www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Superb stuff...and I'm sure you're in possession of the final pieces in the jigsaw.

Thank you David, thats extremely kind of you and, i am pleased that you are enjoying this post. I have four photos, and two posts left to do, to complete the sequence, from final-instar larva, to butterfly.

..................until, on the 23.6.2012, after checking on the chrysalis several times for any changes in colour, another check mid-afternoon finally produced the changes i was looking for. I was able to see clearly the pattern and colours of the wing through the membrane of the chrysalis and, new it should emerge any time now. The only trouble was, the weather, being overcast, windy and, not that warm,[also the light was very poor for photography] so would it actually emerge. I did`nt think it would but, to make sure of this, i carefully placed a plant pot over the nettle,[i did`nt like doing this but, thought it best under the circumstances] on which the pupa was attached, so therefore stimulating nightfall and, prolonging the butterfly`s emergence.The following day brought improved weather and photography conditions, with frequent sunny spells, even though it was still rather windy. So i decided i had interfered enough, and would let nature take its course. I removed the plant pot, then set my camera up. Then it was a bit of gardening, as the chrysalis was so low to the ground, i dug away some of the soil directly below the pupa, to give the butterfly ample room to emerge without damaging it`s wings etc., and then quite quickly, the Red Admiral appeared.

Then 22 minutes later, just over half an hour after it`s emergence, the Red Admiral discharged it`s metabolic waste, leaving a red stain on the recently dug soil below it`s body.The final photo depicts the Red Admiral continuing to dry out in the warm afternoon sun, with this typical pose of a newly emerged butterfly.With Vince Massimo`s kind permission, [thanks Vince] i have used the dates of his life cycle of a Red Admiral, from the larva adopting it`s attachment to the leaf in readiness to pupate and, from completed transition of the pupa to the emergence of the butterfly, so i could compare them with my dates covering the same transitional periods.

Vince`s from, final-instars attachment to leaf, to completion of pupation, 8 days, mine, 5 days.
Vince`s from, the completion of the pupa, to the butterfly emerging, 12 days, mine, 18 days.

I can understand why my butterfly took six days longer than Vince`s butterfly to emerge, putting that down to the combined, controlled conditions of Vince`s butterfly and, the poor weather conditions for my butterfly. But what i don`t understand, is why my butterfly only took five days to complete it`s pupation period and, Vince`s took a futher three days to complete this transition.

Fabulous stuff that. Thanks for sharing. One thing I've always wanted to see is a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis in the wild.

Hi Nick,

Excellent observations and recording

I have just discovered some data from last year which I will throw into the mix.
On 20th June 2012 I found a Red Admiral larva completely in the open on a nettle and I took it home for further study.
Here is that data shown within the context of your report (with corrections):

hideandseek wrote:With Vince Massimo`s kind permission, [thanks Vince] I have used the dates of his life cycle of a Red Admiral, from the larva adopting it`s attachment to the leaf in readiness to pupate and, from completed transition of the pupa to the emergence of the butterfly, so I could compare them with my dates covering the same transitional periods.

Vince's (2011) from, final-instars attachment to leaf, to completion of pupation, 2 days, mine, 5 days.
Vince's (2012) from, final-instars attachment to leaf, to completion of pupation, 2 days.
Vince's (2011) from, the completion of the pupa, to the butterfly emerging, 17 days, mine, 18 days.
Vince's (2012) from, the completion of the pupa, to the butterfly emerging, 12 days.

The corrections to the dates quoted from my 2011 report now show the development times to be much less variable.

I don't profess to be an expert on such matters but know that there are several factors that can trigger pupation. These can range from temperature to the availability of food. I have also looked at the data from my Peacock and Comma rearing projects in 2012 and found that in all cases the larvae remained suspended for only 24 hours before pupation. The Peacocks all emerged from the pupa in 10 days while the Commas took between 11 and 20 days.

I have added all of this data to my Red Admiral (Early Stages) report, together with some extra photos, which can be found here:
viewtopic.php?f=37&t=5672


Vince

David and Vince, thank you both for you kind comments, its aways appreciated.
All the best, Nick.

Now that i have been through all of my photos from 2012, and sorted them out, i thought i would post a few of them. Some that i have already posted, some i have not, but all of them good memories no matter what the weather. At times i would have been better off being a hippo, wallowing about in all that mud and water and, if you think it was bad for the wildlife photographer, what about the poor butterflies, coming into the world, just to be greeted by wind and rain, and more rain. But a few of them did manage to capture a few rays of sun, even though it was`nt often enough.

