Wurzel

[Philzoid]

as well as a foreign driver who had forgotten or was ignorant of the fact that our speed signs are in miles and not kilometres per hour!

Yep!

That grounded greenstreak was a beaut and another first for the season

put Philzoid onto the butterfly once he’d located my holler, and head on my way. A "cracking" outing

That was the sound of branches breaking as I desperately tried to find my way back before the Duke was gone .

It was indeed a cracking day

[bugboy]

With a quick breakdancing move (I believe aptly named ‘the caterpillar’) I was flat on the deck and perfectly level with it.

This is something that I think deserves a wider audience, perhaps after a few pints at this years winter get together

Great pics, I'm off to investigate this place this coming week and hopefully come home with my first lifer of 2016

[Maximus]

Nice shots of the Bentley PBF ab, Wurzel and the normal underside is 'lush' too, to borrow one of yours

[Goldie M]

Great Butterfly shots Wurzel, your one up with the Copper I've not seen one yet.Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie I'm sure you'll get one soon!
Cheers Mike I was chuffed with the Pearl ab.
Cheers Bugboy Unfortunately I'm banned from performing Breakdancing moves due to Health and Safety
Cheers Philzoid It was a brill day let's hope for another one soon!
Cheers Dave That was one of the highlights of the day

Marshie Site 15-05-2016

After the delights of the ‘Rock and Gem’ show at Shepton Mallet we were driving back and looking for somewhere to eat out picnic lunch. Stourhead was the obvious choice but I chanced my arm and suggested that we could wing by my Marshie Site. Surprisingly that got the okay and after a bit of rigmarole getting there we were soon up the track and sitting pretty on the hillside or” assis a c'est tranquille”. While the girls munched and looked out across the valley I munched and enjoyed fleeting views of Marsh Frits!

While the girls let their dinner go down I cracked on and had a quick walk around. There were reasonable numbers of Marshies around along with many Grizzlies (including the lightest I’ve ever come across), Dinghies, the odd Small Heath and down near the bottom of the hill many Greenstreaks along the fence line.

"Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough!"

I was a funny visit really with three memorable aspects...

1.) The fact that the trip was made on a whim and I got away with it.

2.) While searching for Walls (with no joy unfortunately) along the bottom of the hill I saw my first definite Red Admiral of 2016. Not only did I see it but it stopped briefly on some Nettles so I was able to get a grab shot. It got even better as it then proceeded to lay on the nettles. It carried this on moving from clump to clump, stopping just long enough to throw it’s abdomen forward, deposit and egg and then it would move on to the next set.

3.)The gorgeous Marshies in a multitude of guises and poses. To start with most preferred the standard open wing pose but by the end there were a few that were rocking the closed wing look!

Eventually I’d walked my way back to the family and so we packed up and headed homewards one more…

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Love those dark Marsh Frits, Wurzel. They're much bolder than ours here in south Wales.

[Goldie M]

Fantastic photos Wurzel Sounded like a great day out Goldie

[Wurzel]

Larkhill the story so far…16-05-2016

Actually the story so far has been pretty dire – not even a penny dreadful, just dreadful! I’d stopped off at various different times of day on 10 different days and seen absolutely nowt! Finally on 16th May I broke the Larkhill duck seeing and photographing my first butterfly on site. Despite the poor lead up the season started with a bit of a bang, not because the first species was a Brimstone but because it was resting on the deck with its wings half open. It looked like it had been flying along the path when the weak sun had gone in, the temperature had dropped and it had just fallen out of the sky.

Over the next week work and weather conspired against me and it wasn’t until Friday afternoon on the way home that I was able to stop and check out how the butterflies were doing.

Slightly before that however I was able to get out on the Friday lunch to check out what was happening at one of my other local ‘work’ sites. Vera will be quietening down prior to the Hedge and Meadow Browns arriving so I went instead to a small field in the middle of one of the new estates. At the right time of year it is crawling with three species of golden skipper and while that time is still not quite upon us I was hoping for maybe a Specklie or a Common Blue?

