www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

I've been glimpsing male white-letter hairstreaks in the canopy of our local elms for about 10 days. They always seem to settle out of sight, even though I point and shoot at 60x zoom whenever I see one - never anything in the picture. Then today, one such point and shoot bore fruit:





You can even see the relief of the sex-brand in that picture, confirming it is a male.

The elms are in a meadow in the middle of town (Woodbridge). This can be a highly elusive species, which I am convinced flies far closer to most people than they imagine.

Guy

Red & White. The two Admirals together (Green Lane Wood)

In my NE Scotland garden 24 July, Large White (quite scarce up here) and a Ringlet..

60 or 70 years ago, Ringlets were end of July/early August butterflies in the south of England.  What a change in my lifetime!

Jack

Ringlets definitely growing in number in our local fields.

Saw my first Gatekeepers of the year there today too.

Plus what I'm assuming are ladybird eggs in an ear of grass ?

Alner Gorse ,Dorset, 24-06-2020
Can someone please ID the Skippers, Small or Essex ?





My visit yesterday to Alners gorse Dorset was in search for the elusive White-letter Hairstreak and Purple Hairstreak many other people seemed to have had the same hopes, regrettable neither were seen, however Skippers were in abundance along with Marble Whites and Meadow Browns , and four Silver-washed-Frits.
A nice day out.
https://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com

Seen in Chiddingfold today. The P.E. never fails to delight.
N.B. Important access road closures scheduled for June 28th and the 29th.
P.J.Underwood

P.J.Underwood wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 12:44 pm N.B. Important access road closures scheduled for June 28th and the 29th.
P.J.Underwood

Further to Philip's note above, here is a link to Surrey CC's webpage with details.
https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-and-t ... /roadworks

Dave

Whilst on the subject of Chiddingfold, alongside the excitement of the Emperor season examples of both first and second brood Wood Whites were seen today.

Dave

Cawdor 25 June. Jack.

In answer to Medard's question - your first two skippers are large, and the others small.

I've been without bike and unable to travel recently, but picked the bike up again today and got my own first small skippers of the year:



No possibility of ID confusion there!

I also saw my first silver-studs of the year, at a local site I didn't discover last year until too late. I was struck by how narrow the borders were:





In contrast, the males at a different site I found last year all had broad borders:



This species seems to show incredible variation between colonies, even in a single region like the Suffolk sandlings.

In the morning, white letter hairstreaks were again sparring above the master elm in the meadow:




(zoom x 60 and cropped)

Guy

SWF and WLH seen during a short walk in a Somerset woodland this morning. I tried for Purple Emperor with some seriously out of date shrimp paste, but without success. Most likely it is simply absent from the wood, but do we know if it prefers the fresh stuff?

1st Chalkhill Blue ,yesterday at Lydden NNR (Kent) a male; also single Holly Blue ,and hoards of Meadow Brown ,Marbled Whites,
A good show of Fragrant and Pyramidal Orchids ,including white specimens of both (Alba),was very pleased to get an Orange tailed Clearwing to
a pheromone lure. Also good numbers of Large and Small Skippers and the odd Essex.
Allan.W.

Meadow Browns now appearing in northeast Scotland (Moray Coast). My bred Large Whites are now emerging.

Jack

Is this a small or Essex skipper?

That's an Essex skipper, Ian. Or, it looks good for Essex to me, at least!

I visited Ipswich's Parque Natural Exotico today, hoping to see my first Suffolk marbled whites. I was not disappointed - they were almost as common as in an alpine meadow! Very restless in the heat and difficult to get shots of, but worth the trip anyway!







That last one is with an Essex skipper - a more natural species for Suffolk. Essex skippers were abundant at the site.







I didn't see any little blues - I think these must have burnt themselves out - nor the even more anomalous dark green fritillaries Kev reported in his diary.

Guy

Went out yesterday to my local fields (more like meadows now).

Been doing my research on Purple Hairstreaks. Fly late on hot evenings....and they kindly were.

There is one in this pic - honest.

Once again, not a great photo but 'scuse the indulgence - good enough to open a new species folder for me.

Stiff neck after though but.

Padfield wrote: ↑Wed Jun 24, 2020 5:53 pm..I've been glimpsing male white-letter hairstreaks in the canopy of our local elms for about 10 days. They always seem to settle out of sight, even though I point and shoot at 60x zoom whenever I see one - never anything in the picture...

I empathise totally, Guy. Why is it they come down regularly in certain locations but remain ensconced in the canopy in others?

more exercise at Fermyn Woods yesterday

after seeing one male at Stephen Oak Riding ( see below ) i proceeded to New Bield and the lovely Lilford Wood. i was buzzed by several Emperors along the footpath. i was completely alone in the wood in the hot sunshine. magical.

A lot of butterflies on the wing at Cambus O May on Royal Deeside this morning. A few ringlets, couple of Small Heath, dozens of what I assume were worse for wear pearl bordered fritillaries (maybe someone can help with ID as I struggle vs small pearl bordered) and a few dark green fritillary. Plus some six spot burnet moths.

Bertl wrote: ↑Sat Jun 27, 2020 3:14 pm...dozens of what I assume were worse for wear pearl bordered fritillaries (maybe someone can help with ID as I struggle vs small pearl bordered)...

Definitely Small Pearl Bordered, Bertl.