www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

I booked today off at work due to the superb weather conditions and I set off for Merthyr Mawr, near Bridgend in Glamorgan at about 10am, arriving there just after 10.30.

This site is a vast network of sand dunes (the 2nd highest in Europe, apparently), and is a place where Grizzled Skippers have been recorded. After the obligatory Orange Tips and GV Whites in the light woodland next to the car park, my first big surprise of the morning was the sight of a Painted Lady, looking a little faded but otherwise fine. No doubt if they've made it into Wales then a fair few more must be have arrived in southern counties of England.

The next surprise was one, then two, then three and eventually as many as ten Cinnabar moths. They were shortly followed by a Small Copper, which I can graciously thank for bringing my attention to the first Grizzled Skipper of the day, as it shot off its perch as the marauding Pyrgus buzzed by.

I never thought I'd see a day where Grizzled Skippers were the most numerous species, but that's how it went as I eventually spotted twelve. I only really covered the very easternmost part of the site, so if their numbers are replicated elsewhere on the dunes then there could be hundreds of them about, particularly given that it's so early in the season.

They seemed to prefer the sun-facing lower slopes of the crater-like dips in the dunes, which wasn't surprising because there were plenty of wild strawberries and cinquefoil type plants growing there.

At one point, two were flying around one another, but I noticed one was particularly dark so I tracked it until it settled. Unfortunately, it shot off before I got to take a photo but it was either a female Common Blue or a Brown Argus, which I know is extraordinarily early, but given the microclimates created by these low lying areas perhaps not so surprising.

All in all, the butterflies (and their numbers) I saw were:

1. Grizzled Skipper 12
2. Orange Tip 5
3. Green Veined White 2
4. Peacock 2
5. Small Copper 2
6. Holly Blue 1
7. Painted Lady 1
8. Large White 1
9. Common Blue/Brown Argus 1

At Colne Valley Denham, Speckled wood 5, Green veined white 7, orange tip 22. Cheers Sezar

Today, i took to the hills again. I gave the lower slopes of the Cerne Giant, about an hour and a half. They proved to be butterfly rich with:
Speckled Wood
Orange-tip
Holly Blue
Small Copper
Grizzled Skipper (thanks Felix, another lifer.)
Also there were hundreds of what i presume were Marsh Frit caterpillars everywhere. Looks like it might be a bumper year for them. I suppose they might be dispersing now???


Got this GS marked as male, but need confirmation.

Zonda wrote:Also there were hundreds of what i presume were Marsh Frit caterpillars everywhere. Looks like it might be a bumper year for them. I suppose they might be dispersing now???

I think 2011 might go down in history as an "aurinia" year, so long as the weather doesn't collapse in the next few weeks!

Yes - undoubtedly Marsh Frit larvae - I'm being told of population explosions at quite a few sites! At the site in Gloucestershire I visited a couple of days ago, I found pupating larvae and pupae (well, pupa!) present - so not long to go to catch up with Cornwall (which had their first adults on, unbelievably, 9th April!). This year will be spectacular for this species this year - as predicted by several "notables" (e.g. Matthew Oates) some time ago.

Cheers,

- Pete

Well i shall know where to go this year then Pete.

Zonda wrote:Today, i took to the hills again. I gave the lower slopes of the Cerne Giant, about an hour and a half. They proved to be butterfly rich with:
Speckled Wood
Orange-tip
Holly Blue
Small Copper
Grizzled Skipper (thanks Felix, another lifer.)

Tip-top!

What's next?

Frits.

David M wrote:I booked today off at work due to the superb weather conditions and I set off for Merthyr Mawr, near Bridgend in Glamorgan at about 10am, arriving there just after 10.30.

Hi David,
interesting report. I visited Merthyr Mawr a couple of weeks back, obviously too early for the Grizzled Skipper. It was quite a pretty site apart from the smell of the sewage plant on the East side. I don't know if it was as bad when you went. Luckily the pictures don't come with smell-o-vision! Have you been up to the Cross Hands (Caeau Ffos Fach) site to see the Marsh Fritillary Larvae? I also went up there a couple of weeks back and I couldn't see any foodplant, let alone caterpillar webs.
Michael

Michaeljf wrote:

David M wrote:I booked today off at work due to the superb weather conditions and I set off for Merthyr Mawr, near Bridgend in Glamorgan at about 10am, arriving there just after 10.30.

Hi David,
interesting report. I visited Merthyr Mawr a couple of weeks back, obviously too early for the Grizzled Skipper. It was quite a pretty site apart from the smell of the sewage plant on the East side. I don't know if it was as bad when you went. Luckily the pictures don't come with smell-o-vision! Have you been up to the Cross Hands (Caeau Ffos Fach) site to see the Marsh Fritillary Larvae? I also went up there a couple of weeks back and I couldn't see any foodplant, let alone caterpillar webs.
Michael

Hi Michael. Good to see you on here again.

Yes, the area I covered was the part closest to the sewage works. It wasn't a pleasant smell but seeing that I used to regularly play golf in Widnes I daresay you could say I'm used to it.

I haven't yet been up to Cross Hands, though I intend to visit the Marsh Fritillary site at Aberbargoed quite soon (good for Dingy Skipper and Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary as well).

Just as an aside, I spent half an hour up on the High Brown site at Ewenny after leaving Merthyr Mawr. It's full of violets right now so I daresay we will be treated to another fine show from this species from the end of June onwards.

