Neil Hulme

[Susie]

That's grand news, Neil!

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Goldie,
You will still see PE at Fermyn in late July, but they will be well past their best, and relatively few will still be coming down.
BWs, Neil

[Goldie M]

Thanks Neil, change of plans again I'm going next week now, i'll get there some how Goldie

[Neil Hulme]

The Beast Of Brighton

First seen skimming the kiss-me-quick hats and candyfloss on Brighton Pier on 6 July, and still resident in Pavilion Gardens. After sitting tight through adverse weather on Wednesday (both of us) I ambushed it coming out to play again at 11 am on Thursday 9 July. Although they are seldom reported, Monarchs have been seen with some regularity by sea-watching Brighton birders in recent years. These are usually mid summer sightings, seemingly from Spain or The Canaries, arriving long before trans-Atlantic examples in September/October.

[selbypaul]

Brilliant photos of the Monarch Neil.
Where is the nearest big breeding colony of Monarch to the UK? Is it Spain? Seems quite far for individuals to stray, although I guess strong winds can explain that
Paul

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Paul,

Yes, they are resident in Spain, and evidence from recent years suggests that they do occasionally venture north. The Brighton Pavilion Monarch (singular) looked good for a while, in view of the wider picture of incoming, exotic Leps and dragonflies. However:

Brighton Monarch Update

Confirmation of several different specimens of Monarch over the last week (including two individuals in Pavilion Gardens in the last two days), within a small area of Brighton, now makes this look increasingly like an inappropriate and irresponsible release. Multiple sightings alone do not preclude a natural origin, but unless they are observed along a wider stretch of coastline, the weight of evidence now counts against them. They may make an impressive sight, but this sort of behaviour cannot be condoned. However, the White-letter Hairstreaks continue to put on a good show in Pavilion Gardens, and there are stacks of Purple Emperor out across most of West Sussex and the northern part of East Sussex at the moment.

I met quite a few enthusiasts today in Brighton, and took some lovely images of Monarch, but won't be showing them for obvious reasons.

BWs, Neil

[selbypaul]

Thanks Neil.
Shame it's looking like another illegal release
Paul

[Pauline]

I believe a couple were seen in Portsmouth recently - presumably also of dodgy origin?

[PhilBJohnson]

I am "staggered" and impressed Neil how you seam to have resisted (this year in your diary) posting pictures of "Him" and "Her" (Paricularly Him).
If I could release you from this, I would
Best Wishes.

[Neil Hulme]

Catching Up

I haven't had much time to post here this season, but here are a few (non Purple) highlights from the last few weeks:

A male Dark Green Fritillary from Chantry Hill on 30.6.15. This species has reacted spectacularly to a change in management here, with daily counts up to 140!

A male White-letter Hairstreak from Littlehampton on 3.7.15. W-l H has had a good season in Sussex, following a string of poor years.

A White Admiral from Eartham Woods on 3.7.15. Sadly, this species is still in the doldrums locally, and sorely missed!

A Silver-washed Fritillary f. valesina from Knepp Castle Estate today (23.7.15). My first sighting in Sussex since 2013.

[Katrina]

Your last photo is making me rethink my weekend plans

[Neil Hulme]

Helping Holly Blues

Several female Holly Blues now laying eggs on the ivy flower buds in my Worthing back garden. Please don’t cut your garden ivy back until October, to let their caterpillars reach maturity and pupate.

[David M]

What a pose, and on a terminal leaf too! Well done.

[Neil Hulme]

Fun With A Selfie Stick

Here's a bit of selfie stick fun. Dan Danahar from BC Sussex has been making a series of short films about Butterflies of the (Brighton & Hove) Biosphere. In this episode we are successful in hunting down some unusual aberrant forms of the Chalk Hill Blue. The best bit is at the end, after the credits have rolled!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYJduaSmdLw

This afternoon I joined Dan (and Indi) Danahar, to help make the latest instalment of his popular sitcom Butterflies of the Biosphere. Although we left the Biosphere to visit Butchershole Bottom (watch this episode to find out the story behind its menacing name), we felt justified in doing so by the ample fruits provided by this site. Our target species, Chalk Hill Blue, is yet to peak here, but there were clearly several thousand already flying, despite the grey skies. We were keen to find some aberrant forms and the dull conditions were ideal for this, keeping them inactive for prolonged periods. It didn't take us long to find a few examples of ab. postobsoleta (reduced spotting over the hind wings), but I was particularly pleased with a specimen that fell within spitting distance of ab. caeca (a blind form), which had just a single, central spot on the underside of its forewing, and just two, tiny spots (in addition to the central key) on the hind wing. Technically, this should probably be referred to ab. anticaeca + postobsoleta. Who cares, we had fun and didn't tread in any dog poo. Also present were large numbers of Essex Skipper, Common Blue and a few Small Copper and Brown Argus, amongst the usual suspects.

