www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Cracking photo GOLDENORFE, & glad to hear they are out. I am up in Cumbria wed/thur/fri so hope I can get lucky this week. Eric

Glad to see they are out. I had a very frustrating day on Sunday. I got there at about 7.30am and finally gave up at about 4.00pm. There were lots of "High Greens" that I couldn't identify but unfortunately everyone I did identify was a Dark Green. I did speak to one person who had seen two on thistles, but I did conclude that generally speaking they weren't out. I checked out the exact spot but still only found Dark Greens . I did notice that the thistles were not really flowering yet, but on the way back over the Dales I noticed they were, so things may just be a little behind in the North West.

It sounds like they are just starting to emerge.

Several Grayling and a single Northern Brown Argus seen - also lots of Small Pearl-bordered.

Given they are just emerging, how long will these High Browns be flying for a this site - going on holiday and wondering if they will still be about on return.

Thanks.

Lawts wrote:
Several Grayling and a single Northern Brown Argus seen - also lots of Small Pearl-bordered.

Hi Lawts
Where exactly at Arnside did you see the Northern Brown Argus? I spent two hours extensively searching the site for them and didn't spot a single one! It's becoming my bogey species!
Paul

they are numerous on heathwait in the ox-eye daisy meadow and also on the north face of the knott where the small pearl bordered fritts are .

phil

Are there any more Scotch Argus about yet, Phil?

Like everything else I'd rather they didn't peak before a planned trip in a fortnight or so's time...

Dave

selbypaul wrote:

Lawts wrote:
Several Grayling and a single Northern Brown Argus seen - also lots of Small Pearl-bordered.

Hi Lawts
Where exactly at Arnside did you see the Northern Brown Argus? I spent two hours extensively searching the site for them and didn't spot a single one! It's becoming my bogey species!
Paul

Paul, I'd swap you for a High Brown! I did only see one NBA - from the car park up to the view point - through the wood, turn left on the track and after 50 yards at the point where the track goes down the slope, it was at the top of the slope.

However, they are plentiful and easier for you to get to at Bishop Middleham quarry. I had loads there last year, some with the bright white spot, and others with a more intermediate marking.

How long a walk was involved in getting the Mountain Ringlets?

Thanks.

Thanks for those tips.
I regards to the Mountain Ringlet at Honister, it was about a 30 minute walk from the slate quarry car park. It's initially quite steep, but once you reach the "Drum House" it flattens out. The Mountain Ringlet were about a 2 minute walk left up towards Grey Knott along the main path.
Paul

Like most Lake District walks, the first pull up from the Honister carpark is very steep but, fortunately, the car has done most of the work in getting to the top of the pass! On a good day, the views from the ridge are superb and it's an easy walk all along to Green Gable in the south and then a dip and climb onto Great Gable for fantastic views down into Wasdale!

The MR range quite widely around the Grey Knotts area and can be hard to pin down for photos!

Mike

Thanks for the MR info. - I think it will be next year for me now with upcoming commitments.

I went back to Arnside this afternoon. I bumped into a chap who had been searching for HBF all day without luck. I went back to where I had been told they had been seen on Sunday - near the "giraffe tree" - no luck.

SelbyPaul, I did see NBA in the same spot as the other day, but I don't think there are many - Bishop Middleham's the place.

I was just about to give up, when I flagged the warden's Land Rover down as it was coming out of the car park - pure luck as I could have been up on the Knott and just happened to have descended at that time. Oh for local gen!!

There's me up on the Knott and all the time I needed to be below the car park. I'm sure they will spread all over, but for anyone going soon; about ten yards after the cattle grid there is a hidden path on the right down through the wood - about twenty yards and you'll find a small glade. In there!