My next targets are Duke of Burgundy and Pearl Bordered Fritillary, whilst I believe Kilvey Hill in Swansea is good for Green Hairstreaks. If this weather holds I think I'll take a trip to Haugh Wood near Ross-on-Wye over the weekend. It's not unreasonable to expect an early Wood White there whilst looking for PBFs.

...Haugh Wood near Ross-on-Wye...

Do let me know please. I used to go there some 40 years ago and it was excellent. I might consider a return visit in the next week or two.

Jack

Jack Harrison wrote:

...Haugh Wood near Ross-on-Wye...

Do let me know please. I used to go there some 40 years ago and it was excellent. I might consider a return visit in the next week or two.

Jack

Sure will Jack. I've been scrutinising records from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme website and there have been a fair few recorded there over the last few years. They've also been actively improving the wood for PBFs, so it'll be interesting to see how many there are about.

Found 2 green hairstreaks in Norfolk today @ Wiveton downs, one had a crumpled or not fully formed wing so you could see the brown upper side of the other wing.
friends also saw 2 green hairstreaks today @ Holme Noa.
Eric

My first opportunity to get out butterflying since 4th April (!), we started in Norbury Park with quite a few Orange-tips and Brimstones, my first Red Admiral of the year, my 2nd Speckled Wood of the year (closely followed by my 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th etc etc Speckled Woods of the year!) plus 8 Common Shrews chasing about beneath cut brash, noisy wee things. Then a brief and unsuccessful hunt for Green Hairstreaks near Esher before I dropped Sam at work. Next I headed off to Newlands Corner (White Lane end) and was soon surrounded by Brimstones bobbing across the slopes and a bonus pair of Grizzled Skippers too. Feeling good with myself I headed down to a site near Hambledon for early Wood Whites. No luck, I guess it really is too early after all!

Off to Bentley Wood and Noar Hill with Sam tomorrow...

Gibster.

Gibster wrote:Off to Bentley Wood and Noar Hill with Sam tomorrow...

I'd be interested to hear how you get on at Bentley wood. It's a site I've not yet been to but as I'm now in Hampshire I plan to go there... maybe over the easter weekend if there's any fritillaries about

Went to Noar Hill last weekend - plenty of Dukes (My first Dukes outside of Kent) and a sprinkling of other species... green hairstreak and dingy skipper the most notable. Might go again this weekend as it's only 25 mins up the road from me. There were some good birds too... my first ever Marsh Tits was a highlight

David M wrote: Just as an aside, I spent half an hour up on the High Brown site at Ewenny after leaving Merthyr Mawr. It's full of violets right now so I daresay we will be treated to another fine show from this species from the end of June onwards.

Hi David,
well the Ewenny site should be full of Violets - my wife and I helped with some of the clearing via Richard Smith a couple of times over the winter! The rest if the volunteers - especially Richard - do a sterling job. I think Ewenny is doing a lot better than other HBF sites in Britain apparently We might pop over on Saturday to have a look, as we'll be elsewhere for a week from this Sunday. We have visited Aberbargoed Grasslands a couple of times in the last month or so but couldn't see any Marsh Fritillary webs, but at least I know the foodplant is there in abundance in summer. I'm sure we'll visit as well there in later spring as we'll be following up your tip for looking for Marsh Fritillaries there!
Michael

Hi FISHiEE,

I'd definitely recommend Bentley Woods. Have a look at http://www.purple-emperor.co.uk/page27.htm for details. The Eastern Clearing is the most profitable area I've visited at the site. We had 6 Pearl-bordered Fritillaries, all very confiding thanks to our early arrival time. According to the records book at the car park, numbers of PBF are still pretty low but they are increasing daily. Also plenty of Brimstones, Speckled Woods, Orange-tips, a Green-veined White and a three-eyed Peacock (bird attack maybe?) Plus swarms of Adela reaumurella and St Marks Flies!

Noar Hill was pretty darn good too. We watched a female Duke of Burgundy ovipositing within 50ft of entering the reserve, the first time either of us has seen the egg. We only covered part of the reserve, but still managed 15 Dukes and 11 Dingy Skippers. Also added Holly Blue to the daylist.

The only downside to the day was discovering that of the two pubs in Selborne, one is being refurbished and isn't open until 29th April whilst the other one closes at 3pm (we snuck in at 2:40) so no pub grub this time.

Gibster.

Good day around here....A pair of small white (saw female rejecting male, have a video will upload later), a female holly blue and several small tortoiseshell and GV whites and a large white. Swallows everywhere. Hope this warm spell doesn't give us a dull summer.

Hope this warm spell doesn't give us a dull summer.

No correlation between sun now and potential cloud in summer.

But what is definite is that unless we get rain, then the vegetation will become very parched and that doesn't bode at all well for summer butterflies.

Jack

..in Cambridge that is SO true. Walked the Fleam Dyke today and it was DRY!
Along with the usual suspects - several Green Hairstreak, lots of Brimmies (more females), GV and Small White. lots more female OT's & males and the odd Peacock, Speckie and Holly Blue - I came across this impressive beast - about 1cm long with antennae 4cm long - any ideas anyone?

Jack Harrison wrote:

Hope this warm spell doesn't give us a dull summer.

No correlation between sun now and potential cloud in summer.

But what is definite is that unless we get rain, then the vegetation will become very parched and that doesn't bode at all well for summer butterflies.

Jack

That is what I actually meant...dusty here, walking along the road looking for holly blues and dust was coming up as I was on a dirt track. March was the driest march here that I can remember. Only looks like two days in next week will get rain although different sources say different things, one says sunny for 27th, others say showers, same for next friday. Just have to wait and see, hopefully it will rain.