www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Sooooo Mr Hulme, a Large Tortoiseshell eh...

Thanks, all, for your kind comments.

In answer to David's query: less than three days left to order the book at the pre-publication price http://www.naturebureau.co.uk/bookshop/ ... sex-detail but I imagine that it will be ready for delivery in late April (just doing the last round of proofing). It's been a very difficult and exhausting process, but I'm delighted with the way it's looking.

Before I provide my final (and exciting) update on Fritillaries for the Future, there is the need for an urgent 'sightings' post - coming shortly.

BWs, Neil

http://www.naturebureau.co.uk/bookshop/ ... sex-detail

Unfortunate (but amusing) clipping of the url.

I note the exact time of publication is given to a precision of 0.01 of a second.

Jack

Spring Off The Mark In Style

Monday 27 March
On Monday morning I had a couple of hours free, so headed to the quiet lanes between Billingshurst and Five Oaks, where David Cook was already staking out the flowery banks of a sun-drenched meadow. He had seen one male Orange-tip before I arrived, but it was almost an hour before I could declare that my own, personal spring had officially arrived. Then there were two, together with a supporting cast of Holly Blue, Brimstone and Peacock. Let's hope that spring lasts forever.
Tuesday 28 March
Having spent a long morning and early afternoon planting Dutch Elm Disease-resistant cultivars at Littlehampton, I was too short on time to chase Orange-tips at my favourite site. Having seen Martin Kalaher's recent posts (BC Sussex website) about North Stoke (which is a lot closer to home), I thought I'd try there. Immediately on arrival, just before 3pm, I flushed a very big female Large Tortoiseshell off the track. She didn't go far in the increasingly cool and cloudy conditions, allowing a close approach. This more than made up for my failed attempts at finding a Large Tortoiseshell in Friston Forest on Saturday. After losing her, I continued my hunt for Orange-tips, finding three asleep on Cuckooflowers.

Lovely shots of the Orange Tips Neil and a Large Tortoiseshell too Does this mean they could be coming back to this country , I know they used to be here at one time ? Goldie

Many congrats. with the Large Tortoiseshell.
What's the theory for this Butterfly ?. A UK bred specimen out of hibernation,
or a 2016 migrant from the continent that overwintered here ?. Whatever, a fantastic find !.

Personally, I've never known such an abundance of species in March before, so far it's been fabulous.

Here's to the rest of 2017 !
Trevor.

Thanks, both. The current status of the Large Tortoiseshell requires a short essay ... and you know what I'm going to say - there's one such essay shortly available in 'The Butterflies of Sussex'! Let's just say this - I went out specifically hunting for Large Tortoiseshells at Friston Forest last Saturday. I'll let you know how the hunt goes over the next few days.
BWs, Neil

BC Fritillaries for the Future 2017 Update 5

The conservation of butterflies is always preferably achieved through the improvement, extension, creation or closer-linking of areas of suitable habitat. However, the distribution of some declining species, including Pearl-bordered Fritillary in Sussex, has now become so fragmented that it is unlikely they will ever be able to naturally colonise some locations which are currently suitable for them. Much of the countryside which separates areas of higher quality habitat has become too hostile to allow their easy passage through the wider landscape.

Under circumstances such as these, re-introductions may be the only viable solution in attempting to rebuild robust, self-sustaining populations on a landscape scale. However, it is essential that every proposal is thoroughly researched before any attempt is made, including an assessment of the reasons for absence/loss in the past, and the sustainability of appropriate management long into the future. ‘Habitat specialists’ are very easy to lose from our countryside, and remarkably difficult to put back.

Butterfly Conservation has published a set of guidelines covering the sometimes contentious issue of re-introductions; the ‘BC Code on Introductions and Re-introductions 2010’. Following these guidelines, and with the co-operation and support of landowners at both the donor (I’m grateful to the Norfolk Estate) and recipient sites, I made a re-introduction of Pearl-bordered Fritillary at Stansted Forest in spring 2016. The butterflies were supplied by the Fritillaries for the Future captive-breeding team, comprising Mike Mullis, Theresa Lux and Gary Norman, with additional volunteers set to help in 2017. Theresa and Gary have been involved on an entirely voluntary basis, and their contribution to the project has been immense.

The Stansted Park Foundation, and particularly its Head Forester, Michael Prior, could not have been more helpful in supporting this work, and I believe that Stansted Forest today provides an ideal home for the Pearl-bordered Fritillary. Three biofuel boilers have been installed on the estate (2008 and two in 2013), being fed by the 110 hectares of Sweet Chestnut coppice within the larger forest (476 hectares). There are several kilometres of well-managed rides and Michael is extending the ride network to better connect areas where conifers are being harvested.

