settling down to feed and enabling me to approach close enough for some shots.

13 Orange-tip, 11-04-2014 Broadchalk

I finally saw my first Orange-tip on a trip out with the girls as we were driving over the ‘top way’ through Broadchalk. The first sighting of the OT is one of my most anticipated moments of early spring as to me it is a sign that things are really underway. Up to that point there may be hibernators flying and the odd early species like a white, Specklie or Holly Blue but I only really start my stop-offs once the OT is on the wing. That flash of white and vivid, vivid orange is like my starter pistol to the new season, everything before is just a warm up, hold onto your hats here we go!

This year they were a month earlier and easier to find but they didn’t hang around long and before I knew it their season had closed. Most that I saw were in full-on patrol mode hardly ever stopping as the weather was clement on the whole with days that were beneficent for butterflies or days when nothing would be out and about anyway. Still I saw them in good numbers and as an extra bonus I’ve found somewhere local with plenty of Cuckoo Flower – I just need to work out who the best field belongs to now so that I can ask for permission to access the land, failing that I better get longer arms and hope they come to the flowers close to the hedge!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

HI Wurzel,

Glad you enjoyed my DGF. images, I did'nt know that male qualified as an ab.,but it is good to know that the
professionals in our hobby sometimes scan our images!.
Near to home there is a large clump of Cuckoo Flower by the roadside, it was Orange Tip heaven last year,
but no females. You're right they were a good month early in 2014,but i was still seeing them well into May.

Have a ' cracking ' good 2015 season,

TREVOR

[Goldie M]

Another interesting posting Wurzel, not long before we get to see them again now, lovely shots Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Trevor Good luck with the OT's this year
Cheers Goldie I've seen butterflies around teh 16th Feb for teh last couple of years so I reckon only a week or so to go

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

While I work on the next round of my 2014 Tally and await my first butterfly sighting of 2015...

Moths of Downshay – Part 1

Way back in the summer I took the family back to my old stamping grounds around the Isle of Purbeck. The camping site we stay at is a real gem and I’ve spent many an hour just wandering around the hills and hedges. Apart from the birds and butterflies there are also moths a plenty as the toilet blocks are pretty open air and at the same time well lit.

I found it was best to have a quick look around while taking my ablutions in the morning and then head back down camera slung over my shoulder, washing up in the bowl after lunch. Most of the moths were still around and there was little chance of other humans being around. The first day threw up some great moths including a lot of different ‘Footmen’ and one or two firsts for me.

Riband Wave

Riband Wave

Chinese Character

Over the years I’ve trained my older daughter to keep a look out while I try to get a few shots but it doesn’t always work and so I’ve developed a capture and release technique using one of the girls lidded cups. Unfortunately they weren’t happy about the moth scales in their cups last year so this year I had to improvise. I settled for the Waitrose coffee cup and lid which felt good as I was up-cycling it although I did lose a lot of micros through the drinking hole.

Blood Vein

Spectacle

Spectacle

Brussels Lace

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Love the moth pictures Wuzel, theres so many different kinds and I find the small ones hard to photograph but when I do get it right I'm amazed at their colours, shapes and various sizes, I keep a folder just for them now Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie I must confess that my moth mania has gone one step further as I've got a folder for each species, even if I get only a tenth of teh Bitish species that's a whole lot of folders!

The “Aristocrats”

14 White Admiral, 21-06 Bentley Wood

I love White Admirals and yet of all the butterflies they are the most likely to make me curse. I just can’t seem to ever get the perfect classic closed wing shot of those stunning underside markings. They will glide by cutting through the air, appearing more white than black; shining in the dappled July woodlands before they slow and turn and drop to a Bramble or Fern frond. As I approach and get set to take my shot they will slowly lower their wings and that will be me chance gone until they depart and land somewhere else when the ritual will be repeated. I also swear that their wings morph as when in flight they appear to be much, much longer resembling the Julia of butterfly houses and Zoos. However, when I examine photos or watch one resting on a leaf the wings don’t seem noticeably longer and just look normal...

Anyway back to business. This year I felt concerned for the White Admirals – well those at Bentley at least as despite being almost a fortnight earlier they didn’t seem to be around in the same numbers as last year, and that year they seemed to be down on the year before etc. I hope this isn’t an actual trend and is just an artefact caused by not being able to visit Bentley Wood as much as in previous years? To temper this slightly depressing thought; I was lucky enough to find 4 individuals in one glade at a new site for me so perhaps it isn’t all doom and gloom?

So close!

15 Purple Emperor, 06-07-2014 Bentley Wood

They were only slightly earlier this year and in terms of numbers it is very difficult for me to judge. The populations further afield seem to be doing very well – with Fermyn and Botany Bay producing great results for fellow butterfliers. There were also a couple of reports closer to home from new haunts. So taking this into account they could be judged to have had a good year however for me personally it was another frustrating one! Two trips led to views of two individuals but they were both very, very fleeting and getting shorts just wasn’t a possibility. This is the second poor year for me for Purple Emperor but I’m taking to heart the fact that this has happened before. In my first proper year of butterflying I managed only glimpses of His Nibbs through a telescope. The second year ‘He’ was in a similar place and slightly lower down but the views were still not the best. Then in my third year I was buzzed, had two males on the deck in different places along with an Empress on the deck to cap it all. Hopefully my there cycle will come to fruition in 2015!

