www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Jack: Long-tailed Blue definitely does use other foodplants in the UK (including Broom) - there was some discussion in another thread here view topic.php?p=104460#p104460

Thanks. I had missed that thread.

Jack

Hello Neil,

Thanks to the poor weather you mentioned stalling the late summer influx this time around it has made for a rather different experience to 2013. I've enjoyed that aspect of it, despite the fact we could have seen a much bigger invasion had the weather been more favourable. It's also very interesting that the majority of LTB activity appears to have been seen further west this time.

It would be delightful if this became a more regular occurrence, as now seems quite probable. I makes you wonder what inroads other continental species might make in the future. It certainly makes the south coast an exciting place to live for people like us.

It's been a wonderful end to the year.

All the best

James

Hi Neil,

I have been catching up on your LTB reports and find them fascinating reading. Not having the time to make the trip down there to see them myself it is the next best thing to be able to read about them.

And I have to say, if I could have taken just one butterfly photo this year, your LTB ab. from October 25th would be it

Cheers,

Neil

I'd be interested to know what influence (if any) the prolonged heatwave in many parts of France and its immediate eastern neighbours had on LTB distribution northwards.

Was the species commoner than normal on the near continent?

Thanks again, all.
David: Numbers of Long-tailed Blue were reported as being unusually high in both Brittany and Belgium. This was one of the factors which inspired me to go hunting for the eggs.

BWs, Neil

A Day To Remember

11.11.15 was a day to remember in more ways than one. Despite chasing the Long-tailed Blue relentlessly during 2013 and 2015, I never thought I’d see one on Armistice Day!

Having been grounded by both weather and work since 1 November, I couldn’t resist another hunt for this species when the sun made a now rare appearance. The sheltered hedge line adjacent to Manor Hill near Brighton Racecourse produced the goods, when I flushed a male Long-tailed Blue from the low scrub. I didn’t manage to get a decent shot of its upper side, as the wind was quite strong even here. It eventually flew over the road and disappeared into Whitehawk Bottom.

The Long-tailed Blue has elevated the 2015 butterfly season from very average to truly memorable. We will never know, but I do wonder how large this event really was in comparison to 2013 (2013 - 109 individuals; 2015 - 63 individuals). I suspect that recorder effort has been much less, and more restricted in spread this year, perhaps because the grand finale developed so late in the season.

Now that the final curtain must surely be coming down, and bearing in mind the sensitivities expressed regarding collectors at Kingsdown Leas, I've refrained from mentioning that site so far. I'm aware of only two sightings of British brood insects there this year. However, I know that migrant Long-tailed Blues arrived in force (up to 8 seen in a day), outstripping the 2013 fall.

I suspect that a large number of Long-tailed Blues will have come and gone unnoticed, but I'm becoming increasingly convinced that they'll be back again, within only a few years.

November butterfly.
Stunning shot.
LTB!

Any chance you could find a few in Wiltshire next year Neil?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

No chance they'll come to Lancashire Wurzel Looks like I'll have to tap my daughter up for later in the year my Son-in-Law may not be too happy though lovely shot Neil Goldie

African Swarm

I've just returned from a fabulous ten day break in Jandia, at the southern tip of Fuerteventura. This was my fifth winter visit to the island and as always it provided welcome respite from the worst of British weather.

I had every intention of continuing my pursuit of the Long-tailed Blue and that looked to be on the cards when I found a fresh specimen roosting on an Aloe vera plant in the hotel grounds before checking in. That was the last Long-tailed Blue I saw during my visit! I also saw about a dozen Painted Ladies and a Red Admiral, but it was the African Grass Blue (Zizeeria knysna that stole the show.

In the past I've only ever found this species in ones and twos around the Canarian hotel gardens, and they've usually been worn and torn individuals. However, after spotting a few on the bank behind the sports area I decided to investigate a small patch (c.1000 square metres) of rough but irrigated ground adjacent to the hotel. I'm glad I did, as I was treated to one of the most spectacular displays of butterfly abundance that I've ever experienced.

The ground over this entire area was literally swarming with these minute butterflies, with concentrations of up to 10 per square metre in flight and up to 30 per square metre while at roost over some patches of grass and low scrub. The flight was probably beyond its peak as the vast majority were faded, but a careful search revealed a few fresh specimens and mating pairs. Over the course of several days I did my best to calculate the number present, always ending up with a conservative figure of 3000 - 5000.

There were also some interesting birds around the hotel and adjacent area, including Fuerteventura Stonechat, Berthelot's Pipit, Trumpeter Finch, Sardinian Warbler, Hoopoe and Southern Grey Shrike, the former two species being very tame.

As always, this quieter end of the island provided plenty of sunshine and the chance to unwind. Once the naked Germans had retreated to their hotels, the beautiful sandy beaches became surprisingly uncluttered. The sunsets were consistently spectacular. With only a four hour flight time I'll be returning to Fuerteventura many more times in the future.
African Grass Blue
African Grass Blue habitat
Fuerteventura Stonechat

Your photo's are making me long for a holiday Neil, after the weather we've had we'll need one lovely Butterfly photos as well Goldie

Thanks, Goldie. I wish I was back there!
BWs, Neil

Great images again, Neil, and what a find it was to get such an audience with that most attractive little lycaenid.

Thanks, David, and Happy New Year!
I've just kicked off my season with a Painted Lady!
BWs, Neil

2016 - First Blood

A Painted Lady landed briefly on the Fatsia japonica in my Worthing back garden today (6 January), before heading north in a determined manner. Together with the sighting at Halnaker Mill (West Sussex) on 23 December, and others elsewhere in the UK, this suggests that a small influx has occurred over the Christmas and early January period, as last seen at this time of year in 2013. The immigration of Painted Ladies over the festive period has historically been a highly unusual event (it happened in 1987), so such an early repeat performance just confirms that we can increasingly expect the unexpected.

....confirms that we can increasingly expect the unexpected.

So I guess we should put our money on Jeremy Corbyn to win the next election.

Jack

Making Homes For Fritillaries for the Future

I was delighted to see such a healthy turnout (seventeen) for the Fritillaries for the Future work party at Rewell Wood today (7 February), including a contingent from the National Park’s Volunteer Ranger Service. Four south-facing scallops have now been cut into the sweet chestnut along the edge of a sunny track, providing top quality habitat for the Pearl-bordered Fritillary. There will be guided walks here (morning and afternoon) to see the Pearls and other spring butterflies on Sunday 1 May and Saturday 7 May (all details on the BC Sussex website soon).

After days and weeks and months of endless gloom, it was wonderful to see the sun today. Even better, one of our party found us a Brimstone, which thankfully marks the beginning of the end of winter.

Great shot of the Brimstone and some really great work on the scallops, here's hoping they yield plenty of Pearls - though shouldn't they really be called Oysters

Have a goodun

Wurzel

What a great find Neil, perfect shot of the Brimstone, I'll be in West Sussex in early June and I'm really looking forward to it. Goldie

That Brimstone image has given me a real lift, Neil. I hope this butterfly and many others find your winter endeavours very much to their liking.