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We went up to Warton Crag today hoping it would be third time lucky for seeing Pearl Bordered. It was overcast when we got to the car park and there wasn't much butterfly activity so we switched to Plan B and recced a walk for the rambling club. Of course the sun came out and so did the butterflies - and we discovered you can either go for a walk or you can play with the butterflies but it's really hard to do both!
The main purpose of the visit was to see PBFs but the first major hit for us was a male Wall high up on the terrace. On a level just below the trig point we saw a couple of PhD students from Lancaster Uni who were tracking the PBFs and it would have been a good idea to follow them around . Eventually we found our first frits and I was sure they would be PBs but later on checking our pics against the ID pics they turned out to be SPBFs. Still a score though!
Some brilliant male Common Blues popped out of the vegetation and also several Small Heaths, with the Specklies in the shadier parts of the route.

Lovely shots of the Wall Brown Janet - a butterfly I haven't seen for way too long!

Well done with the Wall shots Janet, I think I must be going to the wrong part of Warton Crag We went up there two weeks ago to look for Pearls and I ended up with the bad back and never saw a thing, Which part of the Crag did you go to
My Husbands refused to go again Goldie

We followed the trail up towards the trig point Goldie - did it the hard way (up) and kept meeting a man with 2 tiny dogs who took the longer easy paths. I think we were on the first level of terrace which can be quite easy to reach.

Goldie M wrote: Which part of the Crag did you go to
My Husbands refused to go again Goldie

There's a pile of rocks that looks like a neolithic burial chamber on the terrace, Goldie - that's where we saw the Wall

Thhunder was forecast for today but in fact it was a scorcher here in south Manchester. I considered going back to Warton Crag but I suspected the butterflies would be over-excited! But it was really too hot to want to travel far so I opted to go round Banky fields and Stretford Meadows. Banky fields are normally quite boggy but the run of hot weather has dried it out considerably. I made my way slowly round the perimeter and found a Large Skipper on the young brambles. It was not very compliant and kept closing its wings but eventually opened them sufficiently for me to see it was a Large. A solitary battered Peacock was nectaring there too - the only one remaining from the many I saw there a few weeks ago.
Two male Common Blues squabbled over a patch of birdsfoot trefoil until a female appeared and one of the males chased after her and they disappeared over the trees.
I was surprised to find a couple of Burnet Companion moths - I have not seen them round here before. Although it is sometimes a very damp meadow it is not at all chalky. I disturbed a Bloodvein moth which I managed to snap before it hid back in the undergrowth.
I then went to Stretford Meadows but did not see any butterflies there at all.

Thanks for the info Janet but Jim won't change his mind He says we're better off going to Arnside Knott the fritillaries are usually see there in good numbers, also think the Dukes are declining at GB Janet which is a shame although I think tree were seen Sunday.
That's a nice shot of the Skipper I must go to Brockholes again to look for them now you've spotted one Goldie

Wow you've seen a lot recently Janet! A great selection, good to see the return of the Large Skipper.

With the sun still shining and no thunder materialising I decided to make the trip up to Warton Crag again in a last-ditch effort to see the Pearls. After climbing slowly up the crag, using the easier paths this time, I found myself on the terrace below the trig point, where on Sunday we had seen the SPBFs. I managed a few shots of frits as they nectared with wings open. They all looked fresh and energetic and indeed they all turned out to be SPBFs but I was very pleased to see them. There were many Small Heath around which did their best to distract me from my quarry; I watched a pair fluttering together for a good ten minutes before evidently deciding they were incompatible and parted company. Several moths came to my notice: Mother Shipton (smaller than I expected), Speckled Yellow, Brown Silver-line, Silver Y. The Wall butterfly as very active and although it kept landing on the stones it never let me get on its 'sunny' side. Just as I decided to call it a day, my first female Common Blue of the year arrived, fluttering low over the vegetation.

You've sure been busy lately, Janet! Nice array of both butterflies and moths and if Large Skippers are out in May in the north of England, then clearly it has been a warm late spring.

David M wrote:You've sure been busy lately, Janet! Nice array of both butterflies and moths and if Large Skippers are out in May in the north of England, then clearly it has been a warm late spring.

We've escaped most of the rain so far David - until today it's been very warm and sunny to encourage the Skippers

Lovely shot's of the SPBF's Janet I hope to try again next week but not at Warton Goldie

Great set of reports recently Janet Really like the shot of the Specklie from there posts back, it's throwing a great pose Also nice to see you get a double spot Small Heath in amongst the Large Skippers (not seen one yet myself this year) and Small Pearls

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Great Small Pearls, Janet. I forget it's sometimes better to go North to see things than South...

Dave

[quote="Wurzel" Also nice to see you get a double spot Small Heath in amongst the Large Skippers (not seen one yet myself this year)

Have a goodun

Wurzel[/quote]

And I had not even noticed the double spot, Wurzel! But now that I look again, does my Wall also have an unusual eye spot, or is that normal?
Janet

Rhona from BC West Midlands branch arranged a Wood White walk in Blakeridge Forest today. I drove down, wondering how accurate the forecast would be seeing as the walk was apparently sandwiched between two thunder showers. In the event we enjoyed sunshine all afternoon and counted at least 23 Wood Whites - a thrill for me as I have never seen them before. Some of them had red dots on their wings, from monitoring; one of the red-dot Wood Whites laid a couple of eggs which pleased Rhona. I watched a male dating a female for about five minutes but unfortunately I got too close and they flew off - I felt really bad about that Other butterflies to make an appearance were GV White, Large White, Wall (which made Rhona's day!), Common Blue, Large Skipper, Speckled Wood, and finally a Red Admiral, my first for the year although it was too busy egg laying on inaccessible nettles to pose for me.

You were fortunate to see so many Wood Whites, a rare and very localised species.
And you managed to capture their classic head to head posturing.

Great stuff,
Trevor.

That must have been a real thrill for you, Janet. I note that there has been a 'mark and capture' scheme in operation, but all the better that one of these individuals was seen ovipositing.

This is a rare and localised insect and one hopes that it will attract some conservation attention in the near future as it is highly vulnerable.

That's great Janet. And a very nice selection of other butterflies as well.

You sound like you'd a fantastic day out Janet, lovely Wood White shots and great shots of the Wall on the flowers Goldie