www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Going back a bit, Ernie, that Adonis from St. Cats is a lovely shot. Some more great Silver-spots as well.

Cheers,

Dave

Great stuff Ernie Interesting to see the Footmans hind wings - not seen that before

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Even though the season's winding down, you're still seeing some good stuff plus a few surprises, such as that lovely footman moth.

David, Wurzel - That Footman moth was my first ever. I saw something tumble from the sky and land and thought first of all it was just a birch leaf. As I got closer it looked less and less like a birch leaf but I still couldn't make it out. It did not move. I took a picture and then got close enough to give it a prod with my finger. It flew UP! Aha, I thought. It isn't a birch leaf then. I'm clever like that you see. It landed again and I got further shots now realising it was a moth of some kind. My first Footman moth as I say and my first view of it was from underneath.

Dave - Yes its a good time of year for some colourful butterflies.

29th Aug 2019, 9-11 am, Old Winchester Hill, Full sun, 14-18 degrees

AT LAST! This is a good site for Ad Blues, SSSkips and Clouded Yellows flying all at the same time and all in the same place, along the path on the lower slope below the car park. I was last here two weeks ago and saw only 3 SSSkips and no Adonis or Clouded Yellows at all. Today it all changed. Allowing for double counting I saw 7 SSSkips, 13 Adonis and 1 Clouded Yellow. The latter of which was making it look as though there were more because he zoomed back and forth over the entire hillside slope repeatedly.

Although I had already achieved my record annual count for SSSkips this year, if I remove the 3 I saw here two weeks ago from the 7 I saw today, I increase my annual count to 26.

Also seen today - Small Heath, S&L White, M Brown, Ch Blue (mostly females now), Com Blue and a PLady (still brightly coloured).

Great stuff Ernie I would give you a few for those shots if I hadn't had a similar experience at Martin Down today Mind you those are cracking photos... I was going to suggest Broughton Down if you wanted to see some easy Silver Spots thinking that it wouldn't be too from Old Winchester Hill...which I've since discovered is nowhere near Winchester and even therefore even further from Broughton

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Nice Clouded Yellow, ernie. I'm surprised there haven't been more of them given the influx of Painted Ladies & Long Tailed Blues. Perhaps September will bring in greater numbers.

David - I was wondering when the Clouded Yellows were going to appear. I've only seen one this summer so far.

Wurzel - I don't know why a hill so far from Winchester is called Old Winchester Hill. I don't think there is anywhere near it called "Old Winchester" either. I shall have to look it up.

1st Sept, 9.30-11 am, Noar Hill, 14-18 degrees, Full to 90% sun

MB&G, S&L White, PLady, loads of S Heath, Com Blue, S Tort, S Copper, Silver-Y

and 2 more Brown Argus to increase my annual record count to 112. One was doing a wing-roll.

The sun was low-ish so backlit shots possible.

Cheers for the additional info Ernie - I was hoping to have helped you out with an easy site for Silver Spots but in the end ended up in a geographical conundrum Great back-lit shots especially the Small Heath

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Good to hear you're seeing plenty of Small Heaths, ernie. Wish I could say the same about this species round my way.

David, Wurzel - With a warm spell coming up there may be a few more Small Heaths (and many others) yet.

Yesterday I went to Frensham garden centre with my wife. This time I didn't zoom off for a quick butterfly session but stayed with her choosing plants. I am no gardener so I was surprised to find a whole bunch of butterflies visiting the Hebes. There were about 20 plants of this variety for sale all together and I counted 2 Small Whites, 2 Red Admirals and a Comma on them and they allowed me to get very close. Pity I had not brought my camera.

There is a small patch of parkland beside the garden centre and while Gloria and me scoffed our ice-creams we watched the antics of a Red Admiral taking sap from a tree and a Common Darter resting on the fence directly in front of us.

What could be better?

Sound like my kind of butterfly watching Ernie I've seen some good stuff in Garden Centres - they're quite good in spring as well as the 'forced and early blooming species they sell can offer much needed nectar for the early emergers

Have a goodun

Wurzel

ernie f wrote:...I am no gardener so I was surprised to find a whole bunch of butterflies visiting the Hebes. There were about 20 plants of this variety for sale all together and I counted 2 Small Whites, 2 Red Admirals and a Comma on them and they allowed me to get very close. Pity I had not brought my camera.

Hebe is a tremendous late season nectar source, ernie. It grows wild on the Gower seafront and even into December its flowers attract the odd Red Admiral & Painted Lady.

Wurzel - I am coming round to the idea that Garden Centres are the place to be at this time of year. Our garden is a bit of a trial to find plants for. We have two mature Beech trees in our back garden with a Sycamore and Chestnut tree across the road from us and a Wellingtonia on our south side. We don't have a massive garden but as you can imagine, the lack of sunshine we get in it means we cannot grow too many flowering plants so we get very few butterflies that hang around for long. So Garden Centres are the next best thing.

Dave - I am amazed. I did not know Hebe's grew wild in this country and for them to attract butterflies in December is incredible. I went to the Gower on holiday once many years ago - wonderful place for so many reasons, not just the wildlife.

10th September 2019, 2-4 pm. Kingsley Garden Centre

OK, so Gloria wanted to go to another garden centre today but this time I went armed with my camera! So while she looked at plants, I chased butterflies. I think I may have got some strange looks from other customers and even stranger looks from the staff!

It was good though.

One Red Admiral decided to grace the hair of a statue...
The Hebes were a favourite again. This Painted Lady just could not leave them alone...
It perched in front of a picture of tulips which I thought was quite funny as it's September!

Lovely shots ernie, I got myself a shot of a painted Lady recently from a Garden centre , I wouldn't be without my camera now when I visit one this September. Goldie

That's the thing to remember - always take the camera, whatever the weather and whatever you're doing. Expect the unexpected and you won't go far wrong! Great shots from the garden centre - butterflies seem to get so engrossed you can get really close. And well done with that Clouded Yellow, too - as David mentioned they've been very thin on the ground this year (I found my only ones so far in Yorkshire of all places...).

Cheers,

Dave

Red Admirals do seem to enjoy perching in unusual places, ernie! And yes, those tulips in shot with the Painted Lady look somewhat out of place; I had to do a double-take when I first saw them.

Thanks, all. Garden Centres do seem to be good for butterflies at this time of year although it is not guaranteed of course. I took Gloria to yet another one near us yesterday. One Small White flew through but that was it - and there were loads of Hebes there for them too!