As I took the most frequented path across the site something flew by me and landed just up ahead -I could see that it was a Specklie but as soon as it became properly aware of me it disappeared down into the scrub. I’m not having much luck with this species this year as for some reason they’re just playing fair and always hiding away. Despite waiting for valuable minutes it made no signs of leaving its hideaway and so I continued on my way.

I ddn’t have much luck for the rest of my stay and somewhat dejected I made my way back up the hill and back to the car. A Small White then chose to stop by and later a Large White stopped for a few shots too so the trip out wasn’t a total loss – still no Blues and even worse the Specklies are playing hardball!

On the way home I stopped off at Larkhill. Instead of the Westbound path I checked out the Northbound instead but it wasn’t until almost the very end of the path that a small, grey blur materialised into the familiar form of a Grizzlie. In fairness it was very smart looking and as I straightened up to make my leave a male Brimstone headed back down the path as if to show me to my car.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Katrina]

Great Grizzlie shot Wurzel, lovely and fresh looking.

[kevling]

Wurzel, loving the Marshie photographs. When you get a fresh looking specimen they are amazing. They will certainly be my highlight of the year I'm sure.

Regards Kev

[Wurzel]

Cheers Katrina It was a fresh out of the box Grizzlie
Cheers Kevling Marshies make or break my year every year - there are a 'must see' species for me

Hutchinson’s Bank 22-05-2016

It’s been several years since I saw my last Glanville during the final success season at Wrecclesham. Since then I’ve not been able to persuade myself to make the journey to Hutchinson’s Bank and have also missed out on them on the Isle of Black by about 3 hours! This year however I needed to reacquaint myself with them and so despite a disappointing weather forecast I set off to meet Philzoid. On the drive there the weather got better and better until eventually I arrived amid warm clear blue skies, for once the Met had got it wrong but in a good way!

We set off in Philzoid’s car with the Satnav taking us on a novel route and passing a convoy of Mini’s doing the Brighton run. Soon we were parked and heading down the wooded avenue. The first butterfly of the day was a Specklie and one which finally allowed me to get a photo of it. Then there was another and another and a Brimstone flew by and a Holly Blue or two fluttered about just out of reach as is usually the way.

The trees fizzled out and we were in ‘the cutting’. Almost immediately a marmalade butterfly made a pass, followed by another. Two Glanvilles and we’d only been on site for about 45 seconds! There was a sudden surge of activity with both a Small and Common Blue (two firsts for the year) putting in an appearance along with at least 3 maybe 4 Glanvilles, ad OT, Large White and many, many Dinghies which were taking great delight in annoying all of the other species.

Deciding to make the most of the weather we headed out of the cutting to explore the rest of the site, turning left his is my only at the gate and heading up the hill. A Large White flew by and a Holly Blue landed long enough for a record shot. I didn’t mind at it was such a short sighting as this is my only shot this year despite several sightings. A Greenstreak popped up for just long enough to get on the day tally and then we walked across the Down where another Glanville put on a bit of a show amongst the Dinghies and False Dukes (Burnet Companion Moths). We then toured the bottom footpath turning up a Small Heath, another Glanville, a couple of Dinghies but no Small Blue. I noticed a bright but tiny orange blob on a blade of grass which turned out to be a bit of a score – the very scarce Orange Conch. It was a weird little thing – so bright with seemingly metallic tufts and stripes.

Over at the Big Scrape there were very few butterflies – in fact only a single Small Heath amongst the edible Snails – huge shells! So we made our way back to the cutting chatting with the Wildlife Trust Ranger about the Glanvilles – he was at a loss to explain their presence and they don’t seem to be condoned or vilified they don’t seem to have made up their minds about the Glanvilles presence yet? At least this was the impression I got. Back and ensconced in the Cutting we went a little more Glanville happy but also I found a more obliging Small Blue and Philzoid finally turned up a Grizzlie. I was feeling slightly manic as after my efforts at my Duke and Marshie site and Bentley Wood it felt almost disconcerting to be working such a small area and getting such great rewards.