"Here's what you could have won!"

16 Red Admiral, 19th January Harcourt Terrace

I think it was an improved year all round for Red Admirals in 2014. First up a Red Admiral was my first ‘official’ butterfly of 2014 and it was a massive 3 and a bit months earlier than in 2013! The earlier sighting of an awakening hibernator boded well for the species and so it continued throughout the year. Whilst there weren’t record breaking numbers there definitely wasn’t the paucity of 2013 and there were individuals present on most trips and at most sites. My sightings throughout the year showed a few times when they were absent which would tie –in.

It was harder for me this year to judge the autumnal showing. In previous years I’d relied on observations made in the back garden of the butterflies in the Ivy Arch and bushes. Even in 2013 I was still able to use this as an indicator despite moving home as my sister in-law bought the property so I was able to visit and observe. Unfortunately this summer as well as breaking out and shifting 14 tons of concrete from the old paths, patios and green house footings I also had the horrible task of ripping out the trees and shrubs including the Ivy from the old oasis. This meant my indicator was gone but luckily the Devenish stepped in and sightings there at the end of October as well as individuals at work and on the eve of the Social (in the train station ticket office) allowed me to estimate their presence. To which end I reckon there was a pretty good autumnal showing this year still not as good as previous years but better than last for sure. There were also some really late, late records and I myself was lucky enough to film one on my iPod while I was doing some last minute Christmas shopping! I will partly remember 2014 as the year the Red Admiral became my Alpha and Omega butterfly; first of the year to awaken the desire and finally there in the dim lights to bid the year farewell. In fact I might have recorded a Red Admiral sighting in every month of 2014...

17 Painted Lady, 06-06 Larkhill

My first sighting of this species was almost 2 months earlier than last year and was a much appreciated addition to my Larkhill list. However the early arrival didn’t equate to the bucket loads that I’m longing to see. In fact this year was probably on a par with my worst ever year for sightings of this species with a paltry 4 individuals all year! It was also a quieter year for Clouded Yellows and the rise and fall of both species are said to be in sync. I must remember that when a ‘big one’ comes not to get lost in yellow and ignore the ladies! Whilst I saw only 4 individuals they were reasonably widely dispersed with sightings in Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset and Ceredigion in chronological order. So not a good year for Painted Ladies; perhaps 2015 will be the one or will we have to wait longer?

18 Small Tortoiseshell, 1st January Bob

For me it was another great year for Small Torts and they seem to be thriving in the west. I also heard reports that they’re on the up in the east as well, so overall I would say that it was another great year for them. This year I started walking a path at the back of work regularly and these almost daily walks often threw up Small Tortoiseshells in excess of 20. Adding further evidence to their booming numbers was the fact that I saw a Small Tortoiseshell at all bar one of my visits/sites; with only Slop Bog not holding a Tortie (I reckon there was one there but the Silver Studs had tied it up so they’d get all the attention ). It would be nice if their continued good fortune was shared by their larger cousins.

In terms of their phrenology my view was slightly skewed because I had Bob, so a sneaky look on New Year’s Day meant my first sighting was almost as early as possible. However my first proper sighting of a free flying imago was the 16th Feb and so was a couple of weeks earlier than 2013 – possibly due to a generally milder start to the year.

19 Peacock, 08-03 Five Rivers

My first Peacock this year was almost a month earlier than in 2013 and from then on Peacocks seemed to show similar patterns to their cousins the Small Torts. So not only were they earlier but they were also about in good numbers – possibly more than last year. As they were having a good year I managed to see them in almost as many sites as the Small Torts with Collard Hill possibly being the only site that didn’t throw up a Peacock to add to the Small Tortoiseshell on the day list.

I noticed two things about Peacocks this year. First was the subtlety (not a word often associated with Peacocks I know) of the differences in variations of the markings – most noticeably the ground colour which serves to highlight the ‘eyes’ on the hind wings. Some were wearing dark mascara and eye shadow and others had gone for more golden hues.

'Golden'

'Panda eyes'

The second thing was that there seems to be the opposite distribution pattern to the Small Tortoiseshell with Peacocks more numerous in the East whereas Small Torts seems to favour the West. The evidence for this is only anecdotal but of the people that I’ve spoken to that feel the Peacock did better than the Small Tort this year almost all live in the Eastern side of the country.

20 Comma, 08-03 Five Rivers

All in all I think the Comma had a pretty good year. It’s really hard to judge this as it is one of the commoner species and is always ‘there’ turning up in a range of habitats and often when something else that you were hoping for has also just turned up. I often feel guilty at the short shrift that I give Commas especially as they have such splendid livery which would make them even more spectacular and much sought after if they were rare.

