www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

H Jack,

Good sighting but given that there are also some stars out I presume that it is nocturnal and therefore some species of (Winter?) Moth

Have a great Christmas and New Year,

Cheers,

Neil.

For various reasons this is my first diary entry of 2015. My last butterfly sighting was a Red Admiral on 13.12.2014. Nothing much to report for January and February except for captive rearing of some late Red Admiral larvae, but more details of that in later posts. My wifes ill health has been occupying me much of the time but thankfully there have been windows of opportunity. However, my laptop completely failed several weeks ago and I have just got full laptop useage again (thanks to my brother for sorting it). I have also had an SD memory card fail on me, losing many of my reared Red Admiral pictures.

It will take me a while to get up to speed with others doings on here, but for now a quick catch up with my own butterfly antics over the last few weeks:

Saturday 7.3.2015 Hedge End

The weathermen had promised 'springlike' weather so I was determined to get out and hopefully get my first sighting of the year. The footpaths around my house have seen some fairly drastic tree felling and shrub removal over the winter and the council seem to have gone all artistic. At the moment it all looks fairly bleak, but I am sure it will grow back eventually. The weather did not disappoint and a mild and sunny day ensued. I did not have to walk very far before I came across my first butterfly of the year, a Small Tortoiseshell. As I walked the path several more appeared at evenly spaced intervals using some of the freshly cut wood and chippings to bask upon. Further down a male Brimstone breezed past me without stopping to introduce himself. A great start to my 4th butterfly year Sunday 22.3.2015 Bitterne

Another sunny day. Unfortunately I was involved in my sons football during the best of the sunshine. A white of some description fluttered along the edge of the football ground, but I was too far away to make a positive id. I imagined in my mind that it was the first Orange Tip of the year but who knows On my return from football I went out for an hour but at 3pm I would have been very lucky to see anything as it had already started to cool down. Needless to say I saw no butterflies at all.

Thursday 26.3.2015

Isnt it always the case that most of the decent weather conditions seem to occur whilst we are at work Today was no different but a very warm day meant my drive from Farlington to Farnborough up the A3 was brightened up by at least 5 male Brimstone

Monday 30.3.2105 Knowle Village/Aytesbury Copse/Heytesbury Farm

I took a day off from work really to get some 'me' time after a hectic few weeks. Hoping for good weather it did not look too good, but miraculously on the day I awoke to clear blue skies if a little breezy. I had planned an early walk with my brother and later a more leisurely look for butterflies. We set off before 9 and not expecting any butterflies that early I left my camera in the car, stupid of me of course. Surprisingly a Small Tortoiseshell appeared fluttering across the path at 9am. After an hour my brother left me to it and I retraced our steps (with camera) and caught up with what I assume to be the same Small Tortoiseshell from earlier still fluttering around in the same location. In the next hour and a half I notched up a couple more Small Tortoiseshell, a male Brimstone and my first Red Admiral and Peacocks of the year. I was a little dismayed to find that an area in which I had found so much butterfly interest last year had been desecrated by the tracks of some heavy machinery and logging operations. The tracks going right through an area where White Admirals were found. I spent some time, unsuccessfully looking for White Admiral larvae. They definitely inhabit this area and there is what I assume to be some likely looking Honeysuckle plants in the shade. At 11.30 the sky clouded over and I called it a day.

