www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Cheers Mike I can handle the trousers being damp it's my shoes and socks that are the most uncomfortable part
Cheers Dave for your kind comments

Five Rivers 16-05-2015

On a quick stop-off whilst my daughter was swimming I didn’t expect much. So I started off strolling alongside the river. The sun which had been playing hide and seek all morning suddenly decided to emerge and almost as if by magic so did the butterflies. With the whites flitting along the tops of the Cow Parsley and Garlic Mustard I followed one and it turned out to be a Small White although I couldn’t be sure of some of the others. There was a definite Large White and a couple landed briefly and just long enough to get a glimpse. So in total I reckon there must have been at least two a piece in this little area. A Specklie flounced out and dived into the stinging nettles on the other side of the path when it realised I was slightly bigger than its’ usual sparring partner. I was hoping for a few Brown Argus and maybe my first Common Blue so I worked my way along the trail on the Banks. What a difference a few weeks makes; the last time I was here I could wander across the Banks and the vegetation would barely cover my boots. Now I felt like I needed a machete to make progress. Unfortunately the Banks didn’t produce my first Common Blue or indeed any Brown Argus but I was lucky enough to find a Five Rivers Grizzlie. This was a cracking find as they were absent last year so hopefully this tiny colony is still holding on. As I rushed back to collect K from swimming I had to stop as a male Green-veined White fluttered up and landed ever so invitingly. It must have thought that I wouldn’t have stopped and so was taunting me, ha ha, I had the last laugh! Have a goodun

Wurzel

HI Wurzel,
Thanks for the ID. Large Skipper was my first thought.

All the best.
TREVOR.

No worries Trevor

Tutor 18-05-2015

Another Monday and another tutor session for K, I started the evening by checking the Slow Worms and there two young-uns under two different mats and one slightly mature one. From here I made my way up the Down and as usual as soon as I got on site the cloud covered the sun and got very windy and really cold. Never mind I carried on up the side of the down right to the top and seeing one Grizzlie, one Dingy and one Small Heath on the way but apart from the first nothing really stopped as the sun finally went in and the wind picked up even more to some nasty gusts. I was starting to regret not bringing my coat! On the other side of down there was much of the same with the added bonus that the wind whipped up the hill. I made my way down to the bottom of the hill as it seemed to be sheltered slightly by the hedge and shrubs. I found another Dingy sheltering in the long grass; it took off and flew a short way before it went down again when I almost trod on it. To help it out I let it crawl onto my finger and then placed it back in grass away from the path. I worked my way all the round so completed a rough circular walk and every now and then the sun started to creep out and brighten things for a short while. I was almost back at the start of the Down when I noticed some white flags in a small patch of longer grass. One seemed larger than the other so checked that first and from the markings it was my first Common Blue of 2015. As the Sun came out and so too did the butterfly, though it stayed in this sheltered little spot fluttering around and around. The other butterfly was a Brown Argus. Almost back at the start of the site I kicked up a couple more Small Heath and got onto a lovely Grizzlie which was a gorgeous purple colour. After a few more shots I realised that I’d tarried too long and so I had to leg back to pick K up. Have a goodun

Wurzel

Wurzel,
I see you plan to come to East Kent for the Heath Fritillary on Sunday. I assume you are going on the guided walk with the Kent Butterfly Society which I believe is visiting a different part of the Wood complex for the Heath F. Should it be a personal visit then the Heaths are easy to find at the public site at East Blean Woods. Park in the car park at East Blean, walk through the gate which has a wildlife sign on the right. Walk 20 metres to a clear area. If none here turn right and walk for about 100 metres, turn right. There is a clear area on the left which seems to be holding the best numbers at present. We had 16 last week and fellow member Heathy had over 30 on Saturday.

Enjoy your visit.