[Butterflysaurus rex]

Hi Neil

I saw your fun and informative 'Chalkie' video with Dan, I've seen all of the "biosphere" videos now and they are most entertaining. Nice bit of comedy at the end too. I usually avoid the area you mentioned for obvious reasons.

Catch up soon

ATB

James

[Neil Hulme]

Big Butterfly Count

Today I did my second Big Butterfly Count, again at Cissbury Ring, and included Silver-spotted Skipper, Clouded Yellow and Small Copper in my tally. Although it took me a lot longer than the 15 minute BBC, I eventually found a total of 33 Silver-spotted Skippers. Numbers are building rapidly and it’s very clear that this species has gained a firm foothold here.

I then went on to perform a survey at the Knepp Castle Estate Wildland, which included the first Dark Green Fritillary for the site. This brings the Knepp total to 33 species. I couldn’t resist photographing the charismatic Longhorns, with the Knepp ruin as a backdrop.

[Neil Hulme]

Skipper Shoots Down Hummer!

The recently established Silver-spotted Skipper population at Cissbury Ring continues to grow, with 76 counted there today (9.8.15). Several Clouded Yellows were also present at Cissbury, including a pure white (topside) helice, and a large number of other species.

I also witnessed an incredible display of aerobatics, as a male Silver-spotted Skipper pursued a female Hummingbird Hawkmoth for ten minutes. I thought a Hummer would be able to outrun and outmanoeuvre anything, but it stupidly forgot to engage its hover mode and had to crash-land to escape. The skipper won.

I was on Cissbury yesterday too, where I saw my first (male) Brown Hairstreak of the year. The 2015 season is still running late, so it will be another week before the females really get going, although there have been one or two isolated sightings.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Neil, love all your shots especially the Clouded Yellow the other two i'll have to weep over this year Goldie

[Neil Hulme]

Happy Hairstreaking

The Brown Hairstreak season in Sussex is now fully underway, but we are still in the very early stages, as the butterfly calendar continues to run late.

The best Sussex sites have always been very poor at providing low-level males, although they make amends by producing such high numbers of obliging females. After getting a nice male at Cissbury Ring (8 August) I was even more pleased to get my best ever shot of a male at Steyning on Wednesday afternoon (12 August), when the clouds suddenly cleared and the temperature increased rapidly. 'Pleased' turned to 'delighted' when I subsequently flushed a female from low in a bramble patch - but she didn't go far. 'Delighted' then gave way to excitement, as I noticed the irregular patterning on her hind wing. This ab. uncilinea is apparently a first for Sussex!

Today (15 August) started well, as I returned to the same site at Steyning, which is about 1 Km from the famous Rifle Range. I found two females, one of which remained stationary for 45 minutes, despite the warm, sunny weather.

I later moved on to the Range, where quite a few hopefuls were staring up at the Ash trees. Unfortunately, that's where the hairstreaks stayed. I saw ones and twos scattered around the site, including females, but the big descent to start egg laying is still (eagerly) awaited. None of the females I have found to date has shown any interest in ovipositing.

We are still in that period when the Brown Hairstreak is hard to locate, but they are all in mint condition and fairly inactive. A week from now they will be down in numbers, but fidgeting in and out of the thorn and rapidly collecting nicks and scratches.

The main course is yet to come.

While waiting for the hairstreaks there is plenty more to see at Steyning, particularly as the habitat continues to improve, through the hard work of the Steyning Downland Scheme volunteers. Both sites I visited, particularly the first, were awash with Wall Brown. The Rifle Range has always been a good site for Holly Blue, but the numbers there at present are exceptional.

[Butterflysaurus rex]

You've certainly surpassed yourself with that male Brown Hairstreak photo Neil. And the other two aren't too bad either.

Best wishes

James