June 2009 Sightings

[jhanlon]

almost forgot, was also planning on catching the last wood whites out tomorrow as they've been around in double figs this week. Does anyone know where I can go in Salcey Forest or Yardley Chase that would offer the best chance?

[SteveA]

Purple Emperors have been on the wing at Southwater Woods during the week, 5 or 6 I beleive a couple of days ago. The forecast for Sunday on the south coast looks reasonable.

I visited Alice Holt Forest in Hampshire where 3 Purple Emperors were around the usual trees at Goose Green Inclosure, 5 there yesterday aparently. Straits Inclosure had one yesterday but none today though there were bucket loads of Silver-washed Fritillaries, White Admirals, Ringlets and Meadow Browns along with a few Red Admirals and several 'whites'.

I managed a record flight shot of one of the Emperors.

[sahikmet]

To day at Chobhom Heath lots of Silver studded blues and small skippers. few large skippers also around.

Sezar

[Neil Hulme]

Hi all,
Southwater Woods again on top form today. I saw ten individual Purple Emperors in different areas of the complex, with two males on the deck. One evaded the open wing 'purple shot', as it was sitting on my calf! The number of aberrations here this year is quite incredible. I saw my fifth White Admiral obliterae (all different specimens) and a much more extreme ocellata Silver-washed Fritillary than the one I've seen over the last few days. I'm leading a walk to see Purple Emperors at Botany Bay near Plaistow tomorrow at 9am if anyone's in the area (details on BC Sussex website).
Neil

[Ian Pratt]

White admirals, meadow browns and silver-washed fritillaries were the order of the day at Walters Copse Newtown IOW today including a mating pair of SWFs.

[eccles]

Jerry found a couple of small blue though near the bottom of the slope opposite the roadside gate.

Really? That would be very unusual at this time of year! If they were Small Blue, they must have been well-worn!

Cheers,

- Pete

Yep, a bit worn but still very feisty. This male chased off a ringlet!

[NickB]

Went to Buxton Heath Norfolk this morning for SSB. Thanks to Angie for directions ; exactly where you said they would be...and they were reasonably well-behaved since it remained overcast most of the time. (Didn't make taking pictures any easier - had to use higher ISO's and lower f-stops to achieve an acceptable speed). Cute little things!

...good work by everyone this month in this thread
N

[Cotswold Cockney]

To day at Chobhom Heath lots of Silver studded blues and small skippers. few large skippers also around.

Sezar

Watch out SSB ~ a spider lurks .... your days could be numbered....

In my favourite local wood a few years back, a Pearl Bordered Fritillary having its life juices sucked out of it by a Pink Crab Spider on a flower ~ the eight legged creature was quite pretty although the picture was a little upsetting for this butterfly enthusiast.

[markhows]

Thursley - Silver Studded Blue, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, large white

Oaken Woods - Purple Emperor, silver washed fritillary, white admiral, comma, marbeled white, ringlet, large skipper, small skipper, red admiral, meadow brown, large white

Not a bad day out

Mark

[Gruditch]

Took the Parents out to Bentley today, for there first taste of Butterflying. I think they were suitably impressed, if they weren't, then they bleeding well should of been. For not only did we see 14 species, amongst them were a sparkling brand new Painted Lady, 2 Valesina form Silver-washed Fritillary, and a obliterae form White Admiral ( I think ).
sorry about the quality of the pics, I was just happy snapping with the 100-400 today. Cheers Gruditch

[IAC]

Hi all,
Very good season up here in South East Scotland...at the moment Grayling, Dark Green Fritillary, Meadow Brown and Ringlet are about as well as Large Skipper, Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary and brand new Small Tortoiseshells.....Common Blue and Small Heath having a tremendous year as are Small Blue ( still flying) and Northern Brown Argus, Small Copper fairly normal year..Painted Lady are probably not as strong here as 2006...Red Admiral are still posted missing...only 2 so far this year..an all time low. Large White and Green Veined White as well as Small White have done well compared to previous years...and Peacock expected soonish.....Speckled Wood has been seen locally, and Wall Brown have made a huge surge north this year, especially coastal. Sightings of Brimstones are getting closer to my area as are Holly Blue. Orange Tip seem to have finally given up the ghost..still flying last week...none seen since. Currently looking for Small Skipper and Large Heath...Large Heath at least should be airborne.

Cheers IAC.

[Jack Harrison]

Benfleet Downs South Essex approx six different WL Hairstreaks (wear/damage enabled distinguishing individuals) around bramble at TQ785857 1245 to 1345 hours. Very co-operative for the camera.

Marbled Whites by the score plus all the other suspects.

I had trouble locating parking spot but eventually found good spot at extreme eastern end of St.Mary’s Road just beyond end of tarmac (TQ784858)

Jack

[Shirley Roulston]

Sunday lunch for a Green-Veined White and Large White caterpillars.

Amended the small for a Large White I'm happy to get one right.
Shirley

[Dave McCormick]

Found this beauty today, a drinker moth male. Never saw this species before, so it was a first for me:

[Shirley Roulston]

It is a beauty Dave.
Shirley

[romansnumber7]

Very poor image but wanted to confirm the ID and that is is a High Brown.

[eccles]

A couple of the outer ocelli can be seen on the underside, so it looks a good ID to me.

[romansnumber7]

Thanks very much for confirming that, i can now return to the same location with some degree of confidence and hope to get a good image.

[Pete Eeles]

Hi all,
Southwater Woods again on top form today. I saw ten individual Purple Emperors in different areas of the complex, with two males on the deck. One evaded the open wing 'purple shot', as it was sitting on my calf! The number of aberrations here this year is quite incredible. I saw my fifth White Admiral obliterae (all different specimens) and a much more extreme ocellata Silver-washed Fritillary than the one I've seen over the last few days. I'm leading a walk to see Purple Emperors at Botany Bay near Plaistow tomorrow at 9am if anyone's in the area (details on BC Sussex website).
Neil

P1090518_edited-1.jpg

PEUKB1_edited-1.jpg

Nice one Neil. Would it be OK to use the aberration image on the main species pages?

Cheers,

- Pete

[Pete Eeles]

Jerry found a couple of small blue though near the bottom of the slope opposite the roadside gate.

Really? That would be very unusual at this time of year! If they were Small Blue, they must have been well-worn!

Cheers,

- Pete

Yep, a bit worn but still very feisty. This male chased off a ringlet!

Thanks for the confirmation Mike - definitely Small Blue!

Cheers,

- Pete