Thanks for the comments Wurzel and Trevor although I must add that both of your own PDs contain some fantastic images of species that I missed out on this year so a fair bit of envy back to you
Looking back at 2016- Part 3
Late Summer & Autumn.
By the time August arrived I had seen all of the species that I would normally expect to see around my local patch although many of them were in lower numbers than normal.
One of the features of my 2016 season so far was the fact that I had not yet travelled further south than central Warwickshire which meant that I had obviously missed a number of species, most notably those that favour chalk downland, although the other side of this coin was the species that I had seen on my trips to Cumbria, Scotland and North Wales.
My next trip which took place in early August saw me heading north once again for a return to Arnside to see Scotch Argus. During our three days up there the weather was typical of the year so far, in other words there was loads of cloud with some drizzle and a persistent wind blowing from the north which kept temperatures down. Up on the more exposed higher slopes of Arnside Knot it was very breezy and any butterfly taking to the air was quickly whisked away.
Nevertheless, in the more sheltered spots and especially when the sun did peek through, good numbers of Scotch Argus could be found, although it must be said they were not as abundant as I have seen there in previous years.
![Arnside 08.16 311 resize.JPG (674.79 KiB) Viewed 656 times Scotch Argus - Arnside Knot 04.08.2016<br />08.2016](./files/thumb_10101_a2d0376d35f5711f25ed64692afc2356)
- Scotch Argus - Arnside Knot 04.08.2016
08.2016
Both Dark Green and High Brown Fritillaries can usually be found still flying at Arnside in August although it is at the tail end of both species flight period and they are usually well past their best. I saw a few large fritillaries flying but the only two that settled long enough to positively ID were both High Browns. Most of the other species that I would expect to see there at this time were flying but again my overall impression was of fewer butterflies than I have experienced there before.
![Arnside 08.16 202 resize.JPG (774.52 KiB) Viewed 656 times High Brown Fritillary - Arnside Knot 04.08.2016](./files/thumb_10101_2f89f0a68414bf7b23662ccd6ac8fb65)
- High Brown Fritillary - Arnside Knot 04.08.2016
This impression of low numbers of butterflies continued to be the theme back home through the rest of August with smaller than usual numbers of just about everything at my local sites. Small Coppers in particular were notable by their absence with just a couple of individuals found locally. Common Blues seemed to be doing a bit better and I was pleased to find a Brown Argus at one local site, this species is very hit and miss locally and I only ever find one or two and some years none at all.
![Bickenhill 06.08.16 019.JPG (607.24 KiB) Viewed 656 times Brown Argus - Bickenhill 06.08.2016](./files/thumb_10101_8bda8b4f0eea33c8083259af30383772)
- Brown Argus - Bickenhill 06.08.2016
![Castle Hills 17.08.16 012.JPG (600.41 KiB) Viewed 656 times Common Blue - Castle Hills 17.08.2016](./files/thumb_10101_55de4546192b74167d9df7550b156f7a)
- Common Blue - Castle Hills 17.08.2016
The three 'common' summer brood vanessids – comma, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock - also had a poor year locally but this was partially compensated for by a better than normal scattering of Painted Ladies, mostly looking to be nice fresh home bred examples.
![Bickenhill 06.08.16 051 resize.JPG (600.48 KiB) Viewed 656 times Peacock - Bickenhill 06.08.2016](./files/thumb_10101_9b755d1096505936eeecb64f915b6e71)
- Peacock - Bickenhill 06.08.2016
![Bickenhill 06.08.16 063 resize.JPG (671.93 KiB) Viewed 656 times Painted Lady - Bickenhill 06.08.2016](./files/thumb_10101_b8b2d7af52bf711fdccc2236551e1e3b)
- Painted Lady - Bickenhill 06.08.2016
A trip over to Grafton Wood near Worcester later in August produced some Brown Hairstreaks although I have still to get a good open wing photo of this species...a target for next year perhaps.
![Grafton Wood 24.08.16131 resize.JPG (602.88 KiB) Viewed 656 times Brown Hairstreak - Grafton Wood 24.08.2016](./files/thumb_10101_c614e0282e5449a8d2298e48ce52aa66)
- Brown Hairstreak - Grafton Wood 24.08.2016
One species that had bucked the trend locally was Speckled Wood with them showing up just about everywhere throughout the season so far and numbers increased noticeably through August. Towards the end of the month I would often find half a dozen or more on the overripe blackberries at the bottom of my garden.
![Coverdale 29.08.16b 023 resize.JPG (646.48 KiB) Viewed 656 times Speckled Woods - Coverdale 29.08.2016](./files/thumb_10101_33d8974ecb7db6e6951c60f49b4b4a78)
- Speckled Woods - Coverdale 29.08.2016
September arrived and I finally went further south than the midlands with a week in Cornwall with Jane and my Mom, staying at a caravan site next to Upton Towns.
