www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Fabulous numbers of Silver Studded Blues, ernie. I think I am now compelled to go and search for them at my south Wales site this weekend. It'd be a shame to miss out on them when they appear to be having such a good season.

Wurzel - Its the first time I have seen such a thing. It flew around OK - no problem.

David - And the numbers are still on the increase too! There were 312 in and around the Broxhead lek yesterday with a further 113 between the lek and the lake. Good luck at your location.

Cheers

Old Winchester Hill - 21st June 2018

Today my target species were Marbled White, Dark Green Fritillary, Ringlet and Small Skipper because so far this year I had seen none of these. By the end of the day I had seen dozens of Marbled White and Ringlet, 1 Small Skipper and 2 DG Frits. So - all targets met, but of course en-route I came across many others including Common Blue, Speckled Wood, Small and Large Whites, Small Heath, many Large Skippers, 2 Small Torts, 2 Red Ads, 1 Painted Lady and so many Meadow Browns they were actually becoming a nuisance because they would chase other butterflies that I wanted to get photos of from their perch.

However a lengthy ongoing battle was going on between one Meadow Brown and a Ringlet. They would charge one another and swirl around and then charge again. It was actually quite exciting to watch. Then they ran out of energy, rested together side by side for a while before continuing where they left off. This went on for some minutes before they parted, apparently neither the victor.

The Marbled Whites were difficult to photograph as they just would not stay still for long. This was the best I could achieve today.
But here are some of my previous attempts.
I thought the same was going to be true for the Dark Green Frit as it barrelled back and forth along one of the flowery ditches of the Hillfort. But with patience I worked out where it stopped to nectar and stood beside the flower for a while. Sure enough the DGF came back to the same flower a few times and although it never stayed long on each occasion I could get my self prepared. These are todays results.
And here are some past shots...
I'll do the Small Skip and Ringlet another day because I also went to another location today and I want to cover that instead.

Alice Holt Woods: The Straits Enclosure 21st June 2018

I counted 8 White Ads here today and adding these to the ones seen recently in the same woodland but in the Abbots Wood Enclosure this totals 12. If anything there were even more Ringlets here than at Old Winch. Its amazing how you can see none for ages and then a dozen all come along at once - like Red London buses!

But I really wanted to capture a pic of the underside of a White Ad. I had some good ones in the past but forgot to back them up and then of course my computer crashed and could not be repaired. I lost the lot. At last I have managed to get them back. Here is one of the better efforts.
Non-butterfly Snapshot of the day

Just below the ridge path leading to the Iron Age Hillfort at Old Winch there is a small Yew Woodland.

Well done staking out the Dark Green Frits, Ernie, some lovely shots to show for your efforts.

Mike

Good effort with the Dark Green Frits, ernie, as well as the courting Marbled Whites.

It's all too much right now with all these species emerging.....and that's before Purple Emperors even get going!

Thanks, Dave and Mike. Yes its a bit crazy at the moment. The Purple Emps will be out at Alice Holt any minute and that usually requires repeated visits, then there is the Purple Hairstreak to track down again and I want to see if I can improve my White-letter Hairstreak pics. I am even toying with the idea to go to Daneway Banks for the Large Blue but that may be a little too far for me.

Cheers

The Purple Emperors are out at Alice Holt. I have just seen a male "barrelling" down the main path of the Straits Enclosure, it came past me at a cracking pace at about knee high but did not stop so no pics. I followed with binoculars until it flew out of sight. On my return along the same track I saw it again coming at me from the other direction and exactly the same thing happened again, passing me at knee height in pretty much a straight line dash.

I also counted 15 White Ads, 1 Red Ad, loads of M Brown and Ringlet, a Comma, many Large Skippers having sparring matches, a Large White, so many Specked Woods it took me by surprise and three Silver-washed Frits (my first of the year).

Plus a fairly good look at a Goshawk as it flew from its perch and off through the woods to avoid me as I bumbled along. The Straits Enclosure is a recognised regular nesting place for the Goshawk but in all the years I have visited this place I have never seen the nest and only ever have seen the actual bird twice. Today was the second time.

I shall provide a proper post later in the day but thought I'd raise a Purple Flag for Alice Holt seeing as the weekend looms!!!

Odiham Common 22nd June 2016

I am exhausted. I went to three locations today starting with Odiham Common. This is a little known grass and flower meadow bordered by woods. A few locals walk their dogs here but for such a large area of land a short walk from the town of Odiham it is surprising how few people use it.
I come here for the Hairstreaks. There are a lot of Oaks here, so there are a fair number of Purple Hairstreak too. One large Oak stands at the corner of a woodland facing the meadow so you can stand back and get a good view of it. Today there were three Purple Hairstreaks busying themselves around the canopy while being hunted by a Hornet. Unfortunately on this occasion none of them came down for a pic but they have in the past and I will post some of my past pics another time since this is my first spot of this species this year. This tree gets the sun all day so whereas in other locations the master tree is only used by this species at certain times of day, not so here. They stay put. They merely move around to the sunny side of the tree.

