Maximus

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Mike,

Great Orange-tip sequences and really well photographed None yet around my way although I have seen some reported from around the country so maybe not long now.

Cheers,

Neil

[Vince Massimo]

Great sequences lately, Mike

This morning a reared female Orange-tip emerged. I missed it by about 30 seconds or so, but managed to take a couple of photos just after the event. What amazed me was the double proboscis as shown in the last photo, something I have not seen before, I'm not sure if this is normal or not!

As no one has yet replied, I assume that your question was missed when the new page started. The coiled proboscis is made up of two concave parts which interlock, very much like a zip. The two parts are interlocked when the adult butterfly first emerges from the pupa, forming the feeding tube. The two parts of the proboscis can also be separated by the butterfly at any time for cleaning. See Pete's article on butterfly anatomy here http://www.dispar.org/reference.php?id=6 .

Vince

[Maximus]

Thanks for the explanation Vince the link you've provided to Pete's article is also very interesting

Butterflies seen today include the following:-

Pair of Small Tortoiseshells

Peacocks

[Maximus]

Thanks also Neil, I'm sure that Orange-tip is coming your way very soon

Mike

[Wurzel]

Love the "ballet of the Small Tort" great shots.
Thanks for sending the OT my way it got to Bradford-on-Avon!
Haven a goodun
Wurzel

[Maximus]

Cheers Wurzel, glad you got to see your Orange-tip



Finally managed to catch a female Orange-tip emerging this morning, after several previous failed attempts at it

She was number sixteen of seventeen, just one to go!

[kevling]

Maximus,

Fantastic set of sequences.

Regards Kev

[Maximus]

Thanks, Kev


Our last reared Orange-tip, a female, emerged today, number thirteen of seventeen.

I placed her on some Rosemary in the sun, about 90 minutes after emergence. It was delightful watching her fly around the garden when the sun appeared. She finally took flight into the distance until lost from sight.

[trevor]

Well done with your Orange Tips . The're still scarce around here but if the weather forecasters are
right tomorrow and Wednesday may change that. There is plenty of Cuckoo Flower in bloom when they
emerge.

All the best,
TREVOR.

[millerd]

That's a lovely butterfly, and it must be so rewarding after looking after them for the best part of a year. A real achievement.

Those black spots on the hindwing seem unusual - I can't see a single photo in the species gallery with such markings, not even a hint of a black spot. Interesting!

Congratulations all round!

Dave

[Buchan Boy]

That sequence is fab.

Congrats.

Dave

[Maximus]

Thanks,Trevor, wild Orange-tips are very scarce around here too

Hi Dave, yes It's very rewarding rearing Orange-tips and I'll never tire of watching them emerging! I've also looked on the SS album and can't find any females with the black spots. I guess it's within the range of variation?

Thanks, Dave


An audience with His Grace


We made another trip to Noar Hill today hoping that the Duke of Burgundy may have emerged, given that the weather has been so good of late. As we made our way through the reserve we reached the pit, where we had seen the Dukes last year on 15th of April, at around 1pm. As I entered the pit a small butterfly flew past me and I instinctively knew it was a Duke! I called Cathy so she could get a look at it, but before I could get any photos it took flight and we lost sight of it. We searched the area pretty thoroughly but couldn't find it again, but were not too dismayed as we'd both seen our first Duke of the year. Fortunately, we saw a lady who had also been looking for Dukes (I didn't get her name) and she very kindly told us she'd just seen two in another area. We agreed that probably we'd both been the first to see a Duke of Burgundy this year, but in different parts of the reserve. So we made our way over to where she had seen them and almost straightaway saw one in flight. It was quite difficult to follow as it was flying quite fast and not settling at all, probably due to the hot, sunny weather. Eventually it settled on a twig and we managed to get a shot before it took off again.

While we were looking for this Duke we spotted another which was very obliging, posing with open wings, and not flying too far. We noticed that, surprisingly, this Duke's appearance was different to the first two we had seen!

Totally satisfied with our good fortune we made our way back down the reserve and almost trod on our fourth Duke near the site entrance. Once again, it took flight before any photos could be taken, but we were more than satisfied with what we'd already seen today, and so left the reserve on a high

[Wurzel]

That is a fantastic looking butterfly Mike - is it a 'gracilens'?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Nick Broomer]

Hi Mike,

beautiful aberration, great find, and lovely photos.

All the best, Nick.

[Mark Colvin]

Hi Mike,

Just to clarify things, if you weren't aware, but the two 'Dukes' you depict are in fact both 'Duchesses'. The behaviour you observed in the field would also of suggested this. The first is a little worn suggesting she may have been out a day or two, which further suggests the males may have been out a little longer. As I'm sure you know, ground colouration can vary quite a lot with the Duke of Burgundy. I think ab. gracilens is a good shout for the latter specimen.

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

[Buchan Boy]

First Dukes,excellent,was pondering this weekend,but it looks like its going to get all cool now,think I'll go out anyway.

Wheres Neil with those Heyshott reports

That abb. is quite amazing,beautiful butterfly.

Dave

[Maximus]

Yes it was a fantastic looking butterfly, Wurzel - and yes you were bang on, it was a gracilens

Hi Nick, It was a beautiful ab, we were just very very lucky again

Hi Mark, thanks for your clarification. We only got shots of two of the Dukes and when I uploaded them we saw that we had at least one female, the ab. After your post we realised that all four of the Dukes we saw were females (Duchesses). Their behavior and characteristics appeared to be not consistent with that of territorial males, which in our experience are much easier to observe. We have visited Noar Hill quite a few times since the begining of April but have not seen any Duke of Burgundy, let alone any males until 14th April! Does this possibly indicate that the females may have emerged first on this occasion, or could we (and others) simply have missed seeing the males?
Thanks for the ID of ab. gracilens, we were lucky to be in the right place at the right time

Cheers, Dave, I believe Heyshott is a later site for Duke of Burgundy, being A North facing Down. Yes the ab was stunning it's worth going out whatever the weather

[Goldie M]

Lovely Duke photos Maximus, it was your lucky day I don't think the Dukes are out at Gaits Barrow yet it's been quite cold up there this week, hope fully I'll get up there in a week or two Goldie

[Maximus]

Thanks, Goldie it was our lucky day hope you see them at Gaits Barrow


While spending time looking for the Duke at Noar Hill, we also managed to see plenty of butterflies and other insects there and elsewhere.

Small White

Large White

Green-veined White

Brimstone

Comma

Comma

Comma

Bee Fly

Bee Fly

Mating Bee Flies

And a 'tame' Goldfinch on one of our niger feeders, taken from just two feet away!

[trevor]

HI Mike,

I've only just seen your Duke images. You must have built up your brownie points with Lady Luck !
Not only superb images of early Dukes but an ab. as well !! .
I called in at a Duke site on the way to work yesterday , but nothing doing yet.

Very best wishes,
TREVOR.