www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

First Marbled White that sat beautifully still got a photo! No Meadow Brown females yet, but the male numbers are building daily.

Interesting version of C. pamphilus in Skye today....

went to Pegsdon Hills today. it was mainly cloudy, but there was enough intermittent sunshine to bring the butterflies out.
here are a Dark Green Fritillary & a Marbled White from the Hoo Bit area.

There must have been something in the air in south Essex on a largely sunny day yesterday (26th). First were the White-letter Hairstreaks near Hadleigh/Leigh-on-Sea......then the Heath Fritillaries in Pound Wood a few miles inland.Good numbers of fresh examples of both species in their respective locations.

Full reports to follow in my PD - eventually!

Cheers,

Dave

For the last 4 weeks, I have been observing a White Admiral larva through to emergence of the adult.
Yesterday, 26th June, a male (photo) successfully emerged in a wood on the Kent/East Sussex border.
There are more images on my blog.


http://eastsussexwanderer.blogspot.co.uk

millerd wrote: ↑Sun Jun 27, 2021 12:39 pm...First were the White-letter Hairstreaks near Hadleigh/Leigh-on-Sea...

Great sighting, Dave. I'd be happy to just see one below head height, let alone a mating pair!!

Cloudy but decent temperatures on Deeside this morning so visited a couple of my usual haunts at Cambus o may and Drum castle. Was hoping to see some DGF but nothing on the wing. Seen around 15 SPBF, 6 Small heath, 12 Common blue and 6 Burnet moth.

Your Common Blues and some of your SBPFs are still looking fresh Bertl.

Wednesday 23rd - Alun Valley, nr. Bridgend, Glamorgan:

Over 40 'large' fritillaries seen today on my transect as well as another hour spent independently immediately afterwards. High Browns predominated, with at least 15 of those positively identified. Dark Greens numbered only 2 with certainty.

Other species were Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood & Large Skipper:

More of the same this/last Saturday, an despite the forecast of a very high pollen count, i still went out from 1.00pm to 7.00pm. Strangely enough, i showed hardly any symptoms of Hayfever this time?!!!(which was a massive relief)....2 locations visited in Kent, with both areas good for DGF's an MW's. Numbers are growing, but still lower than normal for this time of year.
Other species seen were a Painted Lady, Small an large Skippers, a couple of Small Blues, some worn Common Blues, good numbers of Small Heath an Meadow Brown, an a couple of Small Tortoiseshell.

Images are not cropped. Cheers Paul.

millerd wrote: ↑Sun Jun 27, 2021 12:39 pm There must have been something in the air in south Essex on a largely sunny day yesterday (26th). First were the White-letter Hairstreaks near Hadleigh/Leigh-on-Sea...WLH pair1 260621.JPG...then the Heath Fritillaries in Pound Wood a few miles inland.HF pair1 260621.JPGGood numbers of fresh examples of both species in their respective locations.

Full reports to follow in my PD - eventually!

Cheers,

Dave

Really good to see a mating shot of these WLH's Dave.
Im once again doubtful, that i will see any WLH's visit my garden this year!
Cheers Paul.

Enjoying following others sightings and images above.

I had a great Monday 28th 'Day of the Satyrids' seeing Large Heath at Meathop Moss and Mountain Ringlet on Irton Fell before dropping into Arnside Knott where I found Grayling posing obligingly on bramble, as well as fresh Ringlets still slightly crumpled, all season firsts for me.

I'd welcome comments on a couple of the larger frits I managed to capture on camera. Firstly, a DGF with several quite pale cells, particularly on the hindwings; is this within normal variation or a mild aberration ? Secondly, almost all large frits seen were DGFs, but this one was basking on a rock surrounded by bramble and fern so I only managed a distant shot, but I'm leaning to it being an HBF ?

Hi sifenn, female DGFs often have 'silvery' edges to their wings so that one isn't an aberration.

Your second Fritillary is also aglaja. The forewing is rounded rather than slightly concave and the third spot down on the submargin of the forewing is in line with the ones above. In High Brown, this is noticeably displaced, and often very faint or even absent, as can be seen below:

The white wing fringe is also more visible in DGFs as shown in the above pictures.

Four from this lunchtime. Also Small Skippers, Ringlets, Marbled Whites and Meadow Browns. Green Lane Wood, Wiltshire

Saturday 26th, Whiteford Burrows, Gower:

Small Heath 20-30
Meadow Brown 10-15
Small Skipper 3
Common Blue 7
Speckled Wood 2
Large Skipper 2
Marbled White 2
Large White 1
Red Admiral 1
Dark Green Fritillary 1

A visit to the northern part of Chobham Common yesterday didn't produce too many species though was stubbornly overcast but pretty warm at times.

Highlight 17m, 1f Silver-studded Blue. Otherwise just 1 Ringlet, 1 Large Skipper, 4 Small Heath & a distant unidentified white.

Some nice Odonata including male Beautiful Demoiselle, Keeled Skimmers, an immature male Black Darter hooked up with a female Keeled Skimmer & both Small & Large Red Damsels.

Other wildlife included Roe Deer, Woodlarks, Stonechats, Brown China-mark Moth & great plants like Bog Asphodel, sundews & some introduced pitcher plants.

Sunday 27th - St Govan's Head, Pembrokeshire:

Small Heath 20-30
Grayling 15-20
Common Blue 10-15
Meadow Brown 10-15
Large Skipper 5-10
Small Tortoiseshell 4
Silver Studded Blue 3
Red Admiral 2
Dark Green Fritillary 1

Sunday 27th - Glanymor Park, Loughor

Saw my first summer brood Comma at the above location:

Wednesday 30th:

Several White Letter Hairstreaks seen in the elm canopy at Tongwynlais, near Cardiff, followed by another on the opposite side of the M4 at Long Wood: