Pauline

[David M]

Those are great early stage images again, Pauline - the camouflage is quite remarkable.

[Pauline]

Isn't it just David - thank you. More camouflage below but it is moths this time. I always think long and hard before I post these as I just know I'm going to make a fool of myself in getting the ID's wrong as usual To that end I'll start with an easy one - an old favourite of mine, the Buff-tip:

The one I really wanted to photograph flew away before I got the chance - a pristine Yellow-tail (or I suppose it could have been a Brown-tail - perhaps it's just as well it flew away as that is one less to get wrong! ). Now the next one has taken me ages to identify - not all my fault I have to say. The book I am currently using - British Moths and Butterflies by Chris Manley - has an error on Page 182.It lists the following moth as 2025 Scarce Vapourer I checked online and I'm pretty sure it is actually a Dark Tussock? I've not had one of these in the trap before - just the pale form - and it's such an attractive moth:

I'm pretty sure the next one is Peppered Moth - I've had it before and it has been in Neil's diary:

Willow Beauty followed by Mottled Beauty - or are they both the latter as I have just read it is very variable?

and last but not least some kind of Thorn? I should be able to find this one but all the photos I'm looking at have the wings in a different position

[bailey1409]

Hi Pauline

I would go with Dark Tussock.

The last one is a Scalloped Hook-tip

Cheers

Maurice

[Andrew555]

Amazing pupating camo Pauline. And great selection of moths.

[Pauline]

Thank you for your help Maurice and confirmation of ID's. I really should have been able to find that Scalloped Hook-tip but I ran out of time. Having taken a week off to surf in southern France, the painters are now back and are keeping me extremely busy. I have done more cleaning in the last 3 days than I have in the last 3 months!!!

Thank you Andrew - it was good to get a couple of moths I hadn't seen before

Whilst exploring the moth trap I was kept entertained by a couple of families of Siskins on one of my feeders. Unlike Starlings, who seem to operate a 'creche' system when it comes to their offspring, the Siskins were patiently demonstrating to their little'un how to extract the seed from the tube, aggressively chasing away the youngster from the other family:

As it was cooler yesterday I did some gardening and in a couple of hours I found 1 tiny worm and very few other insects. It must be a real struggle for some species in this long dry spell.

[philm63]

Hi Pauline

Nice to see some Siskins again, you seem to have got them a bit earlier than I am used to up here

Phil

[David M]

I really like your moth images, Pauline. The Peppered Moth stands out (or should I say 'blends in?')

Great that you have Siskins visiting your garden. They're extremely attractive birds.

[Neil Freeman]

Some great Moths there Pauline

I really like the two photos of the Willow Beauty and Mottled Beauty, a nice comparison of two quite variable species. I find that when you see them together they are not too difficult to tell apart...its when you get them in isolation, especially if they are worn, that they can be a problem.

I have used the following website a few times to help me out http://www.eakringbirds.com/eakringbird ... willow.htm

All the best,

Neil

[Pauline]

Hi Phil

Good to hear from you. I seem to have Siskins around for most of the year - or is that just my imagination? I'm enjoying your bird shots btw but if you could label them you'd be teaching me a thing or two

Thank you David. I am lucky enough to have had (knowingly) 63 species of birds in the garden but I am a little concerned that the Turtle Doves didn't turn up this year

Cheers Neil - I'll check out that site later cos I need all the help I can get

After an incredibly stressful week (vets, car problems, etc etc) it was just absolutely wonderful to get out amongst the butterflies for a couple of hours this afternoon. There were loads of them. I wondered if I was just imagining the numbers having been cooped up for a week but I don't think I was. The first ones I noticed were the Whites. It has been a long time since I saw this many in one place. It transforms what is normally considered a quite ordinary butterfly into something special when they can be seen en masse. Although pristine they didn't stay long enough for me to record them. Next up were the Gatekeepers - there must have been hundreds of them with several mating pairs:

There's always a bit of grass in the way

Next up was the Chalkhills and it was good to see females emerging:

Naturally, this meant mating activity:

A DGF female was egg-laying and although I have seen this before it is still just as fascinating. I was loathe to disturb her so I shall look for eggs on my next visit having marked the spot:

She was not the only one as the Small Skippers made the most of the weather with thunder rumbling in the background:

I also noted this brightly coloured something - hover-fly?

[David M]

Lovely, vivid images there, Pauline. One species I don't see here in south east France is Gatekeeper so I hope there'll be a few left when I return to the UK next week.

[Old Wolf]

Your pictures are amazing. I am in awe

[bugboy]

Myathropa Florea is the name that Hoverfly goes by. It's sometimes known as the 'Batman' Hoverfly owing to the thoracic markings resembling Batmans logo

Millerd and I were watching a DGF doing just that the other day. It's fascinating to watch the females prehensile abdomen extend and probe around until she finds the right spot

[Wurzel]

Great set of Siskins from before Pauline And lovely set of lush images which remind me to get to my skates on

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

Thank you David. Welcome back - as you can see there are still hundreds!

I'm pleased you like them Old Wolf but you're not doing too bad yourself!

You just beat me to it Buggy - I had looked it up and written it on a bit of paper(honest), but thank you so much anyway

Cheers Wurzel - I have a bizarre image of you whizzing round Shipton on roller skates, camera at the ready - perhaps being towed by a husky!! I've just had too much sun

Things are slowly getting back to normal (whatever normal is round here) but having ordered more fence panels and instructed a tree surgeon I'm not sure how long the peace and quiet will last. I decided to make the most of it this afternoon as I haven't been out for ages. I was interested to find this Meadow Brown which I believe is an ab. but don't know if it has a proper name:

[Andrew555]

Cracking Gatekeepers and Chalkhills Pauline. That's a very striking ab. you found.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Pauline, your touch of sun has given me an idea or two...
Interesting Meadow Brown, that sort of lack of pigmentation is sometimes pathalogical?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

That's quite an aberration on that Meadow Brown, Pauline. I've never seen anything like that in this species.

[philm63]

Loved the Gatekeepers Pauline and that is a weird looking Meadow Brown - Phil

[Goldie M]

Hi! Pauline, not too much time to catch up on posts but love the shots of your Budgies Glad you liked my shots, Goldie

[Pauline]

Cheers Andrew but as Wurzel has suggested it could well be pathological and in any case it's not a patch on that rare ab you found

Goodness Wurzel, I dread to think.... but I am intrigued

Hi David, I've seen a couple in the past with one white wing but nothing quite as extreme. I've looked in the S-S album but nothing much similar.

Thank you Phil. I don't often take many shots of Gatekeepers but there were hundreds of them in great condition just wanting to pose. They are such attractive little butterflies tho' I guess I'll be cursing them soon when I'm looking for BH

I've got 6 eggs Goldie so if they hatch and you're interested ........