So apart from a general gut feeling that they too had a good one I also call upon other anecdotal observations to back this up. For example the fact that my first one of 2014 was a whole month earlier than 2013. Also I recall seeing good numbers at all three key times throughout the year; emerging hibernators, H.Commas in the summer and the final brood settling down to hibernate and emerge, hopefully quite soon!

21a Map, 13-08-2014 Site X

I shouldn’t really have included this in my Tally but I put it on the when it was still possibly a natural immigrant from the continent. But then the rumblings as to their origins took a different turn I was considering removing it from the Tally. In the end I settled with making it an ‘a’ for posterity. I would really like to see a real life Map immigrant one day but what if the caterpillars from this clutch survive? Would the possible 2015 spring generation count as British born or do the Map have to survive for a number of years before they are included on the British list? What happens if some Maps do make it here, stay and survive to set up colonies that come into contact with this one at Site X? It hurt my head thinking this through so in the end I gave up and just enjoyed remembering the day.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

HI Wurzel,

That is my best open wing PE shot, but all four wings purple is my main quest for 2015!
Why don't you join in the party at Botany Bay this year?.If it's a good year you should see plenty of HIM.
and maybe some Wood Whites as well. ( if they coincide).

All the best ,
TREVOR

PS A certain Mr. Hulme provides the party food for HIM.

[Nick Broomer]

Hi Wurzel,

lovely photos as usual, especially the Small Tort. and the Map.

All the best, Nick.

[David M]

Nice selection, Wurzel. I see you couldn't resist rubbing it in with another Map!!

[trevor]

HI again Wurzel,

I was wondering if your 'golden ' Peacock 'is an ab.,of the hundreds of Peacocks i've seen over the years i have
never seen one with that pale wing border or with so much blue on the eye spots.
If it's not an ab. its still a great find .

TREVOR.

[Goldie M]

Fantastic photo's again Wurel I really envy you your PE , I hope I'm able to get some photos this year, I was at Bently Wood for a week from the 6th July and never saw one, may be I was too soon . Also the Peacock looks great with the unusual blue eyes.roll on Goldie

[David M]

Just noticed on the index page that it's your birthday today, Wurzel.

Many happy returns!

[bugboy]

Happy Birthday Wurzel, enjoy your last 365 days of being under 40

[trevor]

HI Wurzel,
A belated birthday greeting from me too, if you're 39 you have only one year to go before life begins!!!

Happy days
TREVOR.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Trevor I might try Botany this year but it will feel like a betrayl of Bentley Wood I was wondering about that Peacock myself
Cheers Nick, thank you for your kind comments
Cheers David Sorry about the Map, only one more posting I promise
Cheers Goldie That PE was from two years ago at Bentley Wood so I'm hoping for thrid year lucky this year
Cheers David, Trevor and Bugboy it was my birthday on Tuesday and I'm sorry that i didn't reply sooner but my arthritis is playing up and what with my long-sight I'm having trouble with seeing the screen and don't get me started on my knees etc etc It's nice to know though that I share my birthday with something much older - the Periodic Table as I feel like a spring chicken compared to that

Moths of Downshay – Part 2

The second day at Downshay offered me more opportunities for my Mothing as well as a trip to Corfe Castle and Wareham so amongst the reading, lazing and drinking tea I did a few trips down to the Toilet block for washing up. Whilst there the Waitrose cup (there are other brands of course ) was put into good effect and I picked up a couple of nice little firsts including one that I’d wanted to see for a while a Small Waved Umber.

Single Dotted Wave

Small Waved Umber

The following day I managed to pick a few moths up before we headed out to Studland. The first of these was an Early Thorn. I’d clocked it the night before as it was visible through the open door of the Ladies. So the next morning I took my older daughter down with me, sent her in to check that all the cubicles were empty and then quickly nipped in, collected the moth and legged it out. My daughter said she felt like a spy and enjoyed the recon! It is a cracking Moth and reminds me of the Comma, even down to the little white marking in the middle of the wing.

Early Thorn

The other was quite unusual looking and at first I thought it was an aberrant form of Buff Ermine. Though that didn’t fit right as they have varying amounts of black markings not orange and the antennae were totally the wrong shape and structure. When I got back my ‘Moth expert in residence’ Philzoid identified it straight away as a female Ghost Moth. So I checked on my British Moths App and sure enough there it was. The reason I’d missed it is that it is actually a Micro moth and very early in the Bradley Number system and I was looking at the other end where the Ermine moths were found .

Ghost Moth

We were off to Studland for the day shortly for Graylings and paddling among other things and so I released the moths back down near the toilet block and we headed off...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Great Shots of the Moths Wurzal, do you ever do any night trapping of them? I know a teacher who does and he then shows the moths to his pupils before letting them go, great for the children, they can't wait in the mornings he say's to take a look what's in the night trap I've rather fancied doing that myself but not a clue how to start so never bothered
They've just forecast snow showers again for us for tomorrow, let's hope the cold weather is good for Butterflies because we've had some cold day's and night's up here, shouldn't be long now though just four weeks off Spring, roll on Goldie