Lovely shot of the Peacock Paul It's that time of year when the Councils have to spend their cash or face (further) budget reductions next year - hence madly ripping out trees and shrubs, fixing roads etc

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel

Monday 6.4.2015 West End, Southampton

I was hopeful of at least one butterfly hunt over the Easter weekend. As it turned out Monday looked like the best day so I made sure that Brownie points were earned during the previous days. I decided to have a look at an area I last visited this time last year near West End Cemetry. A large sheltered field with a wooded corner. As I made my around the field margin it was apparent that, as others have noted, there were Brimstones and Peacocks everywhere today. Early on many of the Peacocks were seen to be probing the damp ground for nutrients. Later I watched many in aerial combat with each other. The Brimstones were mostly males but I did count my first 3 females today. The females settle much more readily and are easier to photograph of course and whilst photographing one such female a male barged in at exactly the right moment and I managed to catch both by chance. I thought I might have an outside chance of an Orange Tip today, no such luck. However I spotted what looked like a Small white quite early on but it did not stop for positive id. Later on my first Speckled Wood of the year presented itself in a pool of sunlight in a wooded area where also I spotted a single Bluebell in flower a couple of weeks ahead of its counterparts. Along the sheltered south facing edge of the field are half a dozen Sallows, all currently in full flower. Although other diaries/sightings pages seem to be awash with butterflies on Sallow they do provide us with butterflies in photogenic orientation. So here are some of my own. My first Comma of the year was found here together with even more Peacocks and a few Small Tortoiseshells.

Wednesday 15.4.2105 Otterbourne

Although I was working this was a beautiful butterfly day Just down the road from 'The Forge' (where the winter social is held) I spotted my first Holly Blue and Orange TIps of the year as well as several other unidentified whites amongst plenty of Brimstone, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell.

Saturday 18.4.2015 Moorgreen Meadows

This is my local Orange Tip spot, a short walk from home. I thought I would take a look to see if there were any about. Last week when I looked there was no sign of any Cuckoo Flower, but today the flower heads were all up and out. At 10am I think I was a bit early for Orange Tips but managed to get some interesting shots of Beeflies on Cuckoo Flower. I was passing again at 2pm and popped in again without camera and spotted one male Orange Tip and also my first definite Small White of the year Sunday 19.4.2015 Stephens Castle Down

Today I made my first visit of the year to my local Downland site. I was hoping for my first Duke of Burgundy, Green Hairstreak, Dingy and Grizzled Skippers of the year and perhaps a few Orange Tips. However this site is a little later than some so I would need some luck as well. The conditions were sunny but a little cooler than of late with a bit of a breeze. First up was a Peacock, one of several seen during my visit. After a couple more Peacocks It was not long before my first Grizzled Skipper of the year zoomed past me one of only perhaps 3 or 4 seen during the few hours that I was on site. This is one species that always takes me by surprise every year, the first of the high speed flyers. I think that perhaps I was too early by maybe a week or more for my other target species. Even the Orange Tips eluded me. Last year there was huge swathes of Garlic Mustard at this site at its peak, today the Garlic Mustard was barely out of the ground. What a difference geography can make, just up the road the Garlic Mustard is in its prime in full flower. In fact I saw no whites at all other than Brimstone of which the females were very actively egglaying. It was whilst attempting (unsuccessfully) to get a shot of a female Brimstone laying an egg my attention was drawn by a passing Holly Blue. I know there is nothing particularly special or rare about a Holly Blue, it is just that over the last few years it is one species that I have struggled to pin down. They always appear when you least expect them and it is difficult to find any where they are guarunteed to show up. So I was thrilled when this fine individual settled in front of me at head height, unfortunately the windy conditions did not make it ideal for taking photos. It was not just the Brimstone that was in egglaying mode. Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell were also playing their part. I have been aware that it was going on before, but this is the first time I have actually sat and watched the process with these 2 species. The adults seem to spend quite a lot of time assessing the Nettle patches for just the right leaf. The Peacock that I watched spent about half an hour laying her eggs mostly still but with an occasional gentle flap of the wings. Hopefully the next time I visit this site it will be Duke of Burgundy and Green Hairstreak grabbing my attention.

HI Jack,
Well done with that Holly Blue image . One behaved for me yesterday too.

All the best,
TREVOR.

I'd second that with regard to that lovely female Holly Blue. You're never going to get one any further open than that, and it's beautifully captured.