The cloud as starting to build now and the sunny morning was starting to become one of cloudy intervals. Having had out fill of Glanvilles (is this even possible?) we made our way home…well after a quick detour to Botany Bay…

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

HI Wurzel,
Brilliant report from HB. Glad the weather played ball for you.
Also I missed you ( and Susie ) by one hour at Botany Bay that day.
I called in at about 4pm, for Wood Whites and met John W who told me you had been there.
One day we will clash .

All the best,
Trevor.

[MrSp0ck]

Hutchinson’s Bank 22-05-2016

chatting with the Wildlife Trust Ranger about the Glanvilles – he was at a loss to explain their presence and they don’t seem to be condoned or vilified they don’t seem to have made up their minds about the Glanvilles presence yet?
Have a goodun

Wurzel

The Wildlife Trust have been using Glanville Pictures on their posters [see above], I have removed the contacts mobile number.

Glad you got to see the Glanvilles, I was on a Vintage Bus Rally, which also mingled with the minis, so I missed you all that day.

The Orange Conch [Commophila aeneana] is known from Hutchinsons Bank, one of its few Surrey Sites, with only the following records,
19.6.95 & 11.6.04 so a great find.

Today I had 4 Glanvilles still flying after 5 weeks, although they are now mainly in the Big Scrape, and Bottom Bridleway, and females dotted about on the upper slopes, and warm spots.

[Wurzel]

One Trevor we'll meet in the field - and then the butterflies will have nowhere to hide
Sorry to have missed you MrSpock and thank you for all the information - glad to hear that the Glanvilles are going strong

Botany Bay 22-05-2016

Once at Botany Bay I changed the focus of my scanning activities - no longer was I seeking out marmalade instead I had ‘weak white’ on the radar. It was quite quiet on the journey down with only a Large White and a Brimstone to keep us company and as we got deeper into the wood it seemed to get quieter and quieter.
Just before the bridge the silence was broken as we spied a Wood White and whilst we moved in for a few shots a GVW and a second Wood White came into view. We just needed a Small and an OT to have the complete English full house. On over the bridge and up the track we went with the sun dipping in and out of the cloud for longer and longer intervals. We seemed to be stopping every 20 paces or so; first for a Brimstone, then for two Wood Whites, then for 2 more Wood Whites and an Orange-tip which were locked in Mortal Kombat.

However the biggest halting influence was a Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth. I was watching a Longicornis Bee when a far chunkier and brighter individual appeared. It was a Bee hawk and Philzoid and I tried for some shots – good old Sports Mode. Philzoid pointed out to me that they didn’t hover like their relative the Hummingbird Hawk-moth but instead they flap away while clinging to the flower head with their front pair of legs. We had a second encounter with a Bee-hawk but I don’t know whether it was the same individual?

We moved on to check out the triangle clearing and it was almost un recognisable from last year with almost every Bramble bush gone – so cleared in fact that you could see from one side to the other. We bumped into Susie here which felt slightly incongorous as I’, used to seeing Susie beside a roaring fire in a Pub whilst I’m holding a pint of Doom Bar.

After a traipse around had provided some good opportunities but only 2 species and four Wood Whites we waved goodbye and started making our way back. I’d gotten my eye in now and so again progress was made haltingly as I’d keep seeing a Wood White hunkered down amongst the foliage sitting out the cloudy intervals. Back at the bridge Philzoid found the highlight of the day. A Wood White, wings wide open. In a previous post various ideas have been postulated for its behaviour including a non-lethal dose of spider venom and a sudden drop in temperature with its adverse effects on flight muscles. Whatever the reason it gave Philzoid and I the chance to look closely at the wing markings. I’d not realised that there are also a couple of black dashes below the wing tip splodges.

