www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Was out this morning checking a moth trap I had in a damp meadow and on a post box of a house at the other side of the meadow I found two small tortoiseshell chrysalis, I brought them back as they didn't look in a safe place, so will release adults back when they hatch. Thats one butterfly I have seen very little of this year which is not too good, but I know this species (like some others) can have good and bad years so maybe next year will be better for them. Anyone else not finding very many Small Tortoiseshells?

Dave McCormick wrote:Anyone else not finding very many Small Tortoiseshells?

Dave,
in our spot near Cardiff this year it's been the opposite. I'd seen less of the Small Tortoiseshells in the last couple of years - perhaps not helped by the regular 'cutting' of 'unsightly' wild-flowers/stinging nettles growing by our local stream just when the caterpillars would be nearing their adult stage.

This year, I've found several new fields of common ground on my way into work and there have been loads: a good strong brood of adults (and then caterpillars) in the spring (I think it was May - I didn't take any photos) and then a real bumper second crop at the end of June/July. Maybe I would have seen less if I hadn't discovered the new patch of fields: I haven't been in the garden much this year to see if they'd flown in there. As an aside, our local verge has only been cut once or twice in a sensible manner (i.e. not encroaching too much into the wildflowers/nettles) so I presume this has helped.

Of course, the dodgy late summer / early autumn weather may not be helping next years adults.

Michael

Must admit, I've seen quite a few Small Tortoiseshells this year and they've popped up in relatively small numbers practically wherever I've been. Maybe the parasite that is affecting them has suffered due to the two consecutive harsh winters we've just had.

Hi there,

can anyone at all give me accurate directions to Brown Hairstreaks at Shipton Bellinger? I have tried patrolling this website for details but there seem to be none. Is this particular site a specially protected area so that no one can divulge the info, and if so, I completely understand if there's no reply. I do notice in one thread though that there have been O/S co-ordinates given, though if I'm to drive for 2 hours and attempt this site with my 2 children, I'd really like something more accurate.

Many thanks in advance for any replies on this,

regards, Alex

See Alan Thornbury's excellent website here:

http://www.purple-emperor.co.uk/page49.htm

Cheers,

- Pete

It's here. Don't ask me about specific locations,,,, as i've never been... Oops you probably knew that didn't you?

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=42 ... 46430&lm=0

Pete/Zonda,

thanks for the replies. You're right Pete, Alan Thornbury's site is excellent - very detailed, well thought out and informative - thanks very much for the link,

cheers, Alex

Thanks Michael and Dave M, people I know are reporting low numbers around where I live, elsewhere they seem to be doing ok, so I don't know what could be causing this, nothing has changed around here that would make them drop in numbers, however early on in the year (March-May) I was finding lots of parasited caterpillars, seemed that 80% of all caterpillars I found (of various moths and butterflies) and reared to see what they were, became parasidic wasps, but more latley I have seen far more doing better and making it to adult. Maybe it was the early generation that did bad due to parasites, then the adults that did make it, were able to breed and those caterpillars did better and why I am starting to see more butterflies (peacock and small tortoiseshells) than I didn't see to many of early in the year?

Dave,

I think late summer / early autumn broods are often better for the Nymphalids, especially those that over-winter. The other reason That I notice them more this time of year is that our Buddleia bushes are out in July and August, and Red Admirals, Peacocks, Commas, Small Tortoiseshells (and sometimes Painted Ladies) come into the garden to nectar from them (n.b. The white buddleia we have also comes out later than the purple ones that are now finished flowering). I think they come into gardens now when many of the Thistles and Brambles that they'd normally nectar at have finished flowering. Other folk here might have more statistically-based info for the reasons behind the better late summer/early autumn brood. I know that in previous years when I've done my garden surveys for butterflies July, August and September are often when I've seen most species. Then again, I don't have any specialised (or sedentary) Fritillaries or Hairstreaks in the area (except Purple Hairstreak) that might wander in...

I also saw Small Tortoiseshells at Bernwood Meadows in late June, in force at Clay in Norfolk in early July, and at Alners Gorse and Grafton Wood in the last week or so.

