Neil Hulme

[Old Wolf]

Hello Neil,
Your photographs are pretty damn amazing. I especially like the crooked antenna female Adonis from Cissbury Ring.

I really am very envious of the amount of butterflies you are seeing. Where I live is pretty sparse.

[David M]

Another stunning ab. caeruleopunctata, Neil.

I've seen a few myself over the past couple of weeks, and will keep my eyes peeled for more to try and work out whether this form is commoner in later broods.

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks, Old Wolf, that's very kind of you to say so.
I'm very lucky living on the coast of Sunny Sussex, as the butterfly season generally outlasts most parts of the country, apart from the far SW.

Thanks, David. The relative frequency of ab. caeruleopunctata shouldn't change significantly, as it's genetically, rather than environmentally, controlled, but as the size of each of the three broods tends to build sequentially, we tend to see more in the autumn. The form is very well represented in my part of Sussex, to the point where it becomes the norm in some colonies.

BWs, Neil

[peterc]

Fantastic photos as usual, Neil.

Regarding the frequency of the 'blue badges' ab. caeruleopunctata for Small Copper, I just checked all my Small Copper photos taken this year locally and these are the results for the 22 specimens:

Normal - 11
1/2 badges - 3
3/4 badges - 8

and I am pleased to say that the one in my garden on 4 August was a 4-badger

ATB

Peter

[David M]

Thanks, David. The relative frequency of ab. caeruleopunctata shouldn't change significantly, as it's genetically, rather than environmentally, controlled, but as the size of each of the three broods tends to build sequentially, we tend to see more in the autumn. The form is very well represented in my part of Sussex, to the point where it becomes the norm in some colonies.

Thanks for the information, Neil. I guess it's down to simple mathematics then....the more Coppers there are the more caeruleopunctata will be amongst them.

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks, Peter and David. It's now a case of coppers or bust, at least until the third brood Wall emerge, signalling the final act.
BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

More Coppers

Despite a collapse in the weather this afternoon (6 September), I still managed to find 36 Small Coppers over just the southern part of Cissbury Ring; I suspect there are now many more present. Among the other species seen was another female Brown Hairstreak, this time in surprisingly good condition.

[David M]

..Despite a collapse in the weather this afternoon (6 September), I still managed to find 36 Small Coppers over just the southern part of Cissbury Ring..

That's quite some total, Neil, even allowing for the surge in numbers of this delightful species lately.

[Neil Hulme]

Wall-to-wall With Wall

Mill Hill was wall-to-wall with Wall Brown by the end of today (13 September), as a large hatch of third brood butterflies is underway. I arrived before 11 am but couldn't drag myself away before 6 pm, although it felt like I'd only been there for a couple of hours. David Cook and Mark Jones dropped in for a while, with Mark doing us proud by finding a mating pair. My final tally of 21 Wall Brown included just four females, so there are probably plenty more to come. They were spread over the entire site, at all levels, including the paths running north from the top car park.

There were plenty of other species on offer, including Clouded Yellow (3), Adonis Blue, Chalk Hill Blue, Common Blue (some third brood), Brown Argus, Small Copper, Small Heath, Meadow Brown (including three mating pairs), Green-veined White (third brood), Small White, Peacock and Red Admiral. I had hoped to photograph the second brood Peacock caterpillars that David Cook recently found here, but they've all headed off to pupate.

[millerd]

Lovely fresh Walls, Neil. Up at High & Over today they didn't look quite as sparkling new as that...

Dave

[Wurzel]

Cracking shots as always Neil but the stand out one has to be the near perfect symmetry of the mating pair, it's almost like a mirror image

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

How do you do it, Neil?

You make the most skittish butterflies behave like obedient pets.

Lovely stuff!

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks, Dave, Wurzel and David. The Wall were back to their usual uncooperative selves today, with many hours effort producing no good images.
BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

Back To Coppers

It was harder going at Mill Hill today (15 September), probably due to the much windier conditions than yesterday. Fewer Wall were seen (14), but my count did include a mating pair. Mating pairs of Meadow Brown and Small Heath were also encountered, together with a few Clouded Yellow and Small Copper.

On the way home I made a late afternoon visit to Cissbury Ring (south side) where, in very short time, I counted 67 Small Copper, as many were preparing to roost. I'll return for a fuller count, as numbers must now be very high over the entire site.

[Wurzel]

Wow - that is a mighty impressive Blue Badger Neil, when that one got painted they didn't hold back with the paint

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

That's one of the best examples of caeruleopuctata I've seen, Neil. Beautiful specimen.

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks, both. Her sapphires were so impressive that they showed from at least ten paces.
BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

Second Brood Peacock

My plans to return to Cissbury Ring today (16 September) changed when David Cook contacted me, to let me know that he'd located a second brood Peacock pupa at Mill Hill. David first spotted numerous caterpillars here a while back, and I narrowly missed the opportunity to photograph them on 13 September, when the last one had headed off to pupate earlier in the day.

Mark Jones spotted it hanging up below a nettle leaf as he left the site, and today guided David to the precise location over the 'phone. It's hard enough to find Peacock pupae at the best of times, so to locate one from the occasional, partial second brood is a rare event. The adult butterfly should emerge in early October.

Plenty of Wall were seen, including some freshly emerged males, and I found a female Brown Hairstreak laying eggs near the top car park.

[ernie f]

Neil. So many Wall Browns - you are so lucky. Plus a mating pair!
Going back further in your PD page, the Copper with a blue flush to it is just like an impressionist painting.

[David M]

That's a truly beautiful work of art courtesy of nature, Neil. Well done to Dave for finding it and thanks for sharing it.

I guess you'll return periodically to see how it's getting on prior to emergence?