Thanks
David, I guess it must be something in the local micro-climate. It's interesting that Grayling up as far north as Arnside Knott are a good few weeks earlier than those 'local' to me. That northern site probably benefits from being coastal and close enough to be getting significant help from the Gulf Stream.
Thanks
Dave, I agree, it is very exposed on these surrey heaths. I keep meaning to look on UKBMS to see if someone does a transect there to see what else is late there.
Thanks
Wurzel, yup even more more so in a year like this one where I wasn't sure I'd be able to see either of these two plus several others that have now made it onto my yearly list
July 2020
Monday 13th: Aberration day at Bookham. There was an awful lot to point my camera at today, not least the dozens of Purple Hairstreak that were showering out of the trees in every sunny glade. It started off well whilst browsing Blackthorn for an early Brown Hairstreak, a Small Copper presented himself. I’ve seen precious few of these so far this year so he did distract me for a while.
Obviously there were no Brown Hairstreaks, I don’t think Bookham is as early as some of those Sussex sites. At various points along the way through the open scrubby areas Peacocks showed up, all looking as fresh as the ones I’d reared as well as the odd Hairstreak playing hard to get.
Once in the wood I made my way to one of the best glades for butterflies which as usual was bustling with wings of all colours. Purple Hairstreaks regularly descended to flit low over the grass and bracken, occasionally threatening to settle in the perfect place for a picture before going into the long grass looking for moisture.
A couple of the Silver-washed Fritillary here were minor abs. the first one who was a little light on the black scaling behaved himself but the second who I think qualifies as a
ab. confluens refused to settle anywhere useful and spent most his time chasing anything orange
.
There was also a rather eye catching Meadow Brown, not only did she have an extra spot under the main ocelli, which in itself was a double pupil, one of the hindwing ocelli was also pupiled, something I’ve never seen before. Her uppers were completely normal though.
Whilst chasing one of these abs. I managed to (for once) not disturb a perfectly posed female Purple Hairstreak, they give a Purple Emperor a run for his money any day of the week in my book
!
Ab. number four of the day came in the form of this rather dark Speckled Wood,
ab. kulczynskii if I’m not mistaken.
At another favoured glade much the same collection of species jostled for attention but pick of the bunch was a White Admiral
ab. obliterate, shame I didn’t catch him a week or so earlier.
All the while, there was hardly a break from the Hairstreaks literally cascading from the treetops.
I stopped off to check on a White Admiral larvae I’d found on my last visit. I didn’t notice it’s days are numbered until I got home and looked at the pictures properly, seeing an egg or newly hatched larvae of what I presume is some sort of parasitoid.
A Ringlet, provided another ab. although she refused to show me her better side but I think
ab. marpurgensis.
Stopping off at one of the Emperor master trees I got a few bemused looks as I stared upwards but after a few minutes a familiar shape glided gracefully in and settled up high, the only Emperor I’d seen here this year.
The ab. bonanza hadn’t quite finished though, I found another female Meadow Brown who this time had a much reduced upper forewing ocelli,
ab. antiparvipuncta. Interesting that the underside seemed normal.
The final find was a first for me, a wild Orange-tip pupae, a good end to an excellent day out
Bookham has really been quite a site (a sight too) this year so far. However, out of all that splendid array of sightings, I would single out the Orange Tip pupa, something I look for every year in likely spots but with a consistent lack of success. Great spot. 