I will be leading a walk here on Saturday 13 May (see http://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/events/) and attendees (from either side of the Sussex/Hants border) will be invited to join the monitoring team. Training will be offered on the day.
Head Forester Michael Prior releasing Pearl-bordered Fritillaries

Thanks Neil looking forward to your post Goldie

Hi Neil,
It's great and really quite inspiring, how much conservation work you achieve using your expertise. My wife & I are going to get more involved with Butterfly Conservation (BC) (Lincolnshire) asking to join specific work parties having done other voluntary woodland coppicing work this winter. I guess winter woodland work is done now (as seen when I open the very first page of your diary ).
I was wondering, do BC do any work mixing gene pools between different isolated populations of the same species, helping make individual isolated populations more robust for their long term future.
It's good to see your photo of the Large Tort. I have never seen one & am not likely to see one yet in the UK. It is another species we probably did not know enough about when it was lost in the UK. Watching a famous butterfly video sometimes given away for free as a prize , I am told dissecting Wood Whites is the only way to tell the difference between two different species so could it be that the Large Tort lost in the Uk, might have been slightly different from the ones found in Europe?

Kind Regards,

Philip

A great find with the Large Tort Neil - how do you do it - do you have some in-built butterfly detecting system Great news about the Pearls , again any chance you could have a word with the people that manage Bentley Wood for the sake of the Small Pearls?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Wow, Large Tortoiseshell, Holly Blues, Brimstones. I can only dream. At least we should be seeing some Orange Tips up here in the next couple of weeks!

Amazing.

Those last few posts demonstrate why your PD is the most popular thread on this site.

Useful information about a must-have book you've co-authored along with a major conservation update. Even eclipsing those is the meat in the sandwich regarding a UK mainland Large Tortoiseshell.

I know you have spent time on the Isle of Wight in recent years and I'm sure you've done your homework regarding the presence of this species closer to your home.

I'm even more eagerly awaiting publication of your Sussex atlas even if only to read what is contained within regarding a species that is surely not far away from being regarded once more as a British resident.

Thanks, all, for your comments.
I do have to be a little cautious about discussing issues such as the specifics of site management in areas outside my remit, or expressing views on complex and debatable themes such as genetic mixing, as I need to ensure that my personal views, and those of Butterfly Conservation, cannot be confused. Always happy to discuss on a one-to-one basis, but while I'm an employee I need to use social media carefully.
BWs, Neil

Latest Out-And-About

Thursday 30 March: Although a group outing to locate Large Tortoiseshells at North Stoke proved unsuccessful (hopefuls should search the track between TQ033106 and TQ036103), the number of butterflies on display was impressive. Orange-tips and Green-veined Whites emerged throughout the day, with about 10 and 7 on the wing by close of play. High numbers of Peacock and Brimstone were accompanied by Comma, Red Admiral (egg-laying), Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood and Holly Blue. The early signs for this season are encouraging.
Saturday 1 April: Today I joined the main Fritillaries for the Future captive-breeding team of Mike Mullis, Theresa Lux and Gary Norman at Abbot's Wood, to discuss plans for this spring and survey the site for violet abundance. Theresa demonstrated her highly impressive Pearl-bordered Fritillary caterpillar-hunting skills, by finding no less than four in about 15 minutes (three final instar and one penultimate). I believe this to be a good omen. If the weather holds up the first emergence of adults should be in the third week of April.

Fingers crossed for the weather then Neil - it's about time that we had a more normal/decent spring

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Neil Hulme wrote:The early signs for this season are encouraging.

Aren't they just! Those PBF cats look to be full of health and let's hope you're right that the weather plays ball and this species can emerge into benign conditions in 3 weeks.

Hunting The Big One

Yesterday (5 April) at North Stoke - one, possibly two (the images of my first are too distant to be certain), Large Tortoiseshell males. The image undoubtedly shows the same individual photographed by Bugboy.

A linear count of male Orange-tips was later supplemented by three mating pairs, giving a minimum total of 23 for this species - the best showing for years. Good numbers of many other spring species.

That Orange -Tip Shot is superb Neil,just don,t know how you get such a crisp sharp image,do you use a monopod ? and are you on manual mode ? Once again brilliant !! regards Allan.W.

Thanks, Allan.
All my pics are taken hand-held with a Lumix FZ38. I never use a monopod or tripod (although others swear by them), as I like to travel light. For me, there would be too many missed opportunities as I wrestled with a set of bagpipes!
BWs, Neil