Michael

Fleam Dyke this afternoon - breeze made photography almost impossible ; dozens of Small Whites (at least 12 in one low bush with 2 females in there...should be a good 3rd brood) also nice to see a couple of Painted Ladies with a few Meadow Brown, and the odd Common Blue, Chalkhill Blue and Brown Argus...

Michaeljf wrote:Dave,

I think late summer / early autumn broods are often better for the Nymphalids, especially those that over-winter. The other reason That I notice them more this time of year is that our Buddleia bushes are out in July and August, and Red Admirals, Peacocks, Commas, Small Tortoiseshells (and sometimes Painted Ladies) come into the garden to nectar from them (n.b. The white buddleia we have also comes out later than the purple ones that are now finished flowering). I think they come into gardens now when many of the Thistles and Brambles that they'd normally nectar at have finished flowering. Other folk here might have more statistically-based info for the reasons behind the better late summer/early autumn brood. I know that in previous years when I've done my garden surveys for butterflies July, August and September are often when I've seen most species. Then again, I don't have any specialised (or sedentary) Fritillaries or Hairstreaks in the area (except Purple Hairstreak) that might wander in...

I also saw Small Tortoiseshells at Bernwood Meadows in late June, in force at Clay in Norfolk in early July, and at Alners Gorse and Grafton Wood in the last week or so.

Michael

That makes sense about the Buddliea, white buddliea here (three large bushes) has flowered and is covered in butterflies (mostly red admirals and peacocks). I was thinking, could this be a factor in why less small tortoiseshells here? When many places in UK were reporting low numbers (can't recall if that was 2008 or last year) I was seeing very large numbers here (I remember counting in excess of 40 in a small area one day and similar throught the 1,100 acre estate where I live, even my buddliea was covered that year) so could that have caused the predators to grow in numbers and then predate more small tortoiseshell lowering their numbers and why I am seeing lower numbers now? I remember only seeing 3 holly blue last year (that was the whole year) but year before that I was counting 15-20 in small areas, all flying about at once, so the wasp that parasites them could have bred more with more to predate) then holly blue numbers dropped next year but this year they are back in good numbers again (the fall of the wasp due to lack of holly blues to predate)

Just a few theories I have had.

Found two small white pupae this morning in my garden on fence, found a third one which was empty.

Hi Alex
had a VERY successful trip to Shipton Bellinger last week with 40+ sightings.
As far as I am aware it is not a restricted site - but there is a firing range close by and the gunfire and low flying helicopters can be a bit disconcerting!!!!
As others have said the Alan thornbury site has got good details and from his OS referenece you park in the car park of the village hall. From here if you follow his instructions and take the left track where it splits I saw a few BH all the way up this track but pay particular attention to the Blackthorn and Bramble in the immediate vicinity of the few prominent Ash trees.
However as Alan pointed out some of the best views I had were across the field at the end of the track. This is a large mowed area which at first glance does not look promising. However the western boundary is Blackthorn and Bramble and had good numbers down here on Bramble blossom. I think you can park at this far end as there have been Blackberry pickers and motocross riders were on a couple of visits but have not tried myself.
Multimap ref for Ash on track
http://www.multimap.com/s/DJDD9UZx
Mulimap ref for field
http://www.multimap.com/s/BLDPBWZv
I hope this works as I am new to this
Mark

Spent the day patrolling the fields at Glamorgan Canal Local Nature Reserve, Cardiff, mainly on the lookout for Nymphalids on the blackberries. Not a great deal about: 1 smart Peacock, 1 ragged and worn Comma, and 1 bird-pecked Small Tortoiseshell. Will hopefully pick up around the start of September. Nectar sources are very much on the wane, as are butterfly numbers. Still reasonable numbers of Meadow Brown, but Gatekeeper and Common Blue are much reduced, and most specimens of the 3 species were pretty worn. A few Green-veined White still about, with lesser numbers of Large and Small Whites. Only 1 Holly Blue seen. The pleasant surprise of the day was a battered White-letter Hairstreak, still hanging on, but now relegated to the Ragwort .