Although Meadow Browns had long since finished around my local patch, I found good numbers still flying on the Towans, many of them still in good condition. This population was also notable for the number of females with large orange patches, often also on their hindwings, and the fact that most of them had double pupils in their forewing eyespots.
![Cornwall Sept 2016132 resize.JPG (663.33 KiB) Viewed 656 times Meadow Brown female with extended Orange patches - Upton Towans 04.09 2016](./files/thumb_10101_80753b0135fb3cad9376e35fa06be639)
- Meadow Brown female with extended Orange patches - Upton Towans 04.09 2016
Small Coppers were also present in good numbers across Upton and Gwithian Towans along with Common Blues plus a scattering of Small Heath and Brown Argus, all except the Common Blues being species that I had struggled to find in the midlands this year.
![Cornwall Sept 2016047 resize.JPG (618.49 KiB) Viewed 656 times Small Copper - Upton Towans 04.09.2016](./files/thumb_10101_2f1c0c6b98b23119a7587608c161dbe7)
- Small Copper - Upton Towans 04.09.2016
![Cornwall Sept 2016288 resize.JPG (620.25 KiB) Viewed 656 times Small Heath - Upton Towans 04.09.2016](./files/thumb_10101_3b71941b7ff9c057daca3f5e64da15a6)
- Small Heath - Upton Towans 04.09.2016
A particular highlight of my week in Cornwall was a day spent walking the path between Kynance Cove and Lizard Point when large numbers of Small Coppers were seen. Many of the females here were impressively large and blue-spotted individuals of both sexes made up a good percentage of the population.
![Cornwall Sept 2016 107 resize.JPG (616.33 KiB) Viewed 656 times Small Copper - Lizard 07.09.2016](./files/thumb_10101_1a3d60e066bb108ab9a2b3ff3bae65b0)
- Small Copper - Lizard 07.09.2016
![Cornwall Sept 2016 681 resize.JPG (634.76 KiB) Viewed 656 times Small Coppers - Lizard 07.09.2016](./files/thumb_10101_f8a027543a316001870a6aa99d7ceea4)
- Small Coppers - Lizard 07.09.2016
From other reports I have since seen, it appears that Small Copper numbers recovered somewhat later in the year at some southern sites where they commonly have three or four broods, four apparently being usual in Cornwall. In the midlands, it is primarily double brooded with a drawn out second brood although there can be three distinct broods in a good year (which this was not).
Back home in mid-September, Red Admirals put on a good late showing with reports from all over the place and half a dozen at a time visiting the late flowering buddleias in my garden.
![Coverdale 14.09.16 055 resize.JPG (588.48 KiB) Viewed 656 times Red Admiral - Coverdale 14.09.2016](./files/thumb_10101_eaefce7091c0a9037d014406d2a20e6d)
- Red Admiral - Coverdale 14.09.2016
By late September my season had just about fizzled out with just the occasional Speckled Wood still hanging on in my garden, the last one being seen on 9th October.
![Coverdale 10.2016 002 resize.JPG (323.58 KiB) Viewed 656 times Speckled Wood - Coverdale 09.10.2016](./files/thumb_10101_ca14111054e98d0878718ad5b699c774)
- Speckled Wood - Coverdale 09.10.2016
This is fairly normal for my midlands location where there are no Clouded Yellows or late anything else to extend the season for me. Of course there is always the chance to see a hibernator on any mild day after this but for me these are the exception rather than any proper continuation of the season.
So then, what did I think of the 2016 season. I had some notable highlights with some species that I travelled some distance to see but otherwise, apart from a few exceptions, butterfly number were generally well down around my local sites which made for a generally underwhelming season overall.
The very mild late autumn and early winter of 2015 no doubt put a spanner in the works and this was followed by a late spring and a cloudy, cool and breezy summer. I have read some reports that the summer was warmer than average...well not around here it wasn't. I have also read that the persistent cloud kept average night time temperatures up which may have skewed the overall average but for most of the season around here the cloud was accompanied by a stiff breeze from the north which made the days feel cool even when the sun was out.
My personal tally was 41 species with some notable ones missed although this was mainly due to my pre-season decision to go for some northern trips this year and the fact I did not go further south than the midlands until September. This also no doubt influenced my impressions and if I had travelled further south a bit more maybe I would have seen more butterflies...maybe, but going by other reports I have seen my experiences seemed to be typical of the season in most parts of the UK.
As I write this we have had a few cold nights around here with some proper frosty mornings and daytime temperatures not rising above low single figures and apart from a few mild days the other week it has been a fairly 'normal' autumn and winter so far
Let us hope for a proper winter and a normal spring and here's to a better season next year.
Happy New Year to everyone
Neil