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Re: Maximus
Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 5:50 pm
by millerd
That blue-badge extensa Copper is a striking butterfly, Mike. You've almost out-Hoggers Hoggers on his own patch there!
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Lovely shots.
Cheers,
Dave
Re: Maximus
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:17 am
by Andrew555
Love the Swallowtails Mike, and I think your Hawk-moth shots are more than acceptable!
Also like the Coppers, especially the ab. I've yet to make it to Dungeness, one for next year.
Cheers
Re: Maximus
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 7:26 pm
by Wurzel
What a cracking aberrant Mike
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
Good to see you managed to fit in a trip on on a family getaway
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: Maximus
Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2018 10:30 pm
by David M
That’s a very striking phlaeas aberration, Mike. Beautiful specimen.
Re: Maximus
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2018 5:31 pm
by Maximus
Thanks, Dave, it was a great find but it disappeared just as quickly.
Thanks, Andrew, definitely one for next year for you.
Thanks, Wurzel, we managed to sneak in another one too.
It was very striking, David, and was a joy to see.
When we were in Kent recently, one morning I found these female Commas in the garden where we were staying, they looked to be freshly emerged. They were really stunning.
![P1030373Resize.JPG (1.34 MiB) Viewed 4220 times Enjoying the fallen fruit.](./files/thumb_11970_674e56e5f4a6fac27ede3e1aec661f40)
- Enjoying the fallen fruit.
![P1030383Resize.JPG (1.21 MiB) Viewed 4220 times This one had lost a 'tail'.](./files/thumb_11970_518bd505ecf30d1e2af6efa28432c3a2)
- This one had lost a 'tail'.
There were also several Speckled Woods enjoying the sunshine, and landing in some unusual spots.
Re: Maximus
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2018 9:19 pm
by Wurzel
Lovely autumnal Commas Mike
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Like me them seem to enjoy a drop of Cider
![:wink:](//cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/twitter/twemoji@latest/assets/svg/1f609.svg)
Perhaps the Specklies had been partaking too which was why they were turning up in the unusual places?
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: Maximus
Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2018 8:26 am
by David M
Lovely Commas, Mike. I can't remember the last time I saw one - very possibly back in August. I don't know where they've all gone round here.
![Confused :?](./images/smilies/icon_confused.gif)
Re: Maximus
Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2018 5:18 pm
by bugboy
What a lovely surprise to find
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
. They do all look rather fresh. I saw a few rather late
hutchinsoni this year so maybe you had a female down there laying eggs in August?
Re: Maximus
Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2018 7:53 pm
by trevor
As others have remarked, lovely Commas.
I particularly like the one on the apple.
I have only recently started seeing them again, since the hot Summer.
All the best,
Trevor.
Re: Maximus
Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2018 11:13 am
by Maximus
Thanks, Trevor, these were the first Commas I've seen for at least a couple of months!
It was a nice surprise BB
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
and they were very fresh. I think you could be right about the eggs being laid in August.
From my point of view also, Commas have been a bit 'thin on the ground' for a while now, David.
Thanks Wurzel, I'm partial to a cool-un myself after a hot day's butterflying
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
I think you're right about the specklies
I took this shot of a Small White in our garden on 13th Oct. By it's manner and appearance it was probably freshly emerged, still displaying that creamy, almost lemon shade, which seems to fade within a day or so.
Re: Maximus
Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2018 3:01 pm
by trevor
Your Small White is certainly brand new, Mike.
To see fresh Butterflies at this stage is remarkable.
The retail trade is pushing Christmas like mad, and I'm seeing fresh Common Blues,
and fresh Clouded Yellows !. Something doesn't fit somewhere.
Trying to stay sane,
Trevor.
Re: Maximus
Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2018 3:27 pm
by bugboy
I had a freshly emerged Small White today
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
Re: Maximus
Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2018 6:39 pm
by millerd
That's a nice Small White.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Having seen one on Tuesday at home, I saw another down at Shoreham today - there is definitely a new round of emergences, Mike. I suspect some of the chrysalids that normally hibernate have been prompted by the warm sunny spells to emerge instead. Maybe the short bursts of cold and wet have fooled them in some way.