Dave

Nice report Wurz, and good luck on your Heath Fritillary adventure

Regards,

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"

Great reports and photos Wurzel

Good luck with the Heath Fritillaries, I am looking forward to reading the report...eventually

Cheers,

Neil

Cheers Dave That's really useful information which I hoe to use to good effect
Cheers Willrow and Neil Hopefully the weather stays good or it'll have to be another weekend

Larkhill Week Beginning 19-05-2015 19-05-2015
The week started in a quite disappointing fashion with only 2 Small Heaths on a cool and windy afternoon visit. It was so windy and cool almost nothing was flying and so I reckon there was a lot more present but they were sensibly hunkering down somewhere amongst the grasses. However I did spook two Small Heaths one of which flew into a Hawthorn and tried to settle down. 20-05-2015
Things seemed to be picking up weather wise today with the wind dropping the temperatures rising. I was able to make an afternoon stop-off and didn’t get much further than 4 metres from the car park. The little open area at the edge of the Northbound path came up trumps again with 3 male Common Blues and a single, slightly older looking Brown Argus. Right at the very edge of the grasses was a solitary Small Heath – whether it was one of the pair from yesterday I couldn’t say – one year I’ll have to paint numbers on them to see how long they last... 21-05-2015
The weather was gorgeous today and a brief morning stop-off seemed like it should pay dividends which it didn’t. In fact the brief walk up the Northbound path produced just a single each of Brown Argus and Small Heath. The former was a little stunner and the light caught the chocolate wings and glistened with an oily sheen whereas the latter was in a very similar place to yesterday.
Despite weather a lunch trip to the Down at Jones Mill near work only threw up a male Orange-tip, a Large white and two Holly Blues. The weather was even better in the afternoon and typically I didn’t get to stop on the way home! 22-05-2015
Yesterday I thought this morning was going to be great, perhaps the summer was finally here, perhaps we were finally going to get a period of settled, pleasant weather? Then I woke up and it had all been a dream and so we were back to square one with much cooler and greyer weather. My morning stop-off was okay with four little white flags waving in the grasses at the Northbound path. Closer examination turned them from flags to three Common Blues and a Brown Argus roosting amid the chill. It felt more like March than May! Have a goodun

Wurzel

Duke Site Part 3 Or is that four? Actually it might be 5 – I’ve lost count. Anyway I managed to persuade my wife that it would be a good idea to get out for a couple of hours in between loading the loft with all our goods and chattels and ripping off skirting boards upstairs in preparation for yet more Lime Plastering. Actually I think I was a little too persuasive and so ended up accompanied by both girls.

I did the usual ‘ask K’ trick and she seemed positive for Duke and Adonis but unsure about Small blues. It was the usual race against the weather as well with the threat of cloud miring my plans but when we arrived the breeze was minimal and the sun beat down so we quickly made our way across to the hotspot/main track to make the most of the sun. On the way we notched up Small Heaths, Brown Argus and Common Blues and once on the track proper there was also a Small Copper and a couple a piece of Grizzlie and Dingy. A female Brimstone landed to nectar right in front of us before being sent packing by a belligerent Brown Argus. I’ve since learnt that the main track ‘hotspot’ perhaps isn’t and instead we set up in the Glade behind the Cypress/Greenstreak Tree. From here I ambled about almost stunned by the profusion of Lepidoptera; Mint and micro Moths a plenty, a Treble Bar, Fox Moths flying in their bouncing bomb style and Foresters buzzing by like flying jewels. In amongst the Common Blues, Skippers, Arguses, Heaths (Small) and Greenstreaks the odd Burnet Companion Moth would erupt from the foliage. I was just about to dismiss another brown/orange job as the same species when it flew differently – less buzzy and more fluttery and somehow it seemed slower and more direct? Luckily it landed and there was my Duke! I stayed with it for a while as the cloud covered the sun. The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering around and across and back to where the girls had set up camp. Occasionally though I would leave the confines of the Glade and branch out into other arts parts of the site. One time I entered the Beech Wood and there were Bird’s Nest Orchids – lacking chlorophyll and looking like dead twigs. Another foray out saw me back at the Track and the grasses were alive with Small Heath and Blues of three species (Common, Brown Argus and Small Coppers) all jostling and upsetting each other. A flash of electric blue lad me to my first Adonis of the year. Back to the Glade and I discovered two more Dukes right in the top corner – Philzoid will know where I mean if I mention 3 Dingies and an OT! Whilst here I also pulled off a shot that I have been trying to emulate for the last 5 years; when I first started I fluked a shot of a female Common Blue sitting on a Dandelion Clock. Since then I’ve always kept an eye out and hoped to replicate it. Today was the day with a Brown Argus perched and pointlessly trying to nectar on one. Time passed and on my final transect of the Glade a black and white moth caught my attention – it turned out to be a Wood Tiger – another Moth first from this site. All three of us gently ambled back to car and on the Track the odd BA, Grizzlie, Dingy or Small Copper slowed out progress very couple of steps. Almost back at the car I let the girls go on ahead so I could investigate the final little triangle. This is a great little area with at least 9 Adonis Blue males. Star of the show was a stunning male Small Blue right in the middle of the path. As I reached for my camera and slowly inched down the girls called and in the fraction of a second that I lost concentration it was gone. Never mind it would have been the Sprinkles on top of an already very well iced cake!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

That really is quite a site, Wurzel. You really do have some corkers in your neck of the woods. What a selection, and some great photos too.

