Lee Hurrell

[Vince Massimo]

Hi Lee,

Looking at the early photos of Cedric, I would say that he is a Green Veined White, because I could not see a yellow stripe on his back. Now he has started to colour-up, I would estimate that he should emerge on Wednesday. The pupal case will go fully transparent at about 10 hours before hatching. Judging by the latest photo, I would also stick my neck out and say that he is a male.

Looking forward to seeing how things turn out.

Cheers,
Uncle Vince

[Lee Hurrell]

Hi Uncle Vince,

Last night Cedric had gotten darker and this morning was even more so, seeming quite transparent too. I can see eyes and body hairs too. Photos to follow when I get home.

I also now think male as I can see one black dot on the forewing, which does look like a Green Veined White, through the pupal case.

I'm thinking I might get home to a new born...

Thanks,

Lee

[Lee Hurrell]

Sunday 8th August 2010

I went to Bernwood Meadows today in search of Brown Hairstreaks...and I found them!
3 definite sightings plus a couple of possibles. Brown Hairstreaks seem to be remarkably docile when nectaring, allowing close inspection. I stayed with this female for over half an hour!

The meadow seemed quite parched compared to when I was there looking at Black Hairstreaks but the numbers of Common Blue were impressive. Also seen were a few Marbled White in surprisingly good nick along with the usual suspects.

Common Blue and Brown Argus were readily nectaring on bramble, and at heights taller than me too.

Bernwood Meadows sightings:

3 Brown Hairstreak
3 Purple Hairstreak
2 Red Admiral
2 Comma
1 Silver Washed Fritillary
2 Large Skipper
1 Small/Essex Skipper
150+ Common Blue
2 Brown Argus
2 Small Copper
3 Marbled White
50+ Meadow Brown
25+ Ringlet
3 Speckled Wood
75+ Gatekeeper
2 Large White
5 Green Veined White
25+ Small or Green Veined White

I also met a chap called Peter Law hunting hairstreaks and watched a Sparrowhawk hunting across the meadow.

I ventured into Bernwood Forest by the Black Hairstreak gate and turned right heading for Water Perry Wood. There was a long patch of Hemp Agrimony I found last year which was covered in butterflies, including fresh Peacocks.

The Hemp Agrimony was surprisingly quiet this time as not far before it was a long ride full of the yellow flower pictured below which was COVERED in butterflies. Almost unbelievably so; Silver Washed Fritilliaries, Peacocks, Common Blues, Brown Arguses, Skippers, Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, Ringlets, Small Whites, Green Veined Whites and a Brimstone!
This doesn't really do it justice, but you get the idea:

I’m not sure what it is, some sort of daisy I guess (Susie?) but I’d recommend getting some in the garden for next year if you can ID it. (Incidentally, it is one of the wild flowers I have growing by my front door that has kept the knotweed at bay – and this patch has been covered in bees and hoverflies for weeks now, so it works!)

Bernwood Forest sightings:

8 Peacock (including one with very odd shaped hind wings)
3 Brimstone (all male)
1 Comma
10 Silver Washed Fritillary (all pretty tatty now, although I did see one female still laying eggs quite high up a tree)
100+ Common Blue (including some nice blue females)
25+ Brown Argus (including one with a white dot on one forewing)
2 Small Copper
15+ Speckled Wood
15+ Meadow Brown
75+ Ringlet
100+ Gatekeeper
3 Large White
2 Small White
15+ Green Veined White
20+ Small or Green Veined White
4 Large Skipper
15+ Small Skipper (no Essex seen)

look at the matching hind wing outlines on this individual...very odd!

[Lee Hurrell]

Monday 9th August 2010

Cedric at 21.51:

[Lee Hurrell]

Tuesday 10th August 2010

Cedric at 07.33 this morning:

[Lee Hurrell]

Tuesday 10th August 2010

It's a boy!

On my arrival home, Cedric had emerged into a beautiful male Small White

I could see from this morning he was likley to emerge today and with the weather due to be rain all day I didn't want to leave him outside as I had no where sheltered to leave him. So I placed him facing the patio doors with some climbing material to dry off on and the light to go towards when emerged. I found him on the glass as hoped, took a few photos and let him fly free.

I tried to place him on my buddliea but despite the dark grey sky he flew straight up and over the trees in to next door's garden. I thought that was it but then he re-appeared, circled a bit and came to rest in the apple tree. I guess that was his first proper flight. At least it should be sunny for him tomorrow.

A happy ending

One thing that did strike me was just how small the pupa was. It was at about half the size of the fully grown caterpillar.

This has stirred me into wanting to do some more breeding again, maybe something for the future!

[Vince Massimo]

Congratulations Lee and good luck to Cedric (even though he was not the Green Veined White I predicted) .
I really like the first photo, but it took me a few seconds to realise the reason why.

Lee, the yellow flowers in your earlier post are Common Fleabane.

Vince

[Michaeljf]

Lee,
lovely photos - particularly of the Brown Hairstreak. Great to see them when they're so fresh. Was the Brown Hairstreak at the (usual) Black Hairstreak end of Bernwood Meadows?

