www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hi! Neil, I always cut my Buddleia down in the Autumn, they grow so high in the Summer and when left, get banged about with the Winter winds, I find they easily crack and that's why I do mine, then when Spring arrives i tend to cut out any damage, mind you that's just me, I always seem to have good results with lots of flowers so I've just carried on.

I don't think my Neighbour cut his down last year and it really is huge, it also gets the Sun all day which is good, I find the Yellow Buddleia also lasts a lot longer, my one was a cutting from his and as grown way passed the top of my fence in Just two years, one reason to cut it.

The weather here has been awful too, we've just had a couple of frosts and Sunday was the only day for weeks that was fine and Sunny all day, hope fully the Snow will keep off for a while. Goldie

First proper frost of the winter down our way this morning Goldie - that could be it Roll on Spring

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi! Wurzel, it's been a nice afternoon here for a change But I'm like you ( can't wait for Spring to arrive )

I was looking through my photos yesterday for this year, ( not too many taken this year ) but I spotted this one I took of a Ringlet in Blean Woods Kent in July and compared to another photo I took of a different Ringlet in the same wood on the same day the second photo shows missing circles on the wings, Could this be an ab Goldie

Hello Goldie ,
Some Nice finds there Goldie ,I found one almost identical to your second (see Sightings .July page 6 ) ,take a look at the Abberations
on the BRITISH BUTTERFLY ABBERATIONS ,website...…………………. I reckon the closest is probably AB;Cabeaui .
Regards Allan.W.

A great find Goldie definitely an ab and I had a look through the website Allan recommended (a brilliant resource) and I'd go with his identification

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks for the tutorial regarding when to prune back the buddleias, Goldie. I always do mine in early April to try and suppress flowering until late summer. However, mine never lasts into October, never mind November.

Yes, your Ringlet is an aberrant and quite a pronounced one.

Many thanks everybody, you've made my day I couldn't get about much this year so considering I managed a couple of ab's which included that Small White I found in my Garden I'm well pleased

That web site is great Allan and some thing to browse through this Winter

Thanks Wurzel, I'm well pleased, another to add to my collection

Hi! Dave, I used to do my Buddleia in Spring but found if I did it when they finished flowering, they seemed to do better, also I give them a bit more trimming in Spring to shape them because the Winter still shakes them up.
I'm very glad I posted that photo of the Ringlet , I'll have to take a closer look at my other shots now

Your Ringlet isn't ab.cabeaui since that has no ocelli on the forewings. I'd say it's something between ab. sexoculatus and ab. centrifera which both have reduced ocelli.

Hi! Bug Boy, thanks for your info, I'm supposed to have checked the Aberrations web site but I've got to admit I'm still depending on you Guys At least it's an ab maybe I'll start again looking them up Goldie

Good point Bugboy …….Looking again I think I,d go with Sexoculatus as well .
Regards Allan.W.

The weather here is horrible at present even the Birds are reluctant to venture forth I've nothing to report but thought I'd take a look back to one of my good days in the Garden when, for the first time I saw a Humming Bird Hawk Moth, I was so pleased it was an highlighting moment for me.

I also saw this moth on the 16th of July at Temple Ewell in Kent I've not found a name for it yet having just remembered it on looking back so if anybody knows it's name I'd be pleased so I can finally name it, I've looked in my books but can't find it Goldie

Hello Goldie ,
Not 100% ,but I think your moth could be Shaded broad bar (scotopteryx chenopodiata ) Happy to be corrected !
Regards Allan.W.

Excellent shots of that Hummingbird Hawk Moth Goldie,
considering how rapidly they dart from flower to flower.
You have frozen the action very well.

Best wishes,
Trevor.

Thanks Allan, at least I've got a name, we'll see if other's agree thanks also for verifying the ab

Thanks Trevor, I was really pleased to see it , I thought it was a Bee at first, I'll be looking out next year for them. Goldie

Yep Shaded Broadbar - I'd go with that - probably be wrong now then Cracking shots of the Hummingbird Hawkmoth - brilliantly caught

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel, when I spotted the moth, I was well chuffed, I thought the year wasn't a total loss. Goldie

Yes, the second shot of the Hummer is terrific, Goldie, an absolutely perfect angle. It really looks like a humming-bird.

Cheers,

Dave

Allan.W. wrote:Hello Goldie ,
Not 100% ,but I think your moth could be Shaded broad bar (scotopteryx chenopodiata ) Happy to be corrected !
Regards Allan.W.

Definitely a Shaded Broad-bar.

Cracking shots of the Humming Bird Hawk Moth Goldie

Cheers,

Neil.

Lovely shots of the Hummingbird Hawk Moth, Goldie. It's such a delight to see these creatures.

Thanks for your post, Neil, Dave and David, I think my year wasn't a total loss , I saw my first HBH Moth and I was so pleased to get some decent shots for a change of the Wall Butterfly in spite of the fact I'd to lean on a crutch to do it in April hope fully I'll see more Butterflies next year if I can keep a way from steps Goldie