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Willrow wrote:Old Castle Down, Near Bridgend, South Wales In a week that I sighted five of our British fritillary species Small-pearl Bordered, Marsh, Heath, Dark Green & High Brown - today rounded it off with a morning visit to this lovely location. At least 30 High Brown Fritillary and similar numbers of Dark Green Fritillary were highly active in the hot sunshine it was only when the cloud cover helped that they settled long enough for a few images....

Is this genuinely a Heath Fritillary site? I've never heard of them in Wales before.

Ah, I see, I hadn't read the original post carefully enough.

Out and about in the countryside in Ipswich and some more first sightings for 2014.
In Wherstead Wood today was my first White Admiral of the year, along with my first Ringlet. Also seen were a couple of Red Admirals. Encouragingly, I have had several separate Red Admiral sightings in the last few days (that's more than the whole of 2013).
Also on the wing in my local park were the first Large Skippers and Meadow Browns of the year.

Kind Regards
Kev

Hi, Gang
Are you sitting comfortably?
Purple Emperor on the wing in Surrey!!!
Adrian Riley
http://www.bugalert.net

Saw my 1st White Admiral of the year & female Meadow Brown with pale markings in Ken Hill wood Snettisham yesterday morning after a visit to RSPB reserve for high tide. (reserve is now open to walk round with 2 hides open but cannot do the old circular walk yet following the devastation of Dec 5th tide surge). Also a very fresh Comma & Red Admiral + lots of insects I had not seen before so an interesting morning. Eric

Out yesterday with PhilB; a quick trip to Bedford Purleius revealed a couple of early Silver-washed, lots of Ringlet, Speckled Wood and Meadow Brown with a few Large Skipper and a fresh Comma. Later at Monk's Wood, our first 2 White Admiral, a couple of Red Admiral and Comma, a few Ringlet, Meadow Brown and Large Skipper, a couple of Large and GV White and a few Black Hairstreak - females down egg-laying in the afternoon....

Nick
That female Black Hairstreak is fabulous.
She seems to be using a hind foot to help pull the thing out.
Lovely stuff

Rogerdodge wrote:Nick
That female Black Hairstreak is fabulous.
She seems to be using a hind foot to help pull the thing out.
Lovely stuff

Nice to hear from you, Roger!
It was a privilege to watch her. We saw 2 females that lead us a merry dance as they crawled through the blackthorn testing for the exact right place to lay.
PhilB has a better shot of one, with ovipositor out; she was ready for a while - we didn't actually see her placing an egg, though she must have laid some....
Hope you are having fun with the Frits down there....

Had the great pleasure to visit a private re-introduction site in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire yesterday where the first Large Blue have been seen this year since 1929, and as if this wonderful news is not enough the first Adonis Blue have also been seen there for the very first time...it absolutely fills me with cheer
The Marbled White were also emerging in force, Gloucestershire is recognised as a real stronghold for the species, I have a real soft-spot for this iconic 'summer meadow' butterfly.
Bill

"When in doubt...venture out"

That really IS excellent news, Bill. Sounds like you've had another wonderful day.

Wish I wasn't stuck at work

Alice Holt (straits inclosure) revealed a handful of silver washed fritillaries and white admiral in the hour i was there this morning.
Also seen were large skippers, ringlet, meadow brown and several red admiral. As expected, nothing Purple was noticed.. yet.
Its worth noting that the main track through the wood is being relaid at the moment so dont expect a peaceful visit if you go in the next couple of days. There was a tipper constantly delivering aggregate backwards and forwards and JCBs at the entrance and by the 1st tower.
A couple of white admiral were flying...and posing for photos..in nearby Abbotts Wood, as well as a solitary Small Tortoiseshell.
Goose Green inclosure was quiet apart from a solitary SWF and a couple of ringlet.
cheers
Rob

At least 3 High Brown Fritillaries seen amongst 30 or so DGF/HB at Alun Valley, Glamorgan this morning.

I saw about 20-30 Dark Green Fritillaries at Lullingstone Country Park today

Hot sunny day at Morfa Harlech. It's dreaming of days like these that gets me through winter. Plenty of Dark Green Fritillary, Small Heath, Common Blue, Meadow Brown, Ringlet.

That's good news for me,I'm in barmouth tommorow and its the Great orm on sunday

I don't often post on the Sightings thread but I saw Lulworths at Lulworth on Sunday including a few fresh females. However I couldn't get up to Bindon Hill as the cliff path (the sign posted one) was shut due to a cliff fall so try asking at the Heritage Centre for another way up there - I didn't as I didn't have time but they are around at the top of the car park Have a goodun

Wurzel

Willrow wrote: The best open-wing shot of Large Blue I could manage...

Well, I'd have been delighted with that shot Good to know that Large Blue is 'spreading its wings' in new places!

Let's hope for more success with Large Copper next

Mike

MikeOxon wrote:Well, I'd have been delighted with that shot Good to know that Large Blue is 'spreading its wings' in new places!

Let's hope for more success with Large Copper next

Mike

Thank you kindly Mike

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Afternoon trip in hot sunshine to Old Castle Down, Alun Valley, Glamorgan produced a hyperactive display of both High Brown Fritillary, Dark Green Fritillary and also several rather faded Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary many of the former species were seen 'in-tandem' and I managed to get a 'snap' of one pair on bramble blossom which incidentally is showing exceptionally well this year.
It was nice to bump into Gareth & Cate on site a couple of fellow BC transect walkers and exchange some 'fritinformation'...a word that's going to be officially accepted into the Camford Butterfly Dictionary ...just you guys & gals remember where you heard that term first

Bill

"When in doubt...venture out"

Visited the Great Orme on the 18th June, place was awash with Silver-studded Blues.

Out on the bikes today, we nearly run over a Purple Emperor on the level crossing next to Dunbridge train station.

Regards Gruditch