Don't think I can get up there this weekend, but I'd love to see a few specimens as good as that...

[Lee Hurrell]

Thanks Vince, I like the effect against the glass!

It was a little tricky given the very dull light, I had to use a monopod for horizontal stability while resting the camera against the glass for vertical stability. The shutter speed was pretty slow, I tried flash but that just bleached everything. Plus I didn't want to keep him from his maiden flight any longer. Thanks for the Fleabane ID too.

Michael, thanks, you're too kind.

These Brown Hairstreak were at the other end, near the offical car park at SP606111. Search the hedges and trees the same side of the meadow as the car park, bordering the road, I saw them both left and right of the car park. Left of the car park as you drive in takes you into a long thin meadow where I spent time with the female pictured. The chap I met had seen one on the corner opposite the car park as you walk round to the Black Hairstreak end, and another couple had seen a few males high up earlier in the day. Also, another couple reported one down low at 1030 at Whitecross Green Wood, just up the road.

Cheers

Lee

[Lee Hurrell]

Sunday 15th August 2010

I braved the M25 this afternoon for a couple of hours at Denbies, in search of Adonis Blues. It was sunny all the way there and then clouded over when I got there. The sun popped in and out and then stayed out for longer after about an hour. The numbers of Chalkhill Blues were still impressive, with a lot of fresh males and females out. I think all the females I saw were Chalkhill though. I would imagine Adonis numbers still has to peak and if they are like Chalkhills, perhaps the females aren't out yet. I also saw my first ever Adder! It wasn't hanging about for a photo though once disturbed from its basking spot.

Denbies sightings:

20+ Adonis Blue
150+ Chalkhill Blue
15+ Common Blue
8 Brown Argus
4 Small Copper
5 Small Heath
25+ Meadow Brown
15+ Gatekeeper
2 Small or Green Veined White

another slight underside aberration

[Lee Hurrell]

Friday 20th August 2010

While watering my buddleias this evening I didn't notice this Large White! (That's yours it's on Susie ).

I dashed in to get the camera:

[Lee Hurrell]

Saturday 21st August 2010

My quest for a Holly Blue photo continues. I was actually on the phone when I watched this one settle on our Holly tree.

A quick 'I'll call you back in 5 minutes', a dash to get the camera and a precarious balancing act on the garden bench led to...

Now I just need to get one in focus...

[Lee Hurrell]

A planned trip to the south downs was curtailed today with the forecast of heavy rain.

Garden sightings today:

1 Holly Blue
3 Speckled Wood
1 Large White
2 Small or Green Veined White

Having bored myself catching up on paperwork, I ventured over to Greenford Park Cemetery this afternoon.

I found an as yet unidentified caterpillar on the way in (also posted in ID thread):

I also found a species I hadn't seen over there before, the Small Heath. That's the third new species over there I've seen this year (the other two being Small Skipper and Small Tortoiseshell), so certainly worth going!

All the other small titular species are to be found over there apart from blue and pearl bordered and unfortunately they are both unlikely.

Cemetery sightings:

1 Small Heath
10 Common Blue (male and female, including a nice blue one below)
2 Small Copper (one missing part of an antenna)
1 Speckled Wood
13 Small or Green Veined White

I also found this beautiful hoverfly:

[Lee Hurrell]

Saturday 28th August 2010

My friend Michael and I headed to the South Downs for the afternoon today, looking for Adonis Blues. I wondered what the incessant bad weather over the last few weeks would have done to butterfly numbers. With today being the first decent sun I'd seen for what seemed like ages my fears were somewhat alleviated with the sight of a Red Admiral, a Meadow Brown and several whites as I pulled up at his in the car.

We were heading for the Cuckmere Haven at Seven Sisters Country Park but drove past the car park for Wilmington Hill and couldn't resist a quick stop. Numbers were not surprisingly down on a month ago but I did get my first decent ish shot of a Holly Blue with some worn females and males nectaring on brambles

Otherwise, we saw:

1 Chalk Hill Blue
1 Brown Argus
10+ Common Blue
6 Holly Blue
3 Meadow Brown
1 Small Heath
2 Small White

female

female

male

We drove on to Cuckmere. Not far into the park I'm fairly sure I saw a female Adonis and then came across this odd looking Meadow Brown with white patches on both underside fore and hind wings:

The side of the hill we saw Adonis on last year had been grazed by cattle (they were still there, with pats everywhere) and all of the long grass and thistles had gone. This didn't look good. There were a few nectar sources hidden low down in the turf though and as the sun came out for a lovely end to the afternoon the Chalkhills and Adonis made themselves known. We saw two mating pairs of Chalkhills and some of the male Chalkhills were fresh too. I'm still not sure I photographed a female Adonis but most the females we saw were very fresh so there must have been a few in there.

Adonis?

A pretty fresh male

We also found a male Adonis who at first I thought was fresh out and drying its wings but due the thorassic hair loss I think it must have been deformed, around for a while and was unable to fly. We placed him in a safe spot.

We walked to the sea and along the beach until we could see the Seven Sisters, with Birling Gap in the distance, looking for fossils.

