Pauline

[Willrow]

I agree wholeheartedly with David's comments above...absolutely superb Pauline!!!

Regards,

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"

[Pauline]

I forgot to mention something in my last post which I shall record now for my own benefit. In the hour that I watched the mating Pearls, several males flew past, some quite close, but not once did they try to muscle in on the mating pair. This is in contrast to what I have witnessed in the past (but not with Pearls) where a mating pair is frequently harrassed by a male of the same species - or even a different species!

Thank you William - I'm with you on that one. I consider them to be 'proper' moths - they are 'ones that I can see' . This one will be a bit special given that it is the very first moth I reared

You do pay me some of the nicest compliments David although I am not sure they are truly totally deserved. Nevertheless, they are greatly appreciated and much relished

Thank you very much Bill - I appreciate the compliment.

My aim this season has been been to try to avoid a total repeat of previous seasons by making an effort to see new things and learn new things, go to some new places and generally try to expand my knowledge of the natural world through new experiences and better observation. I have been hoping for 3 years now to see Green Hairstreaks mating so yesterday I visited Rake Bottom with that in mind. There are a lot of Green Hairstreaks there (3rd shot) and it is very local so it was an obvious choice. Despite the strong wind I was able to watch many Hairstreaks; they seemed quite reluctant to fly in the gale, being content to nectar or shelter low down. The ones which chose to nectar or perch above ground level tended to adopt an almost horizontal pose, presumably to avoid a battering from the wind, but they reminded me of the position the White Letter Hairstreaks adopt when absorbing the sun's rays in the early morning. I tried to capture this but the very position, coupled with the wind, made it difficult (4th shot). A selection of photos below:

I would very much like to know if it is at all possible with my camera to get more than one butterfly at a time in focus, especially when they are not in the same 'plane' or when one is considerably behind the other and the depth of field which I can achieve is limited.

This is the pose adopted in the strong wind by many of the Hairstreaks.

I was pleased to see several 'firsts' for the season - Common Blue, Small Heath and Small Copper. Many Grizzled and Dingies still in evidence, the latter fascinating me as no 2 individuals are the same:

The path towards the gate was much more sheltered and Brimstones were enjoying the Cowslips:

whilst this magnificent bee seemed to be in some trouble

Needless to say, I didn't see a mating pair of Green Hairstreaks so I guess this one will be carried over to another season.

[Willrow]

I have been hoping for 3 years now to see Green Hairstreaks mating so yesterday I visited Rake Bottom with that in mind.

I'm lost for words Pauline...Rake Bottom... ....

Regards,

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"

[Goldie M]

Great shots Pauline, I went looking for the pearls (no luck) the wind was awful, just like today 50 mile an hour gusts, I'll have to keep trying. Goldie

[trevor]

.HI Pauline,
The Holly Blue shots turned out as they did because of bad weather!.
It was very windy, cloudy with occasional sunshine. I spotted the Butterfly from the path, and took
some underside shots,every time the sun appeared she began to open up, so I just waited for right moment.
Luck and patience got that shot.

All the best,
TREVOR.

[bugboy]

Stunning pictures as usual Pauline, paricularly love the gorgeous Green Hairstreaks

[Mark Tutton]

Rake Bottom has an alternative name which is even more amusing - Grandfathers Bottom - which has caused Neil Hume some hilarity - lord knows the origins
Located at SU708205
Kind Regards

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Mark,

"which has caused Neil Hume some hilarity"

I was actually laughing about something else, but now you mention it, I'm still determined to have a good poke around in Grandfather's Bottom. It's good to assess as may Duke sites as possible.

BWs, Neil

[MikeOxon]

I would very much like to know if it is at all possible with my camera to get more than one butterfly at a time in focus, especially when they are not in the same 'plane' or when one is considerably behind the other and the depth of field which I can achieve is limited.

There are several ways of achieving this. The 'classical' method is to use something call the Scheimflug principle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheimpflug_principle), which requires the lens and film to be tilted relative to the plane of the subject:

Scheimpflug.gif (3.94 KiB) Viewed 593 times

The old bellows cameras could do this and it is still used for advertising photography, for example to keep items on a table top all in focus together. Some DSLR camera systems offer 'tilt and shift' lenses and there is also something called a 'Lensbaby', which is a lens mounted on a semi-flexible tube:

Lensbaby.jpg (11.14 KiB) Viewed 593 times

These systems are not easy to set up and are hardly applicable to active subjects like butterflies in the field! There are, however, several 'work arounds':

If you have two subjects at different distances, try taking two photos, one focused on each of the subjects, without moving the camera. Careful cutting and pasting in a photo editor can achieve a very good result in many cases. I show examples of cloning differently focused images on my website at http://home.btconnect.com/mike.flemming/layers.htm This idea can be extended to combine several images, focused at a whole range of distances, between the nearest and farthest objects, when it is known as 'stacking'. There is software available to combine images made in this way automatically e.g. http://zerenesystems.com/cms/stacker and it is often used for microscope photography.