Dave

Hi Dave & Trevor
Thanks for your comments

That's the best shot of a Holly Blue I've seen in a long time. You must be pleased as punch

Indeed as the others say that's a cracking Holly Blue shot The Brimstone is a bit of all right too

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi Pauline & Wurzel

Thankyou for your kind comments

Thursday 23.4.2015 Hedge End

An hour or so out around the footpaths near my house provided lots of fresh Speckled Wood, in all the usual spots. The Small Tortoiseshells and Peacdocks, however, are now starting to look a little ragged. I found a new spot close to home, a small area enclosed by 2 gates. Today I counted 6 species including a male Holly Blue which unfortunately spent most of its time high up around the Ivy and Hawthorn. It settled low down once, but I was on the wrong side of the gate. My clumsy negotiation of the gate was enough to send it back up high, where it stayed As I returned home at around 3.30pm there was another female Holly Blue examining the Holly bushes near my house. It looked like it was searching for somewhere to lay eggs, but it did not appear to lay any at all as far as I could see. Saturday 25.4.2015 Hatch Grange, West End

Another butterfly that seems to have eluded me as far as decent photos are concerned is the Orange Tip. I see plenty every year but I just dont seem to be able to get a decent image. Today I set out to change that whilst one son was at football training and the other was out for the day. I started off at a new site for me this year, Hatch Grange at West End, Southampton. I visited a couple of weeks ago and thought it was the right sort of envoronment for Cuckoo Flower, a sheltered sunny corner of wet meadow. I did not actually notice any evidence of Cuckoo Flower at the time but today there was a large patch of it in full flower just where I thought it would be Unfortuneately the sky was heavy with the threat of rain and the only butterfly that put in an appearance was a single Speckled Wood. One thing that did catch my eye was that the Alder saplings around the edge of the meadow were all completely covered in beetles. There were literally thousands of them, almost every leaf had at least one. With rain more likely than Orange Tips I made a hasty retreat leaving just enough time to pop in somewhere closer to home. Saturday 25.4.2015 Moorgreen Meadows & Home

Back in Hedge End I popped in to Moorgreen Meadows just as the sky began to brighten slightly. Nearly all of the Cuckoo Flower here grows within a fenced off area out of reach, but I could just make out one roosting Orange Tip low down in the vegetation. I hung around for a while praying that the sun would appear, Within 10 minutes it did and with it appeared a couple of male Orange Tips. They patrolled the fenced off Cuckoo Flower frustratingly stopping to nectar way out of reach. I waited and waited and eventually one fluttered outside the fence and settled conveniently on a daisy The sun then disappeared for a while giving me plenty of photo opportunity.
Later in the garden a female Orange Tip settled down to nectar just as I opened the back door. With camera conveniently close by I was able to grab a couple of shots before she flew off. She briefly investigated my own Cuckoo Flower before disappearing over the fence, but disappointingly did not stop to lay any eggs

Jack,

Nice photos of the Orange Tips (especially the female). They seem a little reluctant to put in an appearance for me so far, but hopefully I will have some photos of my own soon.

Regards Kev

Hi Kev Thanks

Thursday 30.4.2015 Stephens Castle Down

I unexpectedly had a couple of hours free this morning so I decided to have another look at my local downland site. After failing to find any Duke of Burgundy, Green Hairstreak or Dingy Skippers a fortnight ago, I felt slightly more confident today. In an hour and a half butterflies were very thin on the ground despite good spells of warm sunshine. In fact I only saw 10 individuals of 6 species, but I was pleased with the few that I saw. First up was a Brimstone and then very little else except clouds of annoying black flies. This lack of action gave me a chance to check on the batch of Peacock eggs laid on my last visit here, which have yet to hatch. Eventually a couple of fresh Dingy Skippers showed themselves briefly, my first of the year I spotted a single Duke of Burgundy again my first of the year Whilst spending some time with the Duke something orangey caught my eye a short distance away. Once I had a few shots of the Duke I went over to investigate. I was pleasantly surprised to find a Painted Lady, it was a bit flighty and was very reluctant to stay still but eventually it settled as the sun clouded over. Making up the numbers today were a single male Holly Blue and a ragged Small Tortoiseshell. No Green Hairstreak though, much to my disappointment

