Susie

[Wurzel]

I reckon all these near misses are actually a good thing Susie, you're getting all the bad karma over and done with and then you'll be into the Good Karma Camberwell Beauty?
Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Susie]

Wouldn't a camberwell beauty be a welcome visitor, Wurzel!

Reading Matthew Oates' book encouraged me to go to Southwater woods over the past couple of days with the dog. It's very early yet for the main contenders but we still saw skippers, meadow Browns, speckled woods, a small tort and a painted lady. There wasn't so much flying this morning but we did find a writhing mass of peacock caterpillars.

I am curious as to whether the book will encourage more butterflyers to come back to these woods again. Over the past few years numbers of butterflies and subsequently people have fallen away (perhaps the latter lured to Knepp?) and I've rather enjoyed having the place to myself.

[David M]

I am curious as to whether the book will encourage more butterflyers to come back to these woods again. Over the past few years numbers of butterflies and subsequently people have fallen away (perhaps the latter lured to Knepp?) and I've rather enjoyed having the place to myself.

I doubt whether anyone other than those keenly interested in butterflies will read Matthew's book.

Thus far, I've found it rather sad as I am up to page 90 which has covered the complete decline of Pearl Bordered Fritillary & Duke of Burgundy in some of these woodlands.

The place will probably remain largely deserted, Susie (no bad thing if you want a bit of peace and tranquility). I doubt there are too many younger people out there who connect with nature in the same way as the almost default mode of the 1970s.

[Susie]

Yesterday I braved the showers to go to Iping in search of silver studded blues. As I arrived the rain stopped and the butterflies opened their wings to bask in the first sunshine of the day. Incredibly quickly the males were skimming over the foliage in search of females of whom I only saw two and with the flowers they made a lovely sight. I also saw a single marbled white, large skipper and meadow Browns before the rain came in again and I headed for home.

Today I went to Cissbury Ring primarily in search of dark green fritillary. I did see some but they were moving very rapidly. Also around were common blues, marbled whites, small heaths, large and small skippers and meadow Browns. I popped back to southwater woods on the way back as the dog was very hot and he loves a paddle in the stream. No sign of any silver washed fritillary or white admiral yet.

Billy is learning patience.

[Susie]

I had a little bit of time this afternoon and so I went to Iping again. The silver studded Blues were still flying but starting to look quite worn. I do like Iping, especially in the hot sunshine with the gorse popping and dragonflies swooping around.

I arrived home at mid afternoon and was in the garden for a minute when I saw a butterfly flying around which I couldn't quite categorise as one of the usual suspects I get. Eventually it settled and it was a very faded green hairstreak I was chuffed to bits as I don't know of any sites nearby. I rushed to get my camera but when I got back it was gone. Something to watch out for now though.

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Susie,
SWF now flying at Southwater Woods, including the first female.
BWs, Neil

[Susie]

Hi Neil,

Thanks for the heads up.

Funnily enough I just got back from there very excited at seeing my first silver washed fritillary, white admiral and purple hairstreak only to get home and check the Sussex sightings page to see they were sighted there yesterday and read your post. I was hoping mine would be the first of the year still fabulous to see with clouds of meadow Browns flying up in the meadow, marbled whites and large skippers skimming the long grass and knapweed. It's just my idea of heaven

[Susie]

Btw, I don't suppose I will bump into anyone at Southwater during the purple season as most people are now lured elsewhere but I have ordered myself some marvellous headwear for butterfly hunting inspired by a steampunk extravaganza I saw at the weekend so if you see a nutter in a hat in the woods steer well clear as it's probably me!

[trevor]

HI Susie,
Why not go the whole way!, put some smelly stuff on your headgear, keep the people away and
attract an Emperor. Hope that is of some help .

Best wishes,
TREVOR.

[Susie]

What a good idea, Trevor. I'll have to incorporate some sort of receptacle to hold shrimp paste

[John W]

Btw, I don't suppose I will bump into anyone at Southwater during the purple season as most people are now lured elsewhere

Hi Susie, you might bump into me as it's still my go to place for SWF and WA. It's good to hear that there are Marbled Whites in the meadow. I was there at the weekend but didn't see any.
Cheers
John

[Susie]

It will be nice to see you again, John.

This morning before work I went to Cissbury Ring. It was a bit of a yomp but I managed to see dark green fritillary, red admiral, painted lady, large and marbled white, large skipper, small Heath, meadow brown, speckled wood and, I think, ringlet.

[Susie]

I had such a fabulous day today I don't know where to begin

The day kicked off with my prize (for finding a dark green fritillary at Cissbury ring earlier in the week) arriving in the post - a shiny new pin badge for my collection.

Then I went on the Knepp Estate purple emperor safari which was led by Matthew Oates and our very own Neil Hulme. It's not the cheapest day out but I got a bonus from work for being fabulous and thought I'd use a little of it to treat myself.

Even though Knepp is very close to where I live I got a little lost on the way the way there (never trust a sat nav) and arrived a few minutes late but fortunately before the group of about a dozen people took to the hoof and went off to explore. I won't bore you with details but incredibly quickly his imperial majesty was sighted. Sightings came thick and fast after that ending in a total of several hundred*

I can't praise Matthew Oates and Neil Hulme highly enough. Neil I know is always great at leading a walk and making it entertaining as well as educational but although I have met Matthew before I've never spent any quality time in his company. Today I found him to be fabulous and finally got to see the side of him that others talk about. He kindly signed my copy of his book and I hope to meet him again in the future. It's not often at my age someone recites poetry to me.

Some of the many highlights of the day were watching emperors dog fighting over head for ages, Matthew finding white letter hairstreaks for me, and being served lunch by the owners of Knepp and the very interesting discussion that followed.

My visit to Knepp ended in buying a special Knepp Safari pin badge for my ever increasing collection.

* okay, so that's a fib, but we saw around 45 which was more than I've ever seen before

The safaris run next weekend too if anyone is interested in going along, I would thoroughly recommend it.

[Susie]

By the end of the day we were seeing butterflies where ever we looked.

[bugboy]

Sounds like a glorious way to spend a day . I love the second stipulation on how to recieve the pin badge

[Susie]

Well he does have an unfair advantage being a butterflying Demi-God!

[Susie]

I've just returned from a dog walk at Southwater woods. Plenty of meadow brown about but only a few of other species; large skipper, ringlet, large white, silver washed fritillary, white admiral and a single purple emperor sitting in an ash tree surveying his empire. Rounded off with Pimms at the Cafe by the Lake at Barns Green. Very nice

[Susie]

I thought I'd show you the hat that out hatted Matthew Oates

it's surprisingly comfortable.

[Goldie M]

Fantastic hat Susie, love it. Goldie

[Susie]

Thank you. I am going back to Knepp on Saturday for another safari so I may wear it again!