I find that the 'two image' method is quite practicable in the field and I think it is perfectly ok to use this method to combine two separate butterflies, purely to overcome limitations of the camera, though not for photo competitions, where images must not be manipulated in this way. The method can also be used, for example, to get both wings of a butterfly in focus. You have to be very careful, if publishing such images, as it is very easy to create artefacts, which falsify the detailed structure of the butterfly and could, therefore, be very mis-leading.

Mike

PS I could also mention the 'split-field' close-up lens, which is basically a close-up lens cut in half. The idea is that you place the near subject in the part of the image covered by the half lens, while the background remains sharp in the rest of the image. I've never used one and I suspect it would be tricky to produce a convincing image in the field.

[Pauline]

Hi Goldie, we've had similar problems here. If you make a repeat trip try to seek out the sheltered areas. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

You're being very modest Trevor. Shots like that take more than luck

Thank you Buggy - Hairstreaks (all of them) are a favourite of mine.

I appreciate your comprehensive response Mike. I hadn't realised such gadgets existed but I might give the 'two image' method a go. Thank you.

Well Bill, you've started something now, haven't you! Thank you for your comments Mark, Neil on the site, if not the sightings! I'm pleased my diary is causing folk such amusement and entertainment - job done!

Yesterday at that site, after accidentally sitting down in a patch of nettles to get a GH shot, I then fell into a rabbit burrow, landing in a patch of brambles - and not for the first time! So, covered in nettle stings,ripped and torn by brambles, and still picking off ticks from the previous day, I decided to try an 'easier' site and check out Chalton Down today. A lovely site and gorgeous weather but marred by biting flies

My biggest surprise and the cause of some frustration was seeing my first Small Blue of the season and not being able to get a shot. I repeatedly tried to find it, hoping that the many Skippers might flush it, but no! I imagine this means they are out at Paulsgrove now? A lot of very fresh butterflies today, especially amongst the Skippers whose colours and marking seemed very variable and some lovely Grizzled Skippers:

I saw 10 species at this site in a short time one of which was 2 Commas. I had only commented yesterday that I hadn't seen any Commas recently - and there they were!

[David M]

Well done on the Commas, Pauline.

In my experience, May is the month where they usually disappear totally only to return around midsummer's day.

[Pauline]

Thank you David. It was quite a surprise to see them.

Just a quick update today on the 'little'uns' as I monitor and chart their development. At one point I thought the small one had had enough of the wind and had decided to go back into hibernation as it seemed he was creating another hibernicum. It will be interesting to discover their eventual gender to see if the late developer is female - as males tend to emerge before the females generally, I am assuming that it is not just in the pupal stage that development is slower/longer?

[bugboy]

Yesterday at that site, after accidentally sitting down in a patch of nettles to get a GH shot, I then fell into a rabbit burrow, landing in a patch of brambles - and not for the first time! So, covered in nettle stings,ripped and torn by brambles, and still picking off ticks from the previous day, I decided to try an 'easier' site and check out Chalton Down today. A lovely site and gorgeous weather but marred by biting flies

I think thats an occupational hazard with our chosen pastime. There's many a time when I've endured a sore bum to get that one shot......I could probably phrase that better . My legs got severly lacerated from brambles yesterday at Abbots Wood!

[Butterflysaurus rex]

Yesterday at that site, after accidentally sitting down in a patch of nettles to get a GH shot, I then fell into a rabbit burrow, landing in a patch of brambles - and not for the first time! So, covered in nettle stings,ripped and torn by brambles, and still picking off ticks from the previous day, I decided to try an 'easier' site and check out Chalton Down today. A lovely site and gorgeous weather but marred by biting flies

Ouch that sounds nasty Pauline! I expect "like me" you forgot to take a first aid kit with you. It can be a bit of a jungle out there sometimes.