Saturday 2.5.2015 Out and About

After 3 years of failure, I am still on a quest to grow an Elm tree from seed or cutting. Yes, I could go and buy one ready grown, but that is not half as much fun and I like a challenge Today on my way home from dropping my son at football training I stopped off to collect some more seed. This trip involves deviating from my normal route into one of the dodgier areas of Southampton The Elm here overhangs the fence of what looks like a derelict youth centre. So today it was a case of leaving the engine running and quickly liberating some seed when nobody was looking and making a quick get away before I was spotted. On my return home I found I had an unexpected passenger in the car, no not one of the local 'n'er do wells' but a lovely little micro micro moth I am not sure what species this is, but after looking at UK moths it looks like Adela reaumurella, maybe somebody could confirm that. It has extremely long antennae, so I would assume it is a male. It also has a very hairy head and thorax. Before setting it free I used the opportunity to take some pics. I found it quite tricky getting the antennae in focus with the rest of the insect, the breeze not helping. It also set to (what I assume to be) cleaning of its antennae one by one, hooking each antennae into the spines on its forlegs and gently pulling the antennae through. Photography is not my primary interest on here, but I have experimented here with different crops and used a tripod for these.

Cracking Duke and Holly Blue Paul I reckon you've got the correct ID for the micro moth too - crazy long antennae

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Cheers Wurzel

Sunday 10.5.2015 Stephens Castle Down - Peacock Eggs

I have been monitoring some Peacock eggs at one of my local sites. This egg mass was laid on 19.4.2015 around midday. The eggs are quite easy to locate, the clump of nettle being quite distinctive. I have also noticed that the leaf itself is quite contorted on the upper side immediately above the egg mass. I have not seen this before, is it typical I checked theses eggs on 30.4.2015 when there was no more than a slight colour change. I visited on 10.5.2015 expecting the eggs to have hatched, but was greeted with quite a different scenario. There was no sign of the eggs hatching but when I turned the leaf over there was some sort of large mite gorging on the eggs It was difficult to see exactly what was going on and just as difficult to get a good picture of the mite but hopefully you can get an idea. Some of the eggs seem to have deflated so I wondered if the mite could somehow suck out the insides. Is it conceiveable that eggs deep within the egg mass could still be viable.
I left the mite in situ and will check on the eggs next time I visit, hoping that some may have survived.

Excellent shots of the carnage, Paul. Last one, in particular. And, so brave! - using bare hands to hold a nettle leaf

Jon

Thanks Jon Just a slight case of numb fingers afterwards

Sunday 10.5.2015 More From Stephens Castle Down

Green Hairstreaks are proving a little elusive for me at the moment. So this would be my third hopeful visit of the year. The day started well with at least half a dozen male Orange Tips along Dean Lane leading up to the reserve A small clump of White Honesty proving to be very popular with as many as 4 males nectaring together. A few days earlier Common Blue and Small Heath were reported here so I was hopeful for those as well. Conditions were a little cool and breezy at times but there were plenty of male Brimstone around with the few females being pestered sometimes 4 at a time. A few Dingy and Grizzled Skippers and A weary looking Small Tortoiseshell took centre stage with perhaps half a dozen Dukes which all appeared to be males. Eventually a single Green Hairstreak fluttered down to nectar, but it was the only one I saw all day. One last check of the main area before I left revealed a single Small Heath as well as a couple more Dukes. My walk back to the car ended as it had begun, watching several male Orange Tips dancing along the lane in the dwindling sunshine. One setting up roost for the night, well camouflaged, on Cow Parsley. The Common Blues would have to wait until next visit.