www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Pete Eeles wrote:
It seems to be site-specific too (as for Purple Emperor). I didn't see many SSS at Stockbridge or Broughton Downs last week.

This year is going to take some explaining!

Cheers,

- Pete

I was at Aston Rowant last week, on Thursday, and saw a few dozen SSS as reported in my diary. It seems the weekend weather has bought them out in greater numbers, maybe at other sites as well.

Cheers.

Neil F.

David M wrote:Strange how some species are having appalling years yet others seem to be doing well.

We should remember that the abundance of many species is strongly dependent on the balance between predator and prey.

It is worth considering whether those cases of high butterfly abundance are due to the predator species suffering more from the weather conditions.

It could make a fascinating subject for research.

Mike

Fontmell Down, Dorset, Sunday 19th. Excellent weather with temperatures up to 28c and only a gentle breeze offering just the right conditions for my journey from South Wales to see Silver-spotted Skipper and some of the other downland species. On arriving the early morning mist was slowly burning away off the downs and it added a pleasant atmosphere to this beautiful location that is so well loved and frequented by butterfly enthusiasts, the grasses were alive with flowers and the insects and butterflies were having the proverbial 'field day', and I must mention here and now that Meadow Brown were to be seen in their hundreds, and considering the wet summer conditions, they've had a great season. Contrary to the multitudes of Meadow Brown came the mystery of the missing Chalkhill Blue, they were on the Down but you had to really look out for them, and after the incredible spectacle of seeing them in their countless hundreds on the Cotswolds, and reading on these sightings pages of similar numbers on the Wolds and other places, I was totally perplexed that their numbers were so few on Fontmell.

And so onto the search for Silver-spotted Skipper, it was only ten minutes before I located the first insect of the day, a rather worn male specimen, but the critter was hyper in the heat, but still gave the clue that the yellow daisies were flavour of the day, it refused both the field scabious and the plentiful dwarf thistle, and it allowed me to focus my attentions on yellow daisy type flowers ie hawkbit, hawkbeard, hawkweeds etc with reasonable success, I found a total of nine before my attentions were distracted onto the other insects enjoying the wonderful weather. I reflected during my elevenses (coffee & Kit Kat what else!!! ) that it cannot get much better than 'butterfly chasing' in such beautiful weather in such a beautiful place...now who could ask for more?

Content with my efforts with the Silver-spotted Skipper and a few reasonably good photo's considering their activity, I now sought out Adonis Blue at the lower reaches of the Down where on previous visits I've found them rather in favour of the particular micro climate it provides, I was not to be disappointed, they were present but in rather low numbers, I doubt I saw more than a dozen, but they were at least all nice and fresh. Brimstone were in exceptionally good numbers, they constanly searched out the dwarf thistles which I know they consider a delicacy should also mention here that Large White were also in healthy numbers. The nationally scarce Chalk Carpet macro moth is to be found here, I saw at least a half dozen, but the moth that stole the show was a stunning Grass Emerald that no photograph can do real justice too. Rounded off my visit with a nice fresh Painted Lady and a dead cert Essex Skipper which brought a total species count for the day up to 18 which added the following to those already mentioned Small Skipper, Small White, Green-veined White, Small Copper, Common Blue, Dark Green Fritillary, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Ringlet and Small Heath.

Martin Down was my next visit where I met a group of hardy enthusiasts searching for Silver-spotted Skipper they had apparently spent all day looking for this elusive little butterfly yet saw only two, this made my trip to Fontmell even more worthwhile, but my intended co-visit to Alners Gorse to see Brown Hairstreak was cancelled, I was forewarned by a regular visitor to the reserve that the species has had a poor season there, with very few having been seen...but you can't have it all can you

Bill

Willrow wrote:Contrary to the multitudes of Meadow Brown came the mystery of the missing Chalkhill Blue, they were on the Down but you had to really look out for them, and after the incredible spectacle of seeing them in their countless hundreds on the Cotswolds, and reading on these sightings pages of similar numbers on the Wolds and other places, I was totally perplexed that their numbers were so few on Fontmell.

When I visited Alner's Gorse last month, I bumped into a guy who co-ordinates the transects there. He was surprised when I told him I'd seen Chalkhill Blues earlier in the day at Bindon Hill as he claimed that this species is now generally very scarce in Dorset as it is believed that they are being decimated due to disease.

I've now idea how true this is, but I recall that in 2011 I visited Ballard Down near Swanage expecting to see multi-dozens of them and coming away most surprised at not seeing a single specimen.

So, maybe Chalkhills are being afflicted by disease, though I don't really understand how it can seemingly affect populations in just one county.

I went back to Lydden NR this morning, the hillside covered in dancing butterflies and a wealth of gorgeous wild flowers. There were many more Silver Spotted Skippers than last week: And Adonis Blues were back again in good numbers: Several female Common blues Three Wall: A couple of Small Tortoiseshells: Many Meadow Browns, a few Chalkhill Blues, Brown Argus, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral, Peacock and a Speckled Wood

Willrow wrote:coffee & Kit Kat what else!!!

I hope it was a Chunky Kit Kat - good dose of chocolate with those!

Mike

A stroll around High and Over and Frog Firle in warm but thin cloud produced big quantities of butterflies today taking advantage of the wild flowers in the meadows. Meadow Brown were everywhere with good numbers also of Wall Brown, Adonis Blue, Small Heath and Silver Spotted Skipper. At last the Common Blue numbers have also built up and a few Small Tortoiseshell, Small Blue and Brown Argus also seen. Several moths also about including Rush Veneer and Pyrausta Ostrinalis and lots of Silver Y.