B'W's

James

[David M]

Indeed! When the weather gets warm, I wear my sweat band under my cap and cover myself in Deet on my exposed skin as a matter of routine. I also take Deet wipes to 'top up' my protection during the day.

I find the biting insects favour the forehead as well as the webbed parts between the fingers, so I pay particular attention to these areas to repel these unwanted parasites.

I've also ditched the shorts irrespective of temperature as wearing them is merely an invitation for these critters to dine on you!

[Pauline]

Hi guys, thank you for the empathy, sympathy and advice. I really must be more careful about where I put my feet as I did exactly the same thing last year only it was a badger sett!! I must try to get some better protection too - last year I smothered myself in extra strength Jungle formula and it made not a blind bit of difference! Guess I must just taste good

Sick to death of being stuck in with the weather I made a lunchtime trip to Noar Hill to check on 'my' eggs. First stop was the Brimstone which have now changed colour and I am not sure whether this means they have hatched (I couldn't find any larva) or whether it is imminent.

Still no sign of BH larva but the feeding damage is gradually extending to leaves further away from the egg. I have now found several sets of Duke eggs and these all seem to be still intact thankfully. I feared some were at possible greater risk as the leaves they are on have had some huge bites taken out of them and the slugs were very numerous - to be expected after all that rain I suppose.

I only managed to see 2 Dukes today but a couple from Eastleigh had seen 4 and a Green Hairstreak which was quite admirable given the cool conditions:

I don't usually like a green background preferring something a little more subtle but I think it works in this instance - and I didn't have a lot of choice.

Before I left I discovered this larva but I imagine it is some sort of moth (Andy? or anyone?)

.... and a brilliant green beetle:

The weather forecast seems to be best for Saturday - make the most of it if you can

[Katrina]

Brilliant duke photos Pauline

[Willrow]

Informative and also amusing Pauline...not to mention those stunning images...well worth all that pain methinks

Kind Regards,

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"

[Pauline]

It is kind of you to say so Katrina but you are taking some superb shots yourself - and I have never seen mating Coppers

I can laugh about it afterwards Bill but you'd think I'd have learned by now. Anyway, thank you for your kind comment - it is much appreciated.

Just a quick update as events here are keeping me 'grounded' for a little while. Some time recently (I can't even remember when) I went to Oxenbourne primarily to check on a colony of Pearls I discovered there 2-3 years back. I had reservations about going mainly because of the number of ticks on that site. For example, last season I was being very careful as I was already aware of this problem but in the time it took to crouch down to get a shot of an egg-laying SSS I had hundreds of ticks on my pale blue shorts (I don't wear shorts any more!!; I had to throw those ones away because even after a hot wash the ticks were still crawling all over them). I really wanted to check out the site tho' and I received some reassuring advice to 'stay to the top path and you'll be OK'!!! - you know who you are Well, I did just that and picked up 8 ticks on the way in and 11 on the way out when it had warmed up!! To make matters worse, my trainers split and the wet grass meant that my socks were quickly soaked so I ended up squelching along . After all that I did not see a single Pearl . However, the upside was that there were lots of other butterflies including 4 Dukes. It seemed strange to see them in such a different environment to that which I am used to on Noar Hill. These were very much woodland Dukes. This is the environment:

It was here that I saw my very first Common Blue of the season, looking as if he was being held captive in a chamber of thorns:

However, what made this visit special for me was my closest encounter ever with a wild fox - a large dog fox. It was shortly after my arrival on the site and I assume I was partially hidden by a gate post when I heard a deer crashing through the bracken. I thought I must have startled it but as it came into view I realised it was running towards me. A split second later I noticed a fox was running in parallel with the deer. The deer veered away and the fox, in his panic, continued to bolt straight towards me, only seeing I was there when he was about 8 foot away and then he quickly swerved. It was all over so quickly I did not even try to take a photo but for me it was a special moment.

On returning home I remembered that in the past I have seen the Pearls quite late at this site, my earliest photos being about 27 May so if any locals feel up to the challenge of the ticks and pay the site a visit I would be really interested to know if any Pearls are spotted. They are usually quite a long way in but feel free to PM me for better directions - I shall not be going back there!!!!

[Goldie M]

Pauline, we get loads of ticks at Gait Barrow, so far we've been lucky, but the mosquitoes love my husband he gets bittern quite a lot
I'm also looking for PBF so far no luck . I'll swop the Heron for the Fox encounter Pauline Goldie