Dave

Great stuff Wurz...your batting towards a hundred now, don't know where you get the energy from lovely recent reports and pics to match

Regards,

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"

Looking forward to your Heath Frit diary entry Wurzel. I went there on Wednesday and there were plenty of fresh ones about. You should do well even if the weather is not good. Despite the powerful wind and mostly dull conditions I still managed to get some photos!

All the best

James

Cheers Dave Hopefully I'll be able to make it back here to find some Dark Green Frits too
Cheers Willrow Just think what I could achieve without work getting in the way
Cheers Rex It was definitely worth it - they were everywhere!

Lulworth Cove 27-05-2015

During the half term break we were refuges at my parents’ house as we were having the final stage of the Lime Plastering done. This meant that I wasn’t able to get out and butterfly as much as I’d hoped and so a suggested day trip down to Lulworth sounded just perfect, especially as Lulworths had started emerging. After the drive down from Sixpenny Handley we stopped off for lunch in a pub on the outside of the village but it wasn’t open until 12 so we had a little stroll to sharpen the appetite and I spied two Holly Blues, both unfortunately too high up in their respective trees. Over lunch I did get a glimpse of a Lulworth. Having parked we made our way down to the Cove proper in amongst all the Grockles and while my mum and the girls set up on the beach I checked out my little path way on the West side of the cove. It was surprisingly quiet and so I quickly made my way to the top and out onto the field where a Red Admiral went hurtling by at an impressive rate of knots. Further along I found a Common Blue nestling down in the longer grasses but there was a definite lack of little ginger jobs and so I made my way back to the path almost missing a basking lizard on the way. After a little time on the beach I headed back up the side of the cliff and the sun was out more strongly now and so I hung around the main paths and all the little ones that snaked up the side of the cliff. I quickly found a Dingy skipper that looked a little unusual, probably due to wear, as the ground colour was a light grey with the brown markings like little tear drops. Over the next 20 minutes or so I became like a Mountain Goat, gambolling along the narrow tracks along the edge of the precipice trying my damnedest to follow the seemingly numerous Wall Browns. There must have been at least 5 as I’m fairly confident that I got shots of three distinct males (one surprisingly worn) and also a pair in cop.
Eventually I had to make my way back to the beach and the girls as it was time for an ice cream and to make our way back to car park. Hopefully I’ll be able to make a return journey back here for my Skippers but even if they’re not here the trip will be worth it.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

HI Wurzel
Your penultimate image of the mating Wall Browns is a real gem, it just shows what can be found by chance
when out and about.

All the best,
TREVOR.

Cracking Walls Wurzel, your nimble, mountain goat like stalking paid dividends there

Agree with Trevor about that mating Wall shot...great capture Wurz

Regards,

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"

Hi! Wurzel, love the Wall shots, and i'm looking forward to seeing your Heath shots, my daughter lives in Kent and I won't be going there till August so I'll probably miss them but hope fully I'll get the Adonis at Temple Ewell Goldie

Hi Wurzel,

More great reports with some smashing photos. I love the Wall Brown pair .

It seems that you had a successful trip for Heath Frits, looking forward to the report.

Cheers,

Neil

Those Walls are terrific, Wurzel. I have to go out of my way to find just the one, and you find a mating pair with a lovely female as part of the partnership. Great shots.

(Swop you a Holly Blue?)

Dave

Wall Browns are hard work aren't they Wurzel! But well worth it, I love them, their flighty nature only seems to make them even more alluring to me for some reason.

Great photos.

ATB

James

HI Wurzel,
The aftershave i use is one recommended by Gumby in Monty Python, It's called Rancid Polecat !
I'll be splashing it on in couple of weeks time for HIM...... Should work a treat !.

Keep up the good work,
TREVOR.