August 2013

[badgerbob]

I was beginning to worry as I hadn't seen a Clouded Yellow until yesterday despite being in several ideal areas for them. My son Matt had also seen many at Seaford Head over the last couple of weeks. At last yesterday one flew past me at High and Over, then today, another 4 seen. One at Newhaven I realised was egg laying so instead of trying to get a picture of the butterfly I searched for the egg. This I found quickly on birds-foot-trefoil.
Many Common Blue also flying and this fabulous coloured female presented herself, one of the smartest female Common Blues I've seen.

[Debbie]

Hi Debbie, there are some on the Hermitage in Bridgnorth (along the bottom of the field especially) and I did eventually discover some females this past week. And yes, I do make art of butterflies, all kinds of wildlife in fact. Well done on your first effort and beware it is addictive [/quote

Hi Chrissy, thanks for that - where is the best place to park ? Debbie

This is a Small Heath; probably a male by the shape of the wings.

Thanks for that Mark, I was not expecting the Small Heaths to still be on the wing.

Kind regards. Mark

Thanks Pauline, it is great to have a bit more time again. I do keep dipping in and out of the diaries, with much joy and wishing to have more free time. Loving seeing the Clouded Yellows which are still still on my wish list and so many fabulous pictures.

[Debbie]

The Scrub Ground where I work now has had 1/4 of the species of british butterflies on it this year. I have now passed this information on to BC. There is also a good selection of moths, dragonflies and other insects (and flora). Today at lunchtime (just for 10 minutes incase my chairman is reading this) I popped over and to the right a beautiful small copper and to the left a stunning common blue.

And I had not got my camera with me But to see the butterflies.

We are forecast rain again today so fingers crossed for when I can next get over there.

Debbie

[Mark Tutton]

I see a Queen of Spain Fritillary has now been reported from Titchfield Haven (SU532026) in Hampshire now so its definately a good migrant year and getting better!
Mark

[AndyR]

North Wiltshire near Cricklade
After a morning hard at it on the computer, as rain cleared and the sun came out I decided to go for a walk around our farm. Visited the spot where I saw a Clouded Yellow fly past last week so decided to go hunting in the clover..... After a bit saw 2 white butterflies chasing something yellowy and yes a Clouded Yellow. Ran around like a daft thing with the camera phone and got a few shots. Then on route to our water mint hot spot I spotted another and another, but not on red clover. Had a group of 4 on Hawkbit, including a helice female (see poor photo below), all in amazing condition. Decided better go home and find a proper camera. Came back to find them again plus mating going on. Amazing to see one flying with the other hanging off underneath, even with massive parasitic drag they are very strong fliers.
So spieces seen on a short walk around the farm
Large White
Small White
Green viened white
Peacock
Comma
Small Tort
Small Copper
Clouded Yellow
Brimstone
Speckled wood
Common Blue
Interesingly I saw 8 spieces just on the water mint in our wood by the river. I think I got 10 on the watermint last week at one go. Forget budliea Watermints what to go for around here if you want diversity in one spot.
So if the weather says ok I reckon we could be over ran by Clouded Yellows in a months time, fingers crossed!
Andy

[adrian riley]

News from Bugalert
Hi, Gang
There are now several records of Long-tailed Blue from Kent
Adrian Riley www.bugalert.net

[EricY]

This afternoon after the rain ceased I went back to Choseley Barns field. Still up to 8 Clouded Yellows flying up & down the headland. Managed to get closer to one resting after all that flying on a dried seed head. Also almost managed to get some open wing shots. Good to see them domiciled in Norfolk for the time being. Eric

Clouded Yellow at rest

Clouded Yellow at rest

Clouded Yellow part open wing

Clouded Yellow poor open wing shot

[Paul Harfield]

I see a Queen of Spain Fritillary has now been reported from Titchfield Haven (SU532026) in Hampshire now so its definately a good migrant year and getting better!
Mark

Hi Mark

I was told of another Queen of Spain at Farlington a couple of weeks ago, from a reliable source as well. It was great to meet you the other day, by the way. I did not think it would be too long before we bumped into each other

[red dog]

Hi
As I was leaving the allotment I saw a unusual butterfly I thought it was a Common Blue at first. It landed in front of me and when I looked closer I saw that it was a Long-tailed Blue. I was stunned and madeup all at the sane time.

