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Is this the long awaited colonisation of the Continental race of Swallowtail?

Jack

Jack Harrison wrote:Is this the long awaited colonisation of the Continental race of Swallowtail?

I'm prepared to go on record as a sceptic here! While some of the pictures definitely show gorganus (one, in my opinion, clearly shows britannicus), suggesting there are genuine immigrants among the sightings, I believe the British climate is still hostile to the continental swallowtail. Maybe in a later phase of this interglacial, but not in the near future.

Guy

Went to Berkshire on Friday to watch the Chalkhill Blues, but what made the greatest impression was the large number of Peacocks present, they literally surrounded me. Oh and this not quite but almost crazy Tortoiseshell.

Guy:

I believe the British climate is still hostile to the continental swallowtail. Maybe in a later phase of this interglacial, but not in the near future.

You're not often wrong Guy, but what are your reasons for saying that? I would presume Swallowtail occurs in Normandy and is the climate so very different in northern France from that of the south coast of England? Similar sun, rain, temperatures.

Jack

Recent weather conditions with winds from south east could have blown them over?

Bedford Purlieus 28/07

Wow, Silver-washed Fritillary by the dozen, 5 White-letter Hairstreak, lots of Peacock, hardly any room for us! I was barged out of the way several times
The White-letter are past their best
and one little chap seems to have hitched a ride from Barnack, not with me I hasten to add

Some really nice images there Ros, Bedford Purlieus seems to have been a pretty interesting place over the past couple of weeks, I recently saw one of Phil's WLH images taken there, left me green with envy...it was stunning. Those Silver-washed Frits can be real bullies

BW's,

Bill

Jenks I've thoroughly enjoyed your July sightings reports, pity I hadn't known you were at Aberbargoed Grasslands on Saturday, it would have been nice to have a couple of hours catching up.

Enjoy your August butterflying, you never know we might still bump into one another on our travels.

My Kind Regards,

Bill

You take some beautiful photographs Roasalyn. That SWF is so artistic I would be happy to have it framed and hung on my wall.

Thank you Bill and Pauline for your kind comments, once in a while I get lucky Indeed Bedford Purlieus is a very special place as I entered the ride a whole host of butterflies rose up before me. It was teeming with Whites, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Skippers, Brimstone and a White Admiral to round off a lovely morning.

News from Bugalert
Thought I should let you guys know that a Queen of Spain was reported in Hampshire in the last few days, as has a (presumably second brood) Glanville Fritillary in the Isle of Wight.
In haste,
Adrian Riley http://www.bugalert.net

Isle of Mull 30th July

I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that Scotch Argus is widespread and common here. Found a strong colony at Glengorm today (NM437576) the butterflies being in good numbers with for example up to four individuals visible at once in an area of say 4 x 4 metres. Only males so far some of which were clearly newly emerged at 11 am as they crawled up from the base of the dense grasses.

They are real devils to photograph: this shows the typical problem.



But some were co-operative.





This GV White has some of the markings to suggest a female. However, the abdomen I think says male. So do the males of the Scottish race thomsoni have those extra forewing spots?



Jack

Nice shots, Jack, and it's good to see you're finally getting some 'action' that the majority of us down south rarely see.

Warm afternoon here in Swansea today. One Red Admiral and several Whites observed in the environs of my office.

At last the 2nd brood of Wall Brown appearing with 2 at High and Over today.

Jack Harrison wrote:They are real devils to photograph

Those photos look pretty good to me, Jack! And definitely worthy of the species-specific albums, given that they're a subspecies (ssp. caledonia) not often posted on UKB!

Cheers,

- Pete