November 2012

[David M]

Red admiral and comma on the buddleia this morning despite there still being frost pockets in the shade.

Good spot, Susie.

Proves there are still opportunities to be had.

[Mark Tutton]

Hi all - have just visited the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington DC and by complete chance they were showing a film called Flight of the Butterflies in their IMAX cinema. Obviously this caught my attention and I quickly booked a ticket. What a stunning 3d experience! It charts the story of Fred Urqhart who made it his life's work to discover where the Monarchs went in winter. There is some fantastic 3d film of all stages of the butterflies life - it was just amazing to see huge images of Females laying eggs and the first instar caterpillars eating the egg shell - the detail and quality of the photography is not something I have seen in natural history film. Perhaps the most stunning images are when tens of thousands take flight from the tops of the pine trees in the Sierra Madre mountains and appear to fly around right in front you. I missed the one in Plymouth but this nearly made up for it
I am sure it may be available in the uk at some point but obviously IMAX cinemas are few a far between sadly.
Here is a link to the website which gives a taster
http://www.flightofthebutterflies.com/home/

[Hoggers]

Red admiral and comma on the buddleia this morning despite there still being frost pockets in the shade.

Good spot, Susie.

Proves there are still opportunities to be had.

Minutes after reading David's post this morning I walked into my garden and was buzzed by a Comma!

Mind you,down here in Kent today it's lovely warm and sunny.

[RobS]

Red Admiral flying around our fire engine in Maidenhead today as it tried to make the most of the 5 minutes of sunshine.
cheers
rob

[Trev Sawyer]

I saw a Brimstone (and a male Vapourer moth) fluttering around late yesterday morning along the edge of a field at Great Eversden in Cambs.
NB: The insects were fluttering, not me

Trev

[David M]

I saw a Brimstone fluttering around late yesterday morning along the edge of a field at Great Eversden in Cambs.

Unusual for a Brimstone to be out so late. I don't think I've ever seen one beyond early October.

[Trev Sawyer]

I was pleasantly surprised too David, but I suppose it was making the best of the sunshine. Definitely the latest one I've ever seen one on the wing.

Trev

[David M]

No butterflies at all this afternoon in the sheltered riverside spot at Cwm Clydach even though the temperature was warmer than last weekend when I saw a Red Admiral.

Maybe last night's slight frost has sent them into diapause.

[Cotswold Cockney]

Superb sunny winter day in Gloucestershire this morning. Not a cloud in the sky. My wife alerted me to this welcome visitor :~



My large potted Strawberry Tree ( Arbutus unedo ~ which 'er indoors and now actively outdoors has commandeered ... ) is now a glorious sight. :~

Here is a close up of some over ripe last seasons fruits and new ones coming along and also the Blossoms.







Many fruits have already dropped off and I have collected some of them to recover the seeds. I've had this beautiful shrub in my garden for close on forty years. Prior to building an additional garage at the bottom of my garden, I had a massive tree there which had thousands of blossoms every autumn winter which were appreciated by Red Admirals even on sunny January days. By massive I mean as big as a small bus. Shame to cut it down. It also enabled me to raise a number of generations of Europe's largest Butterfly, the Two-Tailed Pasha... Charaxes jasius.

My Greenhouse is now no more.... Now you see it :~



Now you don't :~



Mind you, the Greenhouse is a large Meccano set and will be easy to assemble elsewhere. It made way for a comprehensive relaying of the Patio and paths which now look nice. Very nice in fact and my wife is justifiably pleased.

Just about to press the submit button when my elder son comes in reporting TWO Red Admirals in the garden now. He took pictures of both which are on the way to me now. Here's the pictures he sent :~





EDIT to add @ 17:05. The original mobile phone camera thumbnails my son sent now replaced. That tatty individual looks like an egg laden female. There are plenty of healthy green Nettles in the Hedgerow at the front garden... I wonder how they got there. If it stays mild, ample time for another generation. Some of those Red Admirals seen in my garden this month are pristine fresh.

I quickly went back to the garden and there are at least three about now, possibly four as I can see one basking on a neighbours's wall. :~





Now feedin on the Arbutus Blossoms and a tatty one :~



Good to see and it all helps to make our too long UK winters ... shorter..

[Padfield]

Interesting, CC. Strawberry tree blossom is a good attractant late in the year for those sugar-loving creatures that are finding nectar scarce - but I didn't know it thrived in the UK. My last holly blue of 2011 was working a strawberry tree systematically, inflorescence by inflorescence, on 1st November:



This year is a different kettle of fish. It is quite possible I have seen my last butterfly of the season.

