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Just catching up Goldie - good to see that you got your Chalkhills and some great Silver Spots Just got to try for those Brostreaks now

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thank's Wurzel, the Brostreaks will have to wait unfortunately until next year now, my priority now is to get my Husband sorted out health wise, we thought it would be good for him to have a change but he's still not back to his usual happy self , he just wants to get home put his feet up, get his usual Rum and Blackcurrant and fall asleep in his chair when he wants I said that's fine if i can throw a box of chocolates in with that
and maybe a glass of red wine Goldie

You 2 have certainly got it sorted out Can I come and join you - mine's a G@T Seriously, hope Jim's 100% soon. Please give him my best x.

It was very hot yesterday ( Thursday ) so with rain forecast for the next couple of day's and not having seen many Butterflies other than at Temple Ewell and just a few the day before on the White Cliffs, mostly Common Blue we decided to return to TE for the last time.

Thank's Pauline for your concern I think things too active for Jim and he just needs to relax now, hope fully we'll see you again next year.

Having seen a Wall Brown last time I visited there, which quickly flew a way, I decided to take the same path
but we never saw any only Meadow Brown's.
On the lower field there were very few BF flying, lots of White's a few Gate Keeper's one or two CHB's, in a very poor condition so we went up through the tree's to the top sloping Meadow.
Here it was so different, Butterflies every where, I took loads of shot's at any thing Blue Still looking for my Adonis never saw one )
What I did see though was a Small Heath lot's of them and I've never seen has many Brown Argus, I'm not exaggerating when I say they seemed has numerous as the Meadow Browns.
We didn't need to search for SSS either they were flying all over both in the top most field to the lower slopes
it was great to see. ( no Clouded Yellow's though ) I'll have to do without those has well has the Adonis this year but hope fully there's always next year
One shot I took got my curiosity going because I thought the Butterfly was egg laying and I was looking at the egg has it was laid but the wing of the BF which is a CB showed Blue so this leads to a Question, Male or Female and what's happening. ? Goldie

Hi Goldie,

You made a point about having to wait for Brown Hairstreaks until next year but someone saw one at the Gait Barrows NR on Tuesday and Wednesday (iRecord database) - in your neck of the woods? Can this really be true?
ATB

Peter

Hi! Peter, I'm still in Kent at present so I've not heard any thing about Brown HS's at Gait Barrow, it would really surprise me if some one had seen them, it's not so long since I had an e-mail from the Ranger there when I asked if he knew the where about's of the White Letter HS at GB and he said if on my travels there I saw one to let him know
I know Purple HS have been seen there also at Arnside Knot but if the BHS have been seen at GB they've not been recorded on the Lanc's sighting posts I've just checked, if I hear any thing more about it I'll let you know because I'll be up there has soon as I get back if it's true. Goldie

Goldie M wrote:...... I thought the Butterfly was egg laying and I was looking at the egg has it was laid but the wing of the BF which is a CB showed Blue so this leads to a Question, Male or Female and what's happening. ? .......

Just as in the case of Common Blues, Chalkhill females can have quite a lot of blue scales on their wings. I recently posted a photo of one in my diary

I think a 'blue' female is more likely than an egg-laying male

Mike

Goldie M wrote:Hi! Peter, I'm still in Kent at present so I've not heard any thing about Brown HS's at Gait Barrow, it would really surprise me if some one had seen them, it's not so long since I had an e-mail from the Ranger there when I asked if he knew the where about's of the White Letter HS at GB and he said if on my travels there I saw one to let him know
I know Purple HS have been seen there also at Arnside Knot but if the BHS have been seen at GB they've not been recorded on the Lanc's sighting posts I've just checked, if I hear any thing more about it I'll let you know because I'll be up there has soon as I get back if it's true. Goldie

The person who saw them was certain that they were Brownies at grid ref SD 4833 7745 and SD 4837 7746.

ATB

Peter

Hi! Peter, i'll look into what you've posted when I get home , i hope the person is right, I'll contact my friend and ask about it, you never know with the warmer weather etc, any thing can happen these day's.Goldie

Hi! Mike,I should think an egg laying Male would make a nice change, Don't you

Peter, I've sent Coordinates, to the Manager at GB when I get a reply I'll let you know. Goldie

Hi Goldie,

Just catching up on your trip to Kent...glad to see you saw some nice butterflies including the Silver-spotted Skippers. Shame you missed the Adonis but like you say, there is always next year. I have missed a load of species myself this year.

I would be very surprised if a Brown Hairstreak was seen at Gait Barrows, that is well outside of their range. Unless there is some proof my money is on Gatekeeper or male Vapourer Moth. The latter especially are often mistaken for Brown Hairstreaks when they fly in the day high up around trees.
Either that or a release.

Cheers,

Neil.

That's a great selection from the end of your trip to Kent. I really wish I'd spent more time up on the hillsides when I lived in Dover...

I think your Blue is a male, but I don't think it's egg-laying. Enlarging your photo makes it look more like a small globule of yellow liquid at its tail end - certainly not an egg, which would be much tinier and white. It's also perched up on a grass stalk, not a place for a Common Blue to lay. The butterfly looks a bit dishevelled, so maybe it was damaged in some way? Just a thought...

Dave

Just what I thought Dave, that 's why I queried it because it looked more like a male than a female, I'd taken a photo of a Female a couple of day's before that looked similar also on a blade of grass so I wasn't sure.

That's what I think Neil, but you never know, look what I found in 2012 White SPB frits, it would be great if there was though

I've posted the photo of the BF I took a couple of days ago Goldie

Hi Goldie, on Monday at Shipton Bellinger I too photographed a male Common blue behaving Identically to your one, perached on a dead stem curling it's abdomen? (A picture is in my PD). Perhaps a female had left some pheromones behind and it thought it was in luck?

You're going to hate me Goldie but guess what I saw at Lydden Temple Ewell downs on Wednesday,among all those Silver Spotted Skippers! My first in Britain this year:

Hi! essex, well done, right place at the right time, I was on the White Cliffs of Dover, that day eating cream scones when i should have been butterflying

I think your right Bugboy, looks like my Male wasn't lucky either

I can't grumble these last two weeks the weather has been great and we've been out and about with the family and got some Butterflies I wanted has well, what I didn't get will wait until next year. Goldie

Hi Goldie. Adult butterflies don't go to the loo much but they will eliminate excess liquid from the tip of their abdomen and this may hang on the end as a golden orb as in your common blue. I suspect he is perfectly healthy - just had a bit of a night on the town!

Guy

I know all about eating cream scones, Goldie! Yes,whisper it but the weather has been much better down here recently. Not so good today,though!

Trust me Guy to take a photo of a Butterfly going to the loo I ask you of all the photos to take. I bet a lot more people didn't know that Butterfly's go to the loo. Goldie

I hope the weather keeps up for you essex, i'm back in the North tomorrow, I must say though when it's nice and the Sun's shining it's beautiful in the hills in the North. Goldie