I saw one White-letter Hairstreak on the Elm in the corner of the field (one of them in the photo above). Again he did not want to come down and was fairly inactive even though it was sunny and warm, possibly because he was the only one and had no other males to fight or females to pursue, so most of the time he just sat up there looking around him; like some couch potato.

Lots of sparring Large Skippers, plus quite a few Marbled Whites and Meadow Brown plus a Small White.
Alice Holt: Straits Enclosure

My next stop was Purple Emperor country and yes, today there was a Purple Emperor. I mentioned in my previous mini-post about his barrelling antics which while fascinating behaviour to witness and exciting when he actually whizzed by me also meant no pics. But in this post I will share my past pics of this species as its another or my first spots of the year.

Last year was a record count for PE’s for me at Alice Holt – I saw 14 individuals in all and one came down to ground long enough for me to get a four-wing purple picture.
In a recent year the Forestry Commission re-gravelled the main track through the enclosure and this meant the PE’s would come down a lot. I spent 50 minutes with one as he mooched along licking salts from the new gravel mix. At one point I actually sat down on the ground next to him for about 10 minutes and he showed no concern for me at all. I got loads of pics and a nice long video of him doing it.
When the wings really get the sun, the purple can shine out.
I have also seen a courting pair up in the trees.
And a pair of males having a face-off on a tree trunk. They just perched there for ages giving one another meaningful glances but not actually coming to blows.
Eventually one just gave up and flew off leaving the other to stay there. Eventually I just walked away, leaving him to it. Whatever "it" was.
Also today, 15 White Admirals, 3 Silver-washed Frits (another first of the year) and others mentioned in my previous mini-post today. Plus that Goshawk!

Broxhead

I checked out the two master trees I know of for Purple Hairstreak here but none had emerged yet.

I also continued my count of the Silver-studded Blues in locations of the reserve I had not visited for them this year. In an area known as “The Anvil” I found 72 SSB’s and on the reserve the other side of the road in the part I call “Copperside” because of the Small Copper lek there, I found 19 SSB’s. This brings the total across the reserve to 516 so far – but I have still not visited it all.

Non-butterfly Snapshot of the day

There is a great variety of wildlife at Broxhead. Here is a Devil’s Coach-horse beetle crossing a sandy path there.

Alice Holt Woods - 23 June 2018

Well the Purple Emperors may not have stopped for me yesterday but today it was a whole new ball-game. One came down to the ground and after licking something dungy for awhile decided to have a rest and so perched around head height on a nearby tree giving us lucky observers some photo opportunities.
This is just an interim post today as I have to be off but part 2 will follow later.

Alice Holt Woods - 23 June 2018 - Part 2

The Purple Emperor on the ground was fantastic as always but it was not the only thing today. Yesterday there were three Silver-washed Frits and today there were six, but two were already mating.
Yesterday the SWFs just would not stay still but today they just wanted to pose for the camera.
There were two Purple Hairstreak that did not hang around, at least two Small Skips, 2 Comma and the (by now) usual crowd of Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Red Ads, White Ads, Speckled Wood, Large Skip, Large and GV White but also a single Marbled White.

Since these are my first SWFs of the year its time for some of my past pics of them...
Broxhead 23rd June 2018

I also paid a quick visit to see how the Silver-studded Blues were doing, fully expecting they had started to go past the peak. They hadn't! There were now 346 in and around the lek, at least 29 of which were female. The reserve count is now 550 which matches my record of recent years but I have not visited all parts, so the number has to be more than this.

Non-butterfly Snapshots of the day

Back at Alice Holt the dragonflies were out in force hunting the butterflies.

For example the following...
And two Golden-ringed Dragonflies, both of which perched for some time and allowed me to get very close.

Those are cracking shots of the SWFs Ernie - I especially like the frit's bottom! It shows the undersides off perfectly.

Fantastic set of posts recently Ernie You're working up quite a yearly tally I've still to see both Purp s, SWF and a Whitter

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Janet - Thanks. Its always nice to get a different angle if its possible and when this one presented itself - I could not resist!

Wurzel - Thanks also. This is getting to be one of my better butterfly years and we are still in June!

Cheers

Daneway Banks - 24th June 2018
I hardly ever leave Hampshire, the county I live in, to look at butterflies. Perhaps I skip a few miles across the border into Surrey but that's about it. But I have to thank Janet and her recent post about the Large Blues for todays visit. Ever since I was a kid and collected picture cards of wildlife from tea packets and had one of a Large Blue I have always been fascinated by it. Perhaps because even when I was a nipper it was rare - I don't know.

Why Daneway Banks? It is I think the nearest colony to me even though its nearly a 2 hour drive, but more because I used to live in the village of Chalford just a few miles away from the site many years before this butterfly was re-introduced here. But this meant I had no problem finding it because I already knew the location (or more honestly - the location of the very fine Daneway Pub next door!!!)