Soaked to the skinInjoying a fleeting glimpse of the sun

Hi Nick,

Summer 2012, I remember it well ...

hideandseek wrote:wallowing about in all that mud and water

Lovely pictures and a highly observational report on the Red Admiral.

Great work.

Kind regards. Mark

thanks Mark, its always nice to get a compliment from a budding entomologist ....no really, thanks Mark, appreciated.

All the best, Nick.

With the vast numbers of Chalkhill Blues this year, the poor females could`nt move without being harassed by the marauding males.

Whats taking him so long......................?Alone.....................peace at last...............

Hiya Nick, just been going through your Diary, some great stuff seen (and very smartly captured too!)

Regards that Red Admiral pupa. Firstly congratulations on not only the pics but for keeping the suspense going! And secondly, no matter how many times I see the transition from larva to pupa to adult, it never fails to amaze me (and I don't think that's an exaggeration) just HOW the insect body can alter itself from one form to another (the second being entirely alien to the first) and get it right every time. That "fat caterpillar" rearranging various organs, developing into the pupa within itself, hardening, waiting, and then suddenly that winged, long-legged, antenna waving, compound eyed beast with a proboscis emerging...it fair takes my breath away trying to get my noggins 'round it all! How does that adult caterpillar learn to fly and co-ordinate its way from flower to flower without messing up? It's akin to saying, "OK, you are now celebrating your 18th birthday. Show us how you can pass through a solid brick wall". Admittedly there may be the occasional aberration, not enough hindwing spots or an extra pupil in a wingspot, but on the whole they perform this life-changing metamorphosis without pause or fuss. As I said, amazing.

I do enjoy your Diary, and I'm sure many others do too. So thankyou,

Gibster.

Hi Seth,

First of all, i would like to thank you for your very kind comments on both my personal diary and, my sequence of photos, depicting the transition, from larva to butterfly of the Red Admiral, so thank you, very much appreciated. I can understand how the transition still amazes you after seeing it so many times, that was my first time, and found it, not just amazing but, also beautiful.
I have always been a keen amateur natualist, which started with me as a three year old seeing a Fox running across the lawn, i was gobbed-smacked and, enthralled by the whole experience. By the time i was five i had a deep infinity, love and, a fascination for bird`s eggs, often wandering the country lanes looking for and finding nests, such as Blackbirds, Song Thrush, Dunnock, finches and the like. Where is this going? Well going back to where you said "admittedly there maybe the occasional aberration", i think that butterflies in general have a high rate of aberrations compared to other insects, birds etc. Well, what surprised me was the different shapes, sizes and, the colouration of some of the eggs i used to find when i was younger. Like the all blue eggs of a Chaffinch, which is rather a rare find, also a Jackdaws nest containing five white eggs, and on two occasions, Great-Tits eggs that were twice as long as normal, [must of hurt laying those two] and just one more, otherwise i`d go on forever, a Blue-Tit`s egg that was so small it would never of hatched, about, half its normal size, no bigger, probably the first egg layed by that particular Blue-Tit. It just shows you how brilliant and unpredictable nature is across it`s whole spectrum.

Well thanks again Seth, give my best to Sami,

All the best,Nick.

Wood White numbers dropped quite considerably last year at Chiddingfold Wood, [2012] probably about half the numbers from the two previous years, but then the two previous years were quite exceptional. Walking from Oaken Wood to the triangle would produce [on a nice sunny day] at least eighty individuals for the first brood and, at least thirty for the partial second brood for the years 2010 and 2011. Last year on the same walk, the first brood would have only produced between about 30-40, and the second partial brood only a third of that number if you were lucky, but to me , thats a normal year for this species at Chiddingfold Wood.

I know i have brought this subject up before but, i do find it to be an intriguing topic. Is this a courtship leading to the male and female copulating? well, my answer is still no. But, the ritual is certainly a form of bonding between the two sexes of this species,i`m certain of that. Maybe they had mated at an earlier date and, are now reacquainting themselves to one another, remembering a previous encounter, the two of them having played their part in the next generation, the future of this butterfly. The female is so submissive to the attentions of the male, never taking her eyes of him, he, lovingly stroking her with his proboscis................................or, am i reading to much into this act?.............................or, am i just an old fashioned romantic?

Two in a bush....

Just emerged......

The future...Taking a well deserved rest, before fling off to lay her eggs ...

A butterfly that fared quite well on my local patch....