www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Thanks both, it was a great day, and nice to see so many familiar faces! Hopefully more to come, although with the weather at the moment, who knows???

For me, this autumn has been a bit of a let down. Back in late August, eggs were laid, and the scene was set for a bumper crop of late sightings and extra broods. I imagined spending my late September and October days chasing Clouded Yellows, Long- tailed Blues, Walls and others. Perhaps I was guilty of getting a little carried away! In reality, apart from one LTB in Sussex, I have seen very little worth the mention since the last decent sunny spell in mid September.

So, with the butterfly season coming to an early end this year, thoughts turn to other things. On consequence of all the cold, wet weather this year is there is a fantastic crop of mushrooms. There are many kinds, of course, but my favourite is probably the red, poisonous fly agaric. They are easy to find at the moment.

essexbuzzard wrote:For me, this autumn has been a bit of a let down...

Agreed, Mark. It was shaping up to be something special until that awful three week long period of storms arrived in late September.

I suppose we must remember that we live more than 50 degrees north in latitude, so these things must be expected.

Nice fly agaric specimens....don't fancy a mushroom omelette made with those.

Lol!

You’re right, of course. Seeing butterflies all through October, and even into November in recent years, this years early end has come as a shock, though it was quite normal in the past. With it’s early start, we could have a long winter in store...

essexbuzzard wrote:...With it’s early start, we could have a long winter in store...

I don't mind a bit of cold weather in all honesty, Mark. It's the rain and wind that gets me down...and it seems we have plenty of that on the menu over the next week or two, unfortunately.

In Essex, the autumn colours are now at their peak, and are one of the few things to look foreword to in November. Our autumn leaves are usually pretty bland compared to those in other countries, even in Europe. Germany, for example, receives a far more spectacular show than Britain does, despite, on the face of it, a broadly similar climate. But Europe gets slightly warmer summers, and certainly colder winters, so autumn is shorter there. It seems our mild, damp, slow autumns simply do not lend themselves to vibrant colours.

However,there are a few places where autumn colours are more reliable, and, near me, one of these places is Epping Forest.

Lovely autumnal shots Essex Stourhead near me is one of those reliable places for autumn colour but it also comes down to the light and time of day. The other morning the usually dreary leaves were almost aflame in the early morning sun

Have a goodun

Wurzel

essexbuzzard wrote:...Our autumn leaves are usually pretty bland compared to those in other countries, even in Europe. Germany, for example, receives a far more spectacular show than Britain does, despite, on the face of it, a broadly similar climate. But Europe gets slightly warmer summers, and certainly colder winters, so autumn is shorter there. It seems our mild, damp, slow autumns simply do not lend themselves to vibrant colours.

Thanks for that, Mark. I'd never thought of it like that. I suppose you're right though - the UK has an autumn that drags on forever compared to most other countries. It starts in late August and only really finishes on the cusp of December when the leaves have finally fallen.

It’s just my opinion,mind. I’m sure someone somewhere could come up with a far more scientific explanation. Of course,our wind and rain quickly blows the leaves down as well, more so than elsewhere in Europe.

As you say, Wurzel, a bit of late-autumn sunshine certainly helps!

The autumn leaves are now in decline, and it is fairly quiet on the bird front as well. So it’s time to venture further afield, with a trip to north-east Norfolk.

The long, sandy beach at Horsey is popular with day trippers on warm, sunny days in summer. But, for the nature lover, it has much greater interest at this time of year, for the local grey seals gather here to have their pups. Not surprisingly, it is also very popular with people!

Seal pups are tended by their mothers for about three weeks, and gain around 2kg weight daily, due to the high fat content of the mother’s milk. It is then abandoned, and it moults its fluffy white fur which takes another three weeks. The pups must then learn to swim,feed and fend for themselves. This is a tough process, and only around 40% survive their first year. However, there grey seal is doing very well at the moment, and the number on the beach increases each year.

Crickey Essex 2kg daily doesn't seem possible And then only a 40% survival rate - nature can be astounding and harsh at the same time

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Wonderful stuff, Mark. Those seal pups are beyond cute.

I never knew there were places in the UK where you could get so close.

Hi Mark,

Nice shots of the seals at Horsey I have never visited at this time of year but when we were in Norfolk a couple of years ago in June for Swallowtails, we paid a visit there and saw the seals up on the beach although there were no young pups at that time of course.

I was told that Dark Green Fritillaries and Wall Browns can be found on the dunes along there but when we went we were too early for the former and too late for the latter. Lots of Small Heath and Common Blues though.

Cheers,

Neil.

It’s been a long time since I saw any butterflies, and it will be some time before I see any again. The autumn and early-winter have also been pretty quiet on the bird front, too. So it’s time to venture a little further afield, with trip up to Stratford upon Avon.

Stratford is perhaps best known as the birthplace of Shakespeare. But it also home to the Stratford butterfly farm- just what one needs to beat the winter blues! Here are a few pictures, with more to follow. Firstly, a tree nymph. A Blue morpho. Narrow-banded Green swallowtail with Scarlet Peacock And a couple I’m not sure of

Hi Buzzard. Heliconids are particularly difficult - especially in a butterfly house, where there might be any amount of hybridisation - because there is so much mimicry. There is often much more variation within a species across its range than between species evolved to resemble each other in a particular area. Mr SpOck has more insider knowledge than I do on this, but I would suggest your first unknown is quite probably a form of the infinitely variable Heliconius melpomene (possibly a hybrid), while the second one is most likely Eueides isabella dianasa. As ever, I'm quite happy to be contradicted!

Guy

Hi Essex,

Guy modestly neglected to mention that he has a very useful webpage at www.guypadfield.com/butterflyhouse which I have found helpful in identifying butterfly house species on my past trips to Wisley.

Downland boy.

Thanks Guy. I know you have had some experience with tropical house species, so your advice is much appreciated.

Thanks Downland Boy. As we all know, Guy is a gentleman of many talents! I will take a look at his site.

Some of the images are a little grainy, a result of the low light levels at this time of year. Next, we have this, which I’m not quite sure of. This I’m quite sure of, the Mexican Blue wave. The Gulf Fritillaries are present here. The Flame is well named. As is the Indian Leaf, with a Jazzy Leafwing behind,

I think that first one is a female Hypolimnas bolina. It has a wide distribution and the females vary widely in appearance, mimicking various different species across their range.

Thanks for mention of my page. There are a few you've seen there, Buzzard, I haven't photographed yet. Sadly, I can't continue my regular jaunts to the Papiliorama until I return to CH - I miss them.

I agree with Buggy for the H. bolina. The unusual Heliconid I provisionally identified as a variety of H. melpomene is, I now think, H. melpomene cythera. There are several photographs of this subspecies on the web showing forms very like yours.

Guy

Thanks again to you both. This next one I’m unsure of, the blue one near the centre, Here is a Zebra Mosaic. This reminds me of the Hungarian glider, but is actually a Chocolate Sergeant. And a Banded King Shoemaker Again, I have my doubts about this.