Guy

[Cotswold Cockney]

Interesting, CC. Strawberry tree blossom is a good attractant late in the year for those sugar-loving creatures that are finding nectar scarce - but I didn't know it thrived in the UK. My last holly blue of 2011 was working a strawberry tree systematically, inflorescence by inflorescence, on 1st November:



This year is a different kettle of fish. It is quite possible I have seen my last butterfly of the season.

Guy

Yes, Arbutus thrives in Gloucestershire certainly. I believe it is indigenous to parts of South West Ireland.

I planted two Strawberry Trees in my own little Nature Reserve/Field at the same time as I re-potted that fine pictured one in the garden about ten years ago. Bought them as small potted bushes to replace my big favourite tree. Glad I did. The two my field are doing OK but, I do not think they like the soil so much on the west side of the River Severn as those on the east side of the river where the soil is more limey.

Prior to my removing it, the one at the bottom of my garden planted as a 40mm single sapling in summer 1972 grew into a magnificent Bush-Tree over the next thirty years. A finer specimen than those seen on Elba and other Mediterranean Islands where there are forests of these fine trees.

[Matsukaze]

Is Strawberry Tree frost-hardy? I'd be tempted to plant it, but we are quite high and exposed here (by the standards of southern England, anyway).

A Small Tortoiseshell was enjoying the sun here today, flying strongly before settling to bask on the wall of our neighbour's house.

[Cotswold Cockney]

Is Strawberry Tree frost-hardy? I'd be tempted to plant it, but we are quite high and exposed here (by the standards of southern England, anyway).

A Small Tortoiseshell was enjoying the sun here today, flying strongly before settling to bask on the wall of our neighbour's house.

North Somerset is only about forty miles from me.

Never lost one or suffered much from frost damage even in that severe 81-82 winter when inside my Greenhouse, the min-max Thermometer recorded the lowest temperature of -22 C. Much colder outside.

The two planted in West Glos have both survived severe frosts and are doing well in full flower now even though the soil there does not suit them and some of my other plants and trees like Celtis and Zelkova. Oriental trees related to our Elms.

Celtis sinensis planted in my garden grew rapidly, thrived and produced fine trees. The same species in my little field do not make such good progress.

The answer lies in the soil. That plant in my pictures has been grown in a large pot for about ten years now. I bought three small potted trees about ten years ago. ... £4 each. Bargain.

[The Annoying Czech]

This year is a different kettle of fish. It is quite possible I have seen my last butterfly of the season.

So did I, no matter how hot was today (16 C), first snow seems to be a dividing line.

[Cotswold Cockney]

My younger son who worked from 6am this morning, reported a frost on his car when he started it at 5.45 am. I suspected there would be a frost as last night there were cloudless skies and lots of stars to be seen in all directions. I placed a small off-cut of lino over his car's front screen so he could get off to a quick start ... That's what Dads are for ...

Despite that hard frost which quickly cleared in the sun, all those local Red Admirals survived the low overnight temperatures.

[Matsukaze]

Never lost one or suffered much from frost damage even in that severe 81-82 winter when inside my Greenhouse, the min-max Thermometer recorded the lowest temperature of -22 C. Much colder outside.

That will do nicely - thanks!

[David M]

Do these shrubs always flower so late?

[Mark Tutton]

I have just returned from a trip to see relatives in North Carolina and with the weather being pleasantly warm it gave me a very brief opportunity to seek out a few butterflies. It is late on the season for this part of the world which boasts some 170 different species but I did encounter Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia), Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme) which is similar to the clouded yellow, Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis), Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia) and what I think was a Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis) All were looking a bit worse for wear but it was interesting to compare these North American species with their counterparts in the UK

[Cotswold Cockney]

Do these shrubs always flower so late?

Yes, without fail. One of their many attractions. I'll dig out a print of my huge bush I had at the bottom of the garden. Some winters there would be several Red Admirals feeding from the flowers on the occasional sunny winter days. The memory is not what it once was but I cannot remember ever seeing Commas, Peacocks, Small Tortoiseshells or any other butterfly on them except the Red Admirals. There were several large Bumble Bees working the flowers in the recent sunshine.

The only wildlife around today was a large Wolf Spider which had come in from the wet and mild conditions today. My wife placed a small glass jar over it and requested I put it out rather than kill it... Bless. There was a time but, I'm a live and let live sort now ...

[David M]

Do these shrubs always flower so late?

Yes, without fail. One of their many attractions.

Where can you buy these shrubs from?