Thank you for all the great comments Dave, Trevor, Pauline, Goldie, Wurzel, David and Mark
. Apologies for the delayed response, I have been down in Cornwall this past week and it is now catch up time again, both on my diary and looking at everyone else's.
3rd-10th September - Cornwall Part 1.
We have just spent a week in Cornwall on a family break with Jane and my mom, staying in a caravan just outside of Hayle on the edge of the dune system at Upton Towans. This was a change to what had become our usual week in Dorset at around this time as Jane fancied a change of scenery so we settled on Cornwall. I had no idea what I would find down there in the way of butterflies, especially after this season which has been below par in many respects.
After a very dull and wet drive down on the Saturday (Sept.3rd), and a cloudy but warm Sunday, the weather improved through the week so that most days had decent sunny spells although there was a bit of a breeze blowing most of the time.
As usual on these family breaks I had time to get some butterflying in, it is amazing how many brownie points a couple of cream teas can get you
. Most days after we had been out doing ‘touristy stuff’ I would have a couple of hours later in the afternoon and have a wander through the dunes at Upton and Gwithian Towans which started right next to our site. On the Wednesday I also had a drive over to The Lizard and walked the path between Kynance Cove and Lizard Point.
During my wanders through Upton and Gwithian Towans the most numerous butterfly seen was Meadow Brown with good numbers seen all over the dune systems. This is a species that I have often neglected in the past but given that numbers seem to be well down around my local patch this year it just goes to show that you can’t take anything for granted. Meadow Browns have a very protracted emergence and many of those here were looking to be in good condition with some looking like they had only recently emerged. I was also struck by the variability of the amount of orange on the females with some also showing patches on their hindwings. There were also many individuals showing double pupils in the forewing eyespots which I have seen commented on a few times on UKB.
- Meadow Brown male - Upton Towans 04.09.2016
- Meadow Brown female - Upton Towans 04.09.2016
- Meadow Brown female - Upton Towans 04.09.2016
- Meadow Brown female - Upton Towans 04.09.2016
- Meadow Brown female - Upton Towans 04.09.2016
- Meadow Brown female - Upton Towans 06.09.2016
- Meadow Brown female - Upton Towans 08.09.2016
Gatekeepers were still hanging on in there although most were looking worn and tired by now.
- Gatekeeper female - Upton Towans 04.09.2016
Speckled Woods seem to be doing well everywhere this year and so I was not surprised to find good numbers here around the scrubbier parts of the Towans.
- Speckled Wood female - Upton Towans 04.09.2016
What did surprise me was the number of these that I saw on the more exposed sandier parts of the dunes, not the usual habitat I would expect to find numbers of this species in.
- Speckled Wood male - Upton Towans 06.09.2016
Small Heaths were also scattered about all over the Towans, not in great numbers but most sheltered areas of longer grass had one or two.
- Small Heath - Upton Towans 04.09.2016
The only other ‘Brown’ that I saw during the week was a single worn Grayling on the cliff path by Kynance Cove.
- Grayling - Kynance Cove 07.09.2016
Other species seen during the week were;
Half a dozen each of Painted Lady and Red Admiral, 4 Small Tortoiseshells and a single Peacock,
Lots of Small Whites, a few Large Whites and a couple of Green-veined Whites,
Good numbers of Common Blues and a few Brown Argus,
A few well faded and worn second brood Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries at Upton Towns,
and Small Coppers…lots of Small Coppers, I have never before seen so many of these
.
More reports to come as usual when I have sorted through the many photos I took.
To be continued…
Neil.
, but the female certainly is a curious looking insect.