Sunday 22nd August

This morning I had a dilemma: where to go to try and get some proper shots of the Brown Hairstreak! I looked at the forecast and both West Williamstone (Pembrokeshire) and Grafton Wood (Worcester) were either forecast to be under cloud and/or probably still drenched from yesterday’s torrential rain in Wales. So I plumped for two previously visited sites in Oxfordshire.

We got to Whitecross Green Wood (nr Horton-cum-studley) at just after 9:00am: the sun was out and it was surprisingly warm. I’d read other comments that the Brown Hairstreaks were ‘hanging about’ near the car-park, but they were nowhere to be seen. We walked up the main walk in the reserve (and the turning to the left) but saw nothing except lots of common blues and a few gatekeepers and meadow browns. More butterfly spotters were turning up so after about an hour or so we went to Bernwood Meadows, where Lee Hurrell had reported some BH’s in the last week or so.

Luckily the weather was still good at Bernwood Meadows at about 10:30am. In fact, it took us a little by surprise – the BBC forecast had got it wrong again, and instead of clouding over (as predicted) it was humid and hot enough for shorts, which we hadn’t packed! A pleasant surprise! We tried the long meadow to the left of the entrance car-park – where Lee had seen some BH’s previously – unfortunately there were only Holly Blues, Common Blues, Whites, Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Speckled Woods, the odd moth and quite a few dragonflies and darters. We worked our way round the edges of the main field but saw no Hairstreaks. Unfortunately there was only the odd bramble flower at the edges at which butterflies could nectar, unlike Grafton Wood which still has plenty of Hemp Agrimony, Ragwort and Common Fleabane etc.

We started looking at the Blackthorn hedges in the third field (the one that links to the Bernwood Forest trail) and finally this proved to be lucky. At 11:30 I found one lone (slightly worse-for-ware) female Brown Hairstreak that was studiously sitting on the lower branches of the Blackthorn, looking so similar to a faded autumn Blackthorn leaf! She eventually decided to lay a few eggs, before flying off to the middle of the bush. I then spoke to another couple of spotters who had also seen one BH along the same hedge. Another half an hour later and I saw a second female, this time resting low on the barbed wire that were demarking the hedges and the next field. This Brown Hairstreak was in lovely condition, and I watched her wander round the Blackthorns for about 20 minutes, laying her eggs here and there in between stopping.

David Redhead (the ‘Brown Hairstreak Champion’ for the local Butterfly Conservation Branch) walked into the meadow and found me on the floor taking shots of the Hairstreak, and subsequently noted it for his records! We had a lovely chat and he also told me that both the Silver-Washed Fritillaries and the Purple Emperor were doing well at Bernwood Forest complex. Soon the Hairstreak laid an egg and we watched it turn from green to white almost as soon as it had been left by the female. David wished us goodbye to continue his transect, and as the sun was still my wife and I finished our visit by walking into the Bernwood Forest where we saw 6 Silver-Washed Fritillaries, Small Coppers and some more common blues. All in all, a great day and for a change, I had chosen the right place to go!!

Thanks again to Lee Hurrell whose advice was impeccable again!

Michael

Great day today. Probably the 2nd best of the year (after the White Admiral experience in Gloucestershire on a red hot day back in early July).

Three weeks ago I travelled down to Pembrokeshire, ostensibly to visit Castlemartin Rifle Ranges where colonies of Silver Studded Blues exist. I made a point of visiting West Williamston Salt Marshes first that day, as it is supposedly the best spot in Wales for Brown Hairstreaks. None were seen sadly (although the weather was cool and overcast and it was early in the season).

This time, I came prepared to spend the day there and was very glad I did. I arrived around 945am and the skies were obstinately overcast although there was no wind. I was fortunate enough to meet a lady (Nikki) who walks the transects on the site, and she showed me where Brown Hairstreaks had been observed and gave me pointers as to what to look out for. Nothing happened for an hour or so, and with the skies resolutely cloudy, I wandered off further up the site onto a limestone ridge which where I saw a Wall Brown (and, from what I was told, where Dingy Skippers can be found in season). It was odd to be butterfly spotting where hundreds of crabs were scuttling over the mud flats, and to make matters worse, I slipped and got myself covered in sh*te trying to leap from one mud bank to another.