The Seven Sisters

The walk back along the Cuckmere Valley from the sea

We skirted the bottom of the slopes on the way back where there was more long grass cover and as hoped for, found some evening blues basking:

Cuckmere Haven sightings:
40+ Adonis Blue
25+ Chalkhill Blue (including 2 mating pairs)
15+ Common Blue
2 Brown Argus
2 Small Copper
1 Speckled Wood
30+ Small Heath
75+ Meadow Brown
2 Small White

1 Silver Y

And then as we got back to the car there were 2 Hummingbird Hawk Moths on buddliea in the car park! All in all, a lovely day.

[Lee Hurrell]

Bank Holiday Monday 30th August 2010

Bit tardy this one, but a few sightings from Greenford Park Cemetery on Monday:

1 Holly Blue
4 Common Blue (3 male, 1 female)
2 Small Copper
1 Meadow Brown
3 Small White
2 Small or Green Veined White
1 Brimstone, female - another first for the cemetery!

Also 1 female Holly Blue my back garden.

Where have all the Vanessids gone? Early doors due to the cold and wet perhaps.

The cemetery coppers were looking a bit tatty:

[Lee Hurrell]

Saturday 4th September 2010

What a difference a week makes

I had a prolonged walk around my cemetery this afternoon. Upon leaving the house, this charming little beauty was in the wildflower patch:

Not far in to the cemetery on my usual route, I was looking at this spider and its lunch on a privet bush:

When out of nowhere this Holly Blue landed in front of my face to nectar briefly, allowing me this one frame before it sped off. That normally never happens and takes my Holly Blue photo ops to about 5!

The weekly difference I alluded to is that there were some lovely fresh Small Coppers out today, I saw at least 10, the most I have seen over there in one visit.

I also saw 1 fresh Speckled Wood:

and another that, although older, appeared to have both yellow and white spots:

Cemetery sightings:

1 Holly Blue
4 Common Blue, all male
10+ Small Copper
3 Speckled Wood
3 Large White
1 Small White
2 Small or Green Veined White

Still no Vanessids though.

[Lee Hurrell]

I went over for another visit to Greenford Park Cemetery once the afternoon sun popped out for a short time.

I learnt some Holly Blue field craft today. I normally see them over there but today I saw 3 in 5 minutes. There is a long line of trees with shrubs in front of them as I walk in, including holly, ivy and I hadn't really noticed it until yesterday, but also (late?) flowering privet bushes.

It was on here that the Holly Blue I saw yesterday was found. There's quite a lot of this privet and above all of it are mature holly and ivy trees.

Today I just waited and sure enough up popped a Holly Blue onto the privet flowers. That one sped off across the gravestones but a couple of minutes later another appeared to nectar, allowing a few shots. I thought it was a male and sure enough an older female appeared and he chased her up and over the trees. This must be a hot spot for them with foodplants and nectar so close together and will be where I have a good look next year.

Sometimes when I am off on my travels I am normally moving through a landscape always walking, stopping only to look when I see something interesting. But as His Majesty, Black and Brown Hairstreaks and of course as Mr Oates mentioned at the workshop, sometimes you just need to stop, wait and take your surroundings in. As has been the case this season, sometimes you see more. I have followed this advice this year and will continue to do so next season. When I hope for a nice picture of a Holly Blue

Also enjoying the brief late afternoon sun were 2 Speckled Wood and 3 Small Coppers.

[Lee Hurrell]

Today started with a lovely fresh Brimstone moth on the patio doors as I opened them this morning:

It was a lovely sunny day in Greenford today and I had an hour or so in my local cemetery this afternoon.

More third brood Speckled Woods are out and I saw one nectaring on sedum, which I hadn't seen before. I couldn't photograph any of them though, they were 'doing a Wall' and flew each time the shutter clicked.

Apart from a few Whites the only other species I saw was Small Copper, which are still putting on a good show. I counted 8 and photographed at least 4 so some may have been repeat sightings.

I also found a very fresh and very dark individual with teardrops instead of squares on the outer forewing markings. Quite beautiful.

Cemetery sightings:
8 Small Copper
7 Speckled Wood
8 Small or Green Veined Whites

Other than that we did a little gardening and picked another bowl of home grown tomatoes which my girlfriend has made into a pasta sauce for tomorrow. Yum!

[Lee Hurrell]

Here's one of the hot spots for Small Coppers in one of the wild areas at Greenford Park Cemetery. The white flowers are (I think) Ox Eye Daisy and they prove be good perching sites for launching battles with intruders as well as a nectar source.

[Lee Hurrell]

I'm in Somerset for the weekend. 1 Red Kite, 4 Buzzards and a Kestrel seen on the way down. Oh and there was a Large White as I left home.

I was hopeful for some Vanessids, not having seen one for weeks now and in my mum's garden a Red Admiral feeding on blackberries this afternoon was a welcome sight.

An hour in the nearby fields and woodland paths led to another 2 Red Admirals, 2 Small Coppers, 7 Speckled Wood and 2 House Martins.

Cheers

Lee