I awoke at dawn and arrived on site at 6.30 am. Yep. 6.30 AM! But even then I was not the first there.

It took me a while to find the best spot for the Large Blue but by around 8 am they were up and about. I am glad I came early because by 10.30 am they were buzzing about and difficult to photograph. Coming early meant they settled more.

So here are some of the results...
Other butterflies seen were loads of Marbled White, Meadow Brown and Ringlet, plus Common Blue, Small Heath and a single fresh Brown Argus.

Oh, yes. I forgot to say. I saw one do a wing-roll. First with its wings closed and then with wings ajar. Fantastic. Another one to add to my list. I shall make a note as usual under "General".

Alice Holt Woodland: Abbots Wood Enclosure - 25th June 2018, 9.30 – 10.30 am

Another purple day, today. I saw at least four, maybe six at the first crossing by the master tree. Two individuals came to the ground.
One had one of its fore-wings torn in half but that did not stop it flying or even sparring with another male!
At one point it appeared that three were having a dog-fight at about two foot above the ground. There was a swirling flight in one small area. One of them almost landed but not quite. Instead it “hovered” a couple of inches above the ground buzzing its wings really fast. This seemed to put the other two off and they flew away. This third flitted around for a little while longer and when it was sure the coast was clear, it too flew off. In retrospect, I wonder if this was two males pursuing a gravid female who used a buzzing wings routine to fend them off. I have not ever heard of this, nor read about it for this species.

It was not possible to get pics or video as it was all over in a minute.

There was a male in the canopy scouting for a female.
Another flew around the same Oak as a Purple Hairstreak.

Also while I was looking at two Purple Hairstreaks on another Oak, a Purple Emperor flew inches above my head.

Having them at all heights and all around me within the space of only 1 hour was a fantastic experience. I never tire of them.

Odiham Common – 25th June 2018

Same day but in the afternoon. Here once again for the White-letter Hairstreak. I did not expect much as its really the wrong time of day to see them, especially in this heat – clocked at 28 degrees C in open sunshine. But one did zig-zag down and for a moment I almost thought it was going to land and nectar from a bramble but it didn’t. It just flew on and back up again. I saw it about three times but then the heat finally got to me so I left.

Greywell Common - 25th June 2018

Came here to see if the Marsh Helleborine’s were out yet. They were, as was a mass of Marbled Whites.
Non-butterfly Snapshots of the day

Marsh Helleborines are one of my favourite British wild orchids.

You had a wonderful day with the Emperors, Ernie - I particularly like the third shot which really shows the colour to full advantage. I need to get down to Fermyn Woods asap!
The Marsh Helleborine is lovely - I've never seen one of those.

Thanks Janet - The Purple Emperors seem to be having a good year so far.

Broxhead - 26th June 2018

I did a count of the Silver-studded Blues in and around the lek today and although I was early (8-8.30 am), there were 294 that I could see. My last count (on 23rd) was 346, so although I probably missed a few roosting out of sight it looks like we have now gone past peak flight time. On the 23rd I estimated about 10% were female, but today that figure was more in the region of 20%.
Alice Holt Woods: Abbot’s Wood - 26th June 2018

And then it was on to Purple country. Again a bit early (8.30-9.30 am) but I struck lucky again. At about 8.45 am two males took it upon themselves to have a sparring match low down rather than in the canopy and amazingly they used me as a referee! The zoomed around me, this way and that, up and down, round and round. It made me quite dizzy. Then just as quickly as they had appeared, then they disappeared into the woods once again.

Then at about 9 am I found yet another Purple Emperor giving chase to a White Admiral. Who knows, perhaps he thought it was a female Purple Emperor, I know I did at first, but when the male flew off, the White Admiral stuck around and it was clear to me it was not a Purple by then.

Also Purple Hairstreaks, the usual Meadow Brown, Large Skipper, Comma and Ringlet. Also Small and Large White and Silver-washed Frits.
Chawton Park Estate - 26th June 2018

Saw four White-letter Hairstreak here today but they showed no indication of coming down (again). Good views through binoculars though. Some thistles were now in bloom but there were no other flowers and no bank of Bramble. I don’t think this is a location where they will ever come down.

Also Small Skipper and Green-veined White.

Noar Hill - 26th June 2018

To finish my morning round I ended up at Noar Hill. I got plenty of Marbled White, Small Heath, a couple of faded Common Blue and ten or so Speckled Wood.

I was really here for the Frog Orchids though and yes, they are now blooming alongside the Musk Orchids. The Pyramidals are now in full bloom too.

Up until now I had not had time to share my past pics of Ringlet. Now seems as good a time as any.
Non-butterfly Snapshots of the day

Noar Hill’s orchid number 9. The Frog Orchid.

I was at Daneways today Ernie and saw the 'wing roll' so I was going to let you know only for you to have seen the same thing two days ago! Great Purp shots again

Have a goodun

Wurzel