www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

14th September 2019, 9.45-11 am, Old Winchester Hill, 14-16 degrees, Full Sun

My last visit here for the year I think. Certainly it was winding down. Did see over 30 M Brown and 12 Small Heath, a few S&L White and 3 Adonis Blue (2m & 1f). The two males were very tatty.

Cracking Garden Centre butterflies Ernie That Red Admiral in particular is a blinder of a shot I looked at the images first before I raed the text and thought you'd mis-posted that final Painted Lady shot I was at one of my local sites this afternoon and there was a definite autumnal feel - vanessids and whites and very, very tatty Blues in very low numbers Oh well take what you can while it lasts - I think I need to head to the garden centre

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Wurzel - My ambition now is to go to a garden centre in spring and get a picture of a butterfly on a tulip with a picture of Hebe's in the background!

15th Sep 2019, 10.30-11.30am, Broxhead Heath, 16-20 degrees, Full Sun

With the weather in Hampshire turning sunny and warm I thought I'd give Broxhead a try. There were 6 of the 3rd generation Small Coppers flying about and possibly more. All very fresh individuals.
This female was doing a "Turkey Trot" along a stick completely unaware that the male she was fending off had already flown away! I saw him go but she didn't.
And this Forest Bug with a damaged wing.

"Wurzel - My ambition now is to go to a garden centre in spring and get a picture of a butterfly on a tulip with a picture of Hebe's in the background! " Sounds like a plan Ernie, you'll have to put them up next to each other side by side
Cracking Small Coppers, love the stained glass shot

Have a goodun

Wurzel

17th September 2019, Kingsley Common, 3-4pm, 19 degrees, Full Sun

It's usual that when the 3rd brood Small Coppers start up at Broxhead, they also come out at nearby Kingsley too. So it was today - 4 fresh ones seen.

Got a duplicate shot at Kingsley today of the shot I took at Broxhead the other day but although it's marginally sharper the colour is not so vivid.
One female was egg-laying...

A great selection of Small Coppers, Ernie. The third brood are popping up everywhere at the moment and they are a lovely sight.

Cheers,

Dave

Must say, there are plenty of Small Coppers in my area too at the moment. I guess this warm September has played into their hands.

With the current bad weather is it is unlikely that I will see any more Brown Argus this year. I decided at the start of the year to survey this species in my area and here is the result. The largest number I have ever seen in a year and the earliest I have ever seen one.

I have included my previous years surveys for comparison.

Thanks for the stats, ernie. Good to see Brown Argus having an iconic year on your patch.

I must say, I too have never seen this species as early as I have this year.

Lovely shots of the Small Coppers Ernie Interesting reading your Brown Argus surveys - looking at the figures from this year it seems that Magdalen Hill in mid May was the place to be for Brown Argus

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Dave, Wurzel, Yes the Brown Argus have been good to me this year. Mag Hill is always pretty good for them at some point.

22nd Oct 2019, At Home

Haven't been able to get out much recently. Back problems amongst other things. Do you know what its like to have lumbago, sciatica and then cramp in both legs at the same time? No, neither did I until last week! It was an experience I can tell you. At least it didn't happen in the middle of the butterfly season.

The last butterfly I saw was way back on the 17th September but today I saw another one from my bedroom window. Yay!

It was a Brimstone fooling around outside for a while before flying off over a neighbours garden. No pics.

I have dreamt of butterflies a couple of times over the last month or so but unfortunately didn't have my camera with me at the time so cannot share any pictures of them with you!

Get well soon, Ernie. I thought you had been rather quiet lately.

Trevor.

Hope you are well soon - it's not over for the butterflies here in Somerset (a large dark vanessid and a white doing fly-bys yesterday) so they ought to be about in Hampshire for a little while yet.

That butterfly must have been a sight for sore eyes (if not a sore back) Ernie - hope you get well soon!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I'm sure that Brimstone gave you a lift after your suffering of late, ernie.

Hope you're on the mend now.

Thanks to you all, I am on the mend now.

28th October 2019, 9am, Sunny, around 2 degrees, Care Home at Holybourne

I visit my father regularly at his care Home in the village of Holybourne. Today there was a Red Admiral flying around the outside of his window. Maybe he was looking for an hibernation site I thought, then he flew off across the gardens. There was still frost on my car which I had to brush away before driving to the care home only a few minutes before I saw this!!!

Two hours later, the temperature had crept up a bit but was still well below 10 degrees. I was now at home which is two miles away from where my dad's home is located and I saw ANOTHER Red Admiral do exactly the same thing outside my living room window. It few back and forth for a while as though looking for a place to hide-up but then flew off.

I have seen Red Admirals fly later in the year than this but I don't think I have seen one flying when it is just above zero degrees and there is still frost around.

Good to hear you're on the road to recovery Ernie (if not already there) Interesting to read about the Red Admirals still out and about in the cool weather - mind you I think Guy Padfield has the best 'cold' record - a Green Hairstreak on snow

Have a goodun

Wurzel