Trevor

[David M]

That first image positively glows, Trevor, with the slight glimpse of the darker upperside contrasting beautifully with both the underside and the flower the butterfly is nectaring from. I presume it's buddleia and the following two are verbena?

[trevor]

Thanks David. Yes that one was on Buddleia. That's when I discovered
the second one as it flew over and sent my subject up!.

Stay safe,
Trevor.

[trevor]

For a little while this morning I thought my plans for the last, forecast
fine day, had been scuppered when a thick, damp mist descended.
Fortunately the Sun eventually broke through so I made my way
up to High and Over.
The 3rd brood Wall Browns were still going strong ( more later ), but
in the meantime there were fresh Speckled Woods, Red Admirals, and
a solitary Peacock ( too high for a shot ) to be seen.

[trevor]

It is now 22 days since I found the first 3rd brood Wall Browns at High and Over.
It was clear today that they were still going strong, although most males were worn
to some degree. Always looking out for the more elusive females, I was delighted
to stumble upon a pristine female posing perfectly, then ( that law again ) just as
I was about to ' click ' a male found her, and it was a hop, skip and a jump until
they both disappeared over a barbed wire fence into a meadow and out of sight.

Never mind, the Walls still had another surprise in store for me!.

[trevor]

The surprise of the day was reserved for later on, as I was about to head home.
There is another wooden seat well away from normal Wall Brown activity, as I have
occasionally seen the odd male defending this seat I thought I would take a quick look.

Sure enough a tired looking old and tatty male was found around that seat, and after
a short while he had found a female who was not in the slightest bit interested in
his advances. After several shots of the rejection ritual, they both flew out of sight.
Within a minute the old male had returned without the female to his territory.

Keep well all,
Trevor.

[millerd]

That's a great bit of behaviour, Trevor. Usually this sort of thing takes place in the grass where you can't see properly what's going on (let alone get a photo), but you had a nice open flat surface as a backdrop and made the most of it!

Cheers,

Dave

[Wurzel]

As Dave says Trevor - a cracking bit of behaviour caught on camera I was unable to make the most of the last couple of good days as I was stuck in work and then was needed home on the hurry up Oh well there might be a bit more life in the season yet

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

What a treat for September! Not many get to see this behaviour too often, although I suspect that the presence of a third brood these days is instrumental in this species' general decline in the more southern parts of the UK.

[trevor]

Thanks Dave. A concrete slab in front of that seat made an ideal
' dance floor ' for those two. The female was quivering her wings
the whole time the male was in pursuit, hence the blurred
wing tips in my shots.

Cheers Wurzel, I treated Mon & Tues this week as a last chance saloon
for going out with any certainty of finding end of season butterflies.
Especially as the weather brought a premature end to Autumn
excursions last year.

Wall Browns regularly produce a third brood at High and Over, David,
and from what I have seen go on to produce three healthy broods
the following year. Two other Sussex hot spots, Cissbury Ring and
Mill Hill have also had third broods this year.
I would say that the Sussex colonies I know of are holding their own.

Stay safe and well all,
Trevor.

[bugboy]

Some nice Walls there, they've had a really good third brood it would seem, loads at Tidemills now, all over the site. Not bad considering I only saw them there for the first time last year!

[trevor]

I have not visited Tide Mills for sometime Paul, but it seems like
a visit soon, weather permitting, would be worthwhile.
I have often found the odd Wall over there, but I like the sound
of 'all over the site'. I saw a male in Wilts on Sunday.

[David M]

...Wall Browns regularly produce a third brood at High and Over, David,
and from what I have seen go on to produce three healthy broods
the following year. Two other Sussex hot spots, Cissbury Ring and
Mill Hill have also had third broods this year.
I would say that the Sussex colonies I know of are holding their own

Pleased to hear that, Trevor. One presumes that if average temperatures continue to rise, then this species will break out of its 'developmental trap' and start to become commoner in those places where conditions are optimal.

I don't think I'll be around to see any such success however; I think it will take another 30-50 years for any such success to result in the Wall Brown reoccupying many of the transect squares from which it has routinely disappeared from the mid-80s onwards.

In the meantime, I expect it will remain a largely coastal butterfly in the southernmost 10% of the country and continue its drive into more northerly climes.

[trevor]

We are now in late September, so I am treating each butterfly outing as though it may be the last.
To almost guarantee some sightings today I went over to Herstmonceux Castle. The gardens there
have thrown up a few surprises in the past, Todays surprise was the sight of nectaring Wall Browns.
In all my visits I have never seen Walls there before. In all I found about four, all males.

The photographic opportunities on offer today were in complete contrast to those at High and Over!.

More to follow.....

[trevor]

Another small colony of Wall Browns found yesterday, David.
According to the Sussex BC sightings page the 3rd brood is turning up
in many places. Those found yesterday must be 3rd brood, as it is now late Sept.

Stay safe and well,
Trevor.

[trevor]

An amazing number of other species, given the time of year, were to be seen
at Herstmonceux yesterday. These included yet another Clouded Yellow,
all four of our hibernating vanessids, including about six each of Peacocks
and Red Admirals, one Comma and a single Small Tortoiseshell ( my 6th of the year locally ).
Small Coppers and Common Blues were everywhere, and mostly worn. Whites were also
present but there were far fewer seen than on my last visit.

I think I had excellent value out of my £6.00 admission fee yesterday!.

Enjoy what's left of the season,
Trevor.

[Wurzel]

A cracking trip report Trevor - a total contrast to the weather over this way today Congrats on the Walls as well, especially the Wall on a wall

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

..I think I had excellent value out of my £6.00 admission fee yesterday!

I'd have happily paid triple that fee for those butterflies, Trevor.

That verbena was clearly quite potent. I'm used to seeing vanessids nectaring from it, but to have Wall Browns and Clouded Yellows visiting must have been extremely satisfying.

[trevor]

A bit of a panic this morning. The car went in for it's annual service, in Uckfield.
And what had been a morning of doubtful weather suddenly turned bright, warm and sunny.
And there was me with no car. Fortunately I returned to the garage early, and my car was ready!.
So I dashed home, grabbed my camera and headed over to Herstmonceux Castle.

This afternoon it was a case of quality over quantity.
The first find was a stunning, fresh, ' blue ' female Common Blue, with possibly the finest
markings I've ever seen. Small Coppers were still around in good numbers, but only one
Peacock was found.
Once I had decided to head for home, something spurred me on to make a last quick
tour of the garden. This last minute decision produced a magnificent female Wall Brown,
basking in a very appropriate fashion, on a wall!. A male was also found on the same wall.

Not a bad day for Oct.1st.

Stay well,
Trevor.

[millerd]

A lovely blue female Common Blue, Trevor - a real favourite of mine, that. Interesting that third brood Walls are appearing all over the Sussex Coast, even outside the spots where this is an annual phenomenon these days. We shall have to wait and see how this affects numbers next spring. They also seem to have turned up in more places generally - maybe they are spreading further afield once more? Your Wall-on-the-wall shots are terrific - this species earned its name for a reason!

Cheers,

Dave

[trevor]

Cheers Dave. Regarding the 3rd brood Walls, as you know those at High and Over
seem to produce a 3rd brood in most years, and there are still good numbers of Spring brood
the following year. The situation of the site, ie. its proximity to the sea and that hedge may
offer some protection for overwintering eggs. Whatever, they always seem to do well up there.
And yes, as a species Wall Browns seem to have had a great year, at least in the south.

Stay safe and well,
Trevor.