I had my camera with me and got some shots.
The butterfly was seen at Menlove avenue allotments Liverpool.

[Mark Colvin]

Hi red dog,

That's no Long-tailed Blue. What you have found is an equally as impressive Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli).

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species. ... =marshalli

Well done ...

Kind regards. Mark

[red dog]

Thank you Mark. I thought it was a Long-tailed Blue because some have been seen down south. I will make corrections.

[Vince Massimo]

I had my camera with me and got some shots.
The butterfly was seen at Menlove avenue allotments Liverpool.

That's no Long-tailed Blue. What you have found is an equally as impressive Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli).

What a great record for this species
Could you add the photos to the Species-Specific Album please.

Many thanks,

Vince

[David M]

What a great record for this species

No-one could have expected this irrespective of the 'golden' period we seem to be going through for immigrants at the moment.

Reddog, if you attend your allotment from now until your demise I doubt you'll ever see such a thing again.

[Padfield]

That's brilliant (the geranium bronze)! DEFRA used to have a page telling people to look out for this 'pest' and report it, but since it can't survive the winter outside greenhouses or artificial urban environments (where Pelargoniums are maintained throughout the year) anywhere much north of Barcelona it's hardly a great threat. I'm really happy to read of this sighting!

Guy

[David M]

DEFRA used to have a page telling people to look out for this 'pest' and report it

Grrrr!

I only wish we could over-react in the same way when our national security was at stake.

I can see the headline now - "south African butterfly threatens British gardeners' way of life...."

Funny how they can't see how 1 million+ Bulgarians/Romanians over the next half decade will prove far, far more damaging.

[Mark Tutton]

As noted in my previous posts I have been keeping an eye out for migrants at a few coastal sites with good numbers of clouded yellows including a number of very nice Helice.
The weather was not too clever this morning so I took the dog fror a swim in the sea at Hayling Island and while walking back a very wet mutt I made sure that i went back via the area where I had seen the clouded yellows earlier in the week.
The dog was scurrying around following the rabbit smells and she distrubed a number of roosting whites. As I was checking these to see if there were any Clouded Yellows what I thought was a female common blue caught my eye and as the weather was still overcast she went to roost under a bramble leaf. As I gently pulled back the leaf it revealed a male Long Tailed Blue! Now what - no phone and my camera was 20min walk away.
As he was roosting, I made a run for it to pick up the camera. As i was running back the sun came out and I thought my chance was gone.
To compound matters when I got my camera the battery was dead and my spare and spare camera was 15 miles away.
So it had to be a phone shot or nothing, that was if I could relocate him
I drove back as close as i could then ran through the dunes as fast as I could back to where I had last seen him - gone!
I paced up and down and two common blues briefly caused a stir when eventually i spotted a small butterfly land on brambles behind the fence. Quickly getting my binoculars out it was gone before I could focus and I had to restart the search - grrrr
After about 15 minutes I eventually relocated him, to my great relief, and betterstill he was on the right side of the fence. Fortunately he hung around and gave me some great views - open and closed wings.
He was a bit damaged and faded after the long trek across the channel and I marvelled at how a creature the size of my thumb had managed to make such a monumental journey.
I spent about half an hour just watching him refuel before the weather eventually closed in and it started to rain. I bid him farewell and welcomed him to England
It was a fantastic find and although I have been working hard for just such and event I was more really in hope than expectation and one I will be surprised if I repeat.
Only phone shots I know but the memory of pulling back that bramble leaf will last long.
Mark

[Padfield]

Great story and a great result!

I think your she's a he though ... Male long-tailed blues are surprisingly leaden in colour when worn.

Guy

[Neil Hulme]

Great work Mark. Congratulations!
BWs, Neil

[Mark Colvin]

Congratulations, Mark.

I think that's what you call a result ...

Kind regards. Mark

[Mark Tutton]

Thanks guy - caught up in all the excitement I was fortunate enough to see large numbers in Turkey recently but they were all very fresh.