Lawts - that might have been me who had been seaching all day with no luck, I did not see anyone else there all day. If you flagged down the wardens LR & got the glade info from him, I had just told him in the cp where the young researcher who I kept meeting all day told me the glade was the place 2/3 had been found with the net. I had just been down there & thought with no luck but when I examined my photos that night I could see I had a photo that was recognisable as a HBF although not a great photo, so all was not lost. Will put a report of my trip up from Norfolk when I have sorted out my photos. Eric[

EricY wrote:Lawts - that might have been me who had been seaching all day with no luck, I did not see anyone else there all day. If you flagged down the wardens LR & got the glade info from him, I had just told him in the cp where the young researcher who I kept meeting all day told me the glade was the place 2/3 had been found with the net. I had just been down there & thought with no luck but when I examined my photos that night I could see I had a photo that was recognisable as a HBF although not a great photo, so all was not lost. Will put a report of my trip up from Norfolk when I have sorted out my photos. Eric[

Glad you got them Eric. Yes I was the guy tearing up the hillside late afternoon armed with my long lens.

Hi everyone,

I shall be in the Lakes for a week starting tomorrow. I'm hoping to visit Arnside Knott for HBF and Grayling - if anyone has any tips on where to find the HBF they will be greatly appreciated! Also I intend to go to Meathop Moss for the Large Heath - have any been seen there this year? I assume I'm too late for Mountain Ringlet and too early for Scotch Argus.

John W wrote:Hi everyone,

I shall be in the Lakes for a week starting tomorrow. I'm hoping to visit Arnside Knott for HBF and Grayling - if anyone has any tips on where to find the HBF they will be greatly appreciated! Also I intend to go to Meathop Moss for the Large Heath - have any been seen there this year? I assume I'm too late for Mountain Ringlet and too early for Scotch Argus.

Sandra and I went to Honister pass on the 1st July and they were still out, some fresh but not sure what the weather has been like in the last week up there. Also went to Meathop Moss and there were lots of Large Heath, in great condition. Then went to Arnside found HBF over the hill on the left of the reserve.

Good luck all lovely places to visit.

A link to flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/sas999/592 ... hotostream

Kevin

sandraandkevin wrote:[
Sandra and I went to Honister pass on the 1st July and they were still out, some fresh but not sure what the weather has been like in the last week up there. Also went to Meathop Moss and there were lots of Large Heath, in great condition. Then went to Arnside found HBF over the hill on the left of the reserve.

Thanks for the info Kevin. The forecast for next week is a bit patchy - do you know if Large Heath are known to fly in overcast conditions, as with other brown butterflies?

Cheers
John

Thanks for the info Kevin. The forecast for next week is a bit patchy - do you know if Large Heath are known to fly in overcast conditions, as with other brown butterflies?

Cheers
John[/quote]


Sorry John this is only the 2nd time I have seen them, so I am afraid I don't know.

I have attached a link to sandras flickr page for her photos of the mountain ringlet if you would like to have a look.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sas999/592 ... hotostream

Cheers

Kevin

Hi John,
Large Heath only require a thinning of the cloud cover and a little warmth before they will become active. Unsurprisingly they have low expectations in terms of weather given their choice of habitat. They can also be readily flushed from the grass, assuming you're in the right area of course. But they do have a habit of getting up and flipping away some distance, which can make tracking them rather tricky in boggy terrain.
Sandra, your Mountain Ringlet shots are superb - but no better than all of your other stuff that I've seen!
Neil

Last Sunday had good numbers of Mountain Ringlet at Langdale. Then onto Meathop Moss where 100s of Large Heath were showing. Best to go later in the day when they 'slow down' a little. We got our last shot of the butterfly at 9.36pm!!!! From 6pm however was probably the best time. The following day at Arnside 1 fresh Northern Brown Argus found along with several tired specimens and double figure numbers of High Browns. Grayling were also seen.

I've just noticed (!) that I'm going to be very near Arnside Knott for the first week in August. What are my chances of HBF, NBA or Scotch Argus at that time? Or Large Heath at Meathop Moss or elsewhere?

dilettante wrote:I've just noticed (!) that I'm going to be very near Arnside Knott for the first week in August. What are my chances of HBF, NBA or Scotch Argus at that time? Or Large Heath at Meathop Moss or elsewhere?

I normally travel up at that time of year for the Scotch Argus and always see them but struggle with HBF, probably because the weather is always seems to be poor when I can go
Pete

Are the Northern Brown Argus still out ?
hoping to travel up this weekend the forecast is not too clever though
Pete