Cheers,
Dave
Re: Maximus
Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2018 9:41 pm
by Wurzel
That is a mint Small White Mike
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
They lose that lovely lemony lustre very quickly
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
so to catch one that fresh is a great find, doubly so at this time in the season
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: Maximus
Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2018 10:13 pm
by David M
That Small White is as fresh as fresh gets, Mike. It's quite remarkable that this is still happening in late October. I've never known a year like it.
Re: Maximus
Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2018 1:23 pm
by Maximus
Your comment brought a smile to my face, Trevor
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
and what you say is true!
Amazing that you saw one too BB, the good weather seems to have extended the season
Thanks, Dave, I think you're right about the decent weather prompting new emergences, when they would normally stay put until next spring. Amazing that you've seen a couple too
That's the first butterfly we've seen in our garden for some time, Wurzel
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
lucky we spotted it
It is remarkable, David, I also don't remember a year quite like this one.
During our recent family break in Kent we took the opportunity to visit Kingsdown for a walk along the clifftop. Although there have been no LTB'S sighted this year(as far as I am aware)we weren't the only ones looking! Although we drew a blank LTB wise we did encounter a few other species during our walk on a lovely sunny October afternoon.
![P1030453Resize.JPG (1.09 MiB) Viewed 4097 times Clifftop footpath with a cross channel ferry heading for Dover.](./files/thumb_11970_5390ee273eaa33b59842f7d68e753b35)
- Clifftop footpath with a cross channel ferry heading for Dover.
![P1030455Resize.JPG (1.26 MiB) Viewed 4097 times Brown Argus - not as fresh as some recently posted, but nice to see.](./files/thumb_11970_f9cfb7740d575ce1ab0c391f223c4893)
- Brown Argus - not as fresh as some recently posted, but nice to see.
![P1030467Resize.JPG (1.29 MiB) Viewed 4097 times Common Blue.](./files/thumb_11970_4eeec9ab8e712f37bad738e907d8700a)
- Common Blue.
![P1030461Resize.JPG (1.42 MiB) Viewed 4097 times Fresher Common Blue.](./files/thumb_11970_8d5890e52d5b55a5f5de2d18a75aaa74)
- Fresher Common Blue.
![P1030472Resize.JPG (1.34 MiB) Viewed 4097 times Small Copper.](./files/thumb_11970_053261ba10cbedc50f46a21aecbdf249)
- Small Copper.
![P1310583Resize.JPG (1.22 MiB) Viewed 4097 times Small Copper - nectaring on Hawkbit - I think.](./files/thumb_11970_20c5c90da52b271c419506ecdfe8fd35)
- Small Copper - nectaring on Hawkbit - I think.
![P1030495Resize.JPG (1.35 MiB) Viewed 4097 times View from The Leas, looking north, with Deal Pier in the centre distance.](./files/thumb_11970_436d77ef4909bba5c90797678856914a)
- View from The Leas, looking north, with Deal Pier in the centre distance.
Other species seen were, Wall Brown, Male Brimstone and a very fresh looking Green-veined White. These proved far too lively to photograph, but this wasn't through a lack of trying! (Seeing todays post regarding the LTB seen near Bexley yesterday, perhaps we weren't so daft having a look)!
While we were there we observed large numbers of House Martins(and a few Swallows) hawking for insects in the early October sun. They were most probably preparing for their migration south, I understand that it's still not known exactly where in Africa they spend the winter!
Re: Maximus
Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2018 6:06 pm
by trevor
Long Tailed Blues may have been nearer than you thought, Mike.
A fresh one was spotted by the Thames, near Erith, yesterday, alright wrong
location, but right County !. And another in Ipswich last week.
I there's more chance of winning the lottery than finding one though !.
Trevor.
Re: Maximus
Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2018 9:47 pm
by Wurzel
Sorry you didn't get the LTB - mind you the Blues and Coppers surely made up for it, I'm down to Specklies and Red Admirals now
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: Maximus
Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2018 8:16 pm
by David M
Those are nice views, Mike, and I’m glad you saw a few late species during your visit. Brown Argus, Wall, Brimstone & Green Veined White is quite a haul for late October….even if you missed out on the Long-Tailed Blues.
Re: Maximus
Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2018 7:34 am
by Andrew555
Love the Commas Mike, those unexpected finds are great.
Cheers