The return journey through the pointless 50mph speed restriction stretch of the M3 was actually pleasant as I relived the various wonders of the day – 4 new species for the year tally, 2 moth lifers, unusual behaviours and chiefly the chance to have reacquainted myself with a cracking Fritillary.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

That was quite a day, Wurzel. That's a splendid moth too, just to put the icing on the cake.

That poor Wood White really doesn't look at all well, though. The crumpled hindwings (and deformed head) make it look more like a defect from the chrysalis now.

Dave

[Goldie M]

Hi! Wurzel, looks like we both got our WW's , what a great time you had, it was an awful week we had in Sussex but at least I got what I went for thanks to Pauline before the bad weather really got going. Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Dave Another possible
Cheers Goldie It's a good year when you can get Wood Whites

Larkhill WB 23-05-2016

23-05-16

AM
The very briefest of stop-offs bow that the site has finally woken from its winter slumbers. Honestly over the last couple of years this is the latest start to a season that I’ve witnessed here. A quick stroll down the Westbound path produced very little right up to the point where I was going to turn round when a male Orange-tip crossed my path. That seemed to wake the other species and two Small Heaths and a lonely Grizzlie appeared as if from nowhere. The return walk didn’t throw up anything else but at least it finally feels like things are moving and species are being added to the tally.

24-05-16

AM
Four butterflies again this morning but the species count is now down by 1 as this morning the Westbound path only had the lonely Grizzlie and 3 Small Heaths. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve switched to cords from chinos but I don’t seem to be getting as soaked in the trousers as last year? The Small Heaths were quite away along the Westbound path – in fact the top end doesn’t seem to have much to offer in terms of butterflies this year as the grass is very long and the scrub is starting to make it feel very claustrophobic as it pens you in to the middle of the path. Further on its much more open and that’s where I’m finding everything. I might get the chance to look a little further afield and see if there are any other suable pull-ins so I can get to the decent stretch quicker. The Small Heaths that I did find were in good nick and backlit they almost glowed. I also found one which had a second spot under the pupil.

PM
Things were more cheerful during the briefest of afternoon stop-offs. On the wander down very little was showing and I’d just reached the area where the scrub was starting to thin when I recognized a pungent aroma. I stopped and raised my camera ready and stalked forward even more carefully. After a few steps what I hoped I’d see came out and crossed the path. The Fox looked ahead working out that there was a road on the otherside of the bushes and so made to turn right – saw me and then swiftly legged it away left and down the path.

With the Fox offski’d I carried on looking for much smaller beasties and after a few minutes looking I’d found three Small Heaths and 2 Grizzlies. Cheered after a long day at work I mooched back to the car but had to spend a few more minutes on site in order to admire a Peacock that had turned up and was making a nice contrast with the blossom.

26-05-16

The final stop off of the week and things are looking slightly better but still way behind. This morning I was back down to a single species with four Small Heaths only seen down the Westbound path. One was possibly the same individual I’d previously commented on with the extra spot under the usual ‘single’ pupil – but this time it showed much better.

A quiet week of a very slow season; by now I’ve usually added Brown Argus and Common Blue to the Tally and I still haven’t seen a Dingy Skipper at this site. Oh well hopefully the Dinghies are all up the Northbound path.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

Those shots of the Bee Hawk moth are pretty damn good Wurzel - wish I could get one like that! Mind, it's a few years since I've seen one

[MikeOxon]

I must agree about the Bee Hawk - excellent shots. The last time I saw one was at Bentley Wood, many years ago. I had better whisper this very quietly here but, sometimes, I think the extraordinary variety in moths makes butterflies seem a bit boring

Mike

[Goldie M]

Nice shot of the Small Heath Wurzel and you got a nice Back shot as well Goldie