David M wrote: maybe Chalkhills are being afflicted by disease, though I don't really understand how it can seemingly affect populations in just one county.

Mystery indeed David, I'd always considered Dorset a rather good county for Chalkhill Blue I'll take a bit more notice in future of postings about the species in Dorset, we may perhaps get a better indication of their current status if our Dorset members could give us some feedback before the end of their flight season.

MikeOxon wrote:I hope it was a Chunky Kit Kat - good dose of chocolate with those!

No such luck Mike, only two fingers for me

Best Wishes,
Bill

I seem to remember the last study on British Chalkhill Blue populations finding that the species was doing better in the south-east than the south-west. As far as I know the numbers in Somerset have not been great - Draycott particularly - though there seemed to be reasonable numbers at Brean Down when I went there at the start of the month.

went down to Grafton wood hoping to see brown hairstreaks yesterday (monday), not a sign of any which was very disapointing

but loads of fresh brimstones, red admirals and peacocks. very few brown argus seen and only one small skipper.
very good numbers of meadow browns,gatekeepers and large whites. a late white admiral and a few silver washed including this Valezina

Went out to the Fleam Dyke today - the fledgling CHB colony there is doing well. On transect I counted over 80 (last week someone counted 160) and it is spreading into other areas on the Dyke too. Also more on the nearby Roman Road. In general our CHB in Cambs have thrived over the last few years, though their sites are still quite small and restricted compared to the wide-open downlands elsewhere. Lots of Silver-Y moths today...

Visited Arnside Knott last Saturday and saw 14 Scotch Argus, all of which were past their sell by date.

If you want to see this species in England this year, I reckon this weekend will be your last opportunity:

This morning I visited Dungeness for a wander around the Nuclear Power Station perimeter fence. The first butterfly that I came across was a Small White and then this Common Blue: The blues were in good numbers throughout the site.

I also saw 9 Red Admirals, mostly fly-pasts, but some lingering to nectar on a green-flowered plant that grows commonly here: Meadow Browns are also attracted to it: Small Coppers were plentiful: Including this chap who had ( to my naked eye, not sure if it comes out too well in the photograph ) a marked greenish tinge: I guess he's just rather badly worn and not radioactive?

This Jersey Tiger Moth was near the Observatory: But for me the highlight of my visit was coming across so many Small Tortoiseshells, 11 in all : They are absolutely beautiful and when I got home I found 3 more in my garden.

Visited the West Williamston Brown Hairstreak site in Pembrokeshire for two and a half hours today.

Not only did I not see a single BH, I didn't even locate any eggs which is all rather worrying.

I checked all the blackthorn suckers that have proved favourites with the females over the past couple of years but one can only conclude that this season is so late this year that the egg laying bouts have not yet commenced!

The weather was mainly overcast with sunny intervals and it was fairly gusty with temperatures reaching 18c at best, so it's perhaps not surprising that butterflies of any variety were hard to come by.

I saw 4 Hedge Browns, 2 Large Whites, 2 Speckled Woods, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Small White and 1 Meadow Brown......but I DID see only my second Painted Lady in the UK this year - it was nectaring on the sea asters near the shoreline although this shot was taken after I'd disturbed it and it landed on the ground instead:

That Painted Lady looks unusual to me in having blue centres to the hindwing eye-spots. I have no idea if this is common or not, but I don't recall having ever seen one like this.

Dave

Like David M above, I also drew a blank with Brown Hairstreak today. In my case, along the Roman Road leading onto Otmoor from Beckley, Oxon. Although there were warm sunny intervals, there was also quite a stiff breeze and this may have kept the butterflies under cover. Another watcher told me that five had been seen there yesterday (21st), around their favoured Ash tree. Meadow Browns were abundant and I also saw a few Small Whites and a single Red Admiral but other butterfly species seemed absent. There were, however, huge numbers of Common Darter dragonflies and a few larger Hawkers - Brown and Migrant.

Mike

millerd wrote:That Painted Lady looks unusual to me in having blue centres to the hindwing eye-spots. I have no idea if this is common or not, but I don't recall having ever seen one like this.
Dave

Sorry to say this Dave, but those spots are present on all PLs (though they are difficult to see on some)........ I suggest you re-visit your pics....
(Saw my first of this year today!)

I've just checked some of my Painted Lady shots and they don't have blue centres to the black hind wings spots either so like Millerd I think it is unusual. Has NickB got confused with the two blue marks on the very margin where the hind wings meet as all my shots do have those?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Phew! I thought my eyesight had got worse than I realised. I have now checked through many past photos and found that at most there are one or two blue scales in these spots. Most individuals have none. If you look at the images in the species-specific album, there is just one with blue in the spots. They all do have the blue marks in the angle of the hindwing - but that's not what I was referring to, as Wurzel guessed. I should have made it a bit clearer.
Anyway, David M's image is to me quite striking, as the spots are markedly bigger and bluer!

Dave

Re Painted Lady, i've just goodled images and i'd say it seems after looking at alot of pages of images that it certainly doesn't seem very common, the australian PL has a complete row which looks pretty and following various links through the images the odd blue seems more common in PL's accross from the atlantic. not a scientific study i know but it killed an hour before i have to go out. well spotted Dave...... something else for me to look out for