Undaunted, I returned via the south facing shoreline, where I saw two Painted Ladies and more Small Tortoiseshells that I've seen for many a long year (the sward of Sea Aster at high water mark was absolutely replete with them). By this time, the sun was beginning to emerge so I worked my way through the blackthorn edges into a glade surrounded by Ash trees. The ground was still damp at this point, and just as I was wondering what on earth I was doing caked in mud in a damp, scrubby ride on the exposed coast of West Wales, suddenly it all became clear.

My heart missed a beat as I strode toward a clearing not really knowing what to look for or where and there before me, totally out of the blue on a fern, was a beautiful, pristine female Brown Hairstreak with wings parted, basking in the sun. Before I could get a picture, she was off, but immediately after two more came into view. I tracked one of them for 20 minutes as she sought out ideal egg sites; then, she was off over the canopy but as I walked back to the centre of the ride I saw another and watched her lay two eggs on a 5 foot blackthorn shrub. I saw another too before the lady responsible for the transect returned, telling me she'd seen 4 herself further up the reserve.

Three more were spotted and we watched as the females laid eggs on blackthorn of various heights and maturity. Silver Washed Fritillaries, Commas and Peacocks whizzed by as we patiently awaited further activity. All in all, 11 adults were seen (7 by me and 4 by Nikki), and 7 individual eggs were recorded. I even had one briefly land on my hand.

The day's total count was:

1. Small Tortoiseshell 50-70 (no exaggeration here, they were literally all over the copious Sea Asters along the shoreline)
2. Common Blue 30-40
3. Green Veined White 15-25
4. Hedge Brown 13
5. Small White 10-15
6. Small Copper 7
7. Speckled Wood 7
8. Brown Hairstreak 7
9. Large White 6
10. Red Admiral 5
11. Peacock 4
12. Comma 4
13. Silver Washed Fritillary 3
14. Painted Lady 2
15. Wall Brown 1

David M wrote:I arrived around 945am and the skies were obstinately overcast

Well done David . I'm glad you saw the Hairstreaks there, even though I stayed away today because of the forecast! Did you get any 'landscape' shots, just for the record, so I can see the general feel of the place?

Michael

Lovely BH photos

I didn't get to see any today as it was a very grey overcast day here in between the drizzly showers. A hummingbird hawk moth turned up at 6.30 which was a big surprise.

Michaeljf wrote:

David M wrote:I arrived around 945am and the skies were obstinately overcast

Well done David . I'm glad you saw the Hairstreaks there, even though I stayed away today because of the forecast! Did you get any 'landscape' shots, just for the record, so I can see the general feel of the place?

Michael

I didn't, Michael, sorry. I'm about to buy one of those Lumix thingummies so I think in future I will take one or two overview shots to embellish the collection.

I'm glad I met Nikki, as I possibly wouldn't have found the Hairstreak 'glade' without her. Sounds ridiculous, but a small clearing has been made behind the main line of blackthorn. Once inside, it's noticeably warmer and more sheltered. This is where I saw all 7 BHs (though Nikki spotted four more in more exposed terrain further up the shore).

If you get chance, give it a go next weekend (Bank Holiday). If anything, there may be even more females egg laying as west Wales is probably a little behind the southern English colonies.

I've also volunteered to clear scrub next year as there is tremendous potential for this glade to be tripled in size. It's a sunken hotspot which attracts Silver Washed Fritillaries as well as Brown Hairstreaks and with a bit of work could be a place where one could realistically see double figure numbers of BHs.

You were probably right not to risk the weather; I was getting quite despondent by 1130am myself. That said, skies largely cleared by 1pm and butterfly numbers skyrocketed.

Glad I finally got to see this elusive species. My only remaining aim this year is to spot Adonis Blues (which will get me to 40 for the year). I'm aiming for 55 next year though!!

Congrats both Michael and David!

Michael, glad to be of help

All the best,

Lee

Michael,

I think your beautiful moth may be the Yellow Shell Camptogramma bilineata.

http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=91

Cheers

Lee