www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

I suppose you ought to have a few mrgreens for the fresh female LTB
None for the mating pair though, I did manage to spend quality time with a pair.

Seriously though, how did virgin female LTB's know that in a tiny area of Worthing there would be males
ready and waiting for them? For a while the females were arriving daily and were duly mated.

Great stuff
Trevor.

Absolutely fantastic LTBs Bugboy That's a species I'd love to have in my 'in cop' collection

Have a goodun

Wurzel

A very definite for the female, Paul. I've yet to get a shot of one of the ladies... Also, many thanks for feeding me updates on the state of play down there and sealing my decision to pay a visit while things were still interesting.

Cheers,

Dave

That was definitely worth waiting for, Paul.

It sure has an 'exotic' feel about it, with yuccas, LTBs and Clouded Yellows. Those mint fresh boeticus are utterly splendid.

Haha, thanks Trevor. I don’t think there was any pre-planning in the females movements other than “Must fly south”!
Thanks Wurzel, I did ok with in cop LTB’s this year, still a poor second to Neil though.
Thanks Dave, and no problem with the info, it was just good to see you up and about again
Thanks David. They are indeed extremely photogenic, and rather addictive too and imagine being told this event would happen just 10 years ago, you’d be laughing incredulously all day!


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September 2022

Wednesday 21st. Having had to sacrifice the previous day to non-butterfly stuff, I was eager to return to Worthing for one final day before having to return to work, giving myself a trilogy of freshly minted Long-tailed Blues. From reports it would seem the conveyor belt of Long-tailed Blue’s passing through was far from abating. Arriving around midday I was greeted by hordes of enthusiasts with several familiar faces amongst them, (Ben, Trevor, Claire, Katrina and Millerd… oh and Neil of course) word was most definitely out now. In fact, there were nearly as many cameras as Long-tailed Blues today and we were attracting a lot of attention from the many passers-by enjoying the balmy weather too, many assuming we were some sort of photographic club.

I only saw worn individuals to start with, including ol’ wonky wing from day one. But an hour and a half in, the call went up for a mating pair. By all accounts this was now pretty much a daily event here. Even so they drew a big crowd of people with cameras and were probably the most photographed butterflies of the day. During this event a few more fresh males turned up and small groups of enthusiasts kept a close eye on them whilst waiting for a prolonged cloudy spell to pass. Pass it did and patience was once again rewarded. Taking a break from the crowds, Katrina and I wandered off to the grassy patch next to the car park where only five days ago Neil and I had come across the first fresh LTB. Non were here today but a fresh females of Small Copper and Common Blue kept us entertained. If it hadn’t been for the other Blues, this particular Common Blue may well have stolen the show for the day. It all quietened down after that. There also seemed to have been a significant Clouded Yellow departure, numbers were noticeably down from my previous visits, the skies over the channel to Normandy must have been filled with blue and yellow wings! And the prize for my years most photographed species goes to… But where were they all coming from? I have a theory. If you look at a map of Worthing and draw a line due north from the hotspot, a mile or so inland this line crosses smack bang in the middle of a rather large set of allotments. I suspect there were quite a few legumes that were perhaps not as productive as their growers thought they should have been this year!

Ok for fear of overdosing on Long-tailed Blues, my next post is about something completely different

It's really good to see a completely different perspective on that excellent day, Paul - including some different butterflies than the ones I saw (excepting the pairing of course). A particular for that female Common Blue (which would have distracted me for a while as well if I'd spotted it! ) You mentioned the interest shown by passers-by: I think a lot of folk ended up their day far more knowledgeable about butterfly migration than when they started it...

Cheers,

Dave

More cracking images Bugboy Those LTBs are brilliant to see, especially the last in the sequence of 'on the pebbles' And that is a gorgeous Common Blue as well

Have a goodun

Wurzel

bugboy wrote: ↑Wed Nov 02, 2022 6:16 pmThey are indeed extremely photogenic, and rather addictive too and imagine being told this event would happen just 10 years ago, you’d be laughing incredulously all day!

Indeed, Paul. It's amazing just how much things have changed in such a short while. In truth, I believe Long Tailed Blue should now be added to the UK species list such is its reliability of occupation of much of southern England annually.

That's another uplifting post with the mating pair, not to mention the Clouded Yellows which have also had an excellent year over here.

Just out of interest, what do male LTBs behave like when they see a Common Blue?

Thanks Dave, Oh the passers by did indeed go away with more knowledge, in later visits the questions proved this fact!
Thanks Wurzel, the ‘on the pebbles’ shots are now my favourite pose for them, particularly for an underside shot which really complement each other.
Thanks David. I’m totally in agreement, their as reliable as a Clouded Yellow now. Neil has mentioned this for a few years now. That and the Large Tortoiseshell the official number of British Butterflies should really be 61…. And counting what with the below potentially now getting a toe hold.

LTB’s don’t appreciate CB’s in their territory but their differing combat techniques seems to frustrate them. When watching them skirmish you can see the LTB making short darts up in an attempt to drag his rival up to continue in the traditional skywards battle of that species. Obviously this concept is completely alien to the CB who steadfastly stays low down and I get the impression that the CB tends to quickly lose interest and finds the LTB more of a nuisance than a rival after the initial flurry.


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September 2022

Tuesday 27th. For my next outing I took a break from Worthing and the Long-tailed Blues and went down to Kent again, this time better armed with proper information about where to go for the target species, I just had to hope for decent weather…

So, the first two and half hours were spent walking around an abandoned corn field under grey skies broken only by thicker cloud and a generous sprinkling of rain. The few other enthusiasts who were loitering in small groups around the edge of the field when I arrived vanished before the rain arrived, I hid in some bushes, as you do. All I managed to find in that time were a couple of roosting Common Blues.

Eventually a combination of brighter weather and my relentless/aimless wandering in the cornfield proved fruitful when a medium sized orange butterfly sprang up from under my feet. It was a short-lived encounter, somehow he gave me the slip when he took to the wing again. It was another hour before the sun managed to break through the cloud again, during which a few more people arrived, including the local chap who had first made the discovery of the Queens here. I managed to find and point out some of the foodplant which he was very excited to see. Shortly after, the call went up that one had been found again. It turned out to be the same male who had reappeared in the same few square feet where I’d lost him before. This time with more eyes to keep track of him, he didn’t give us the slip and for the next hour and half we basically stood round him taking all manner of pictures from every conceivable angle. The sun came out just once more, just enough to encourage a bit more activity but for the most part, underside shots were only available, many of which were taking in the pouring rain. It’s fascinating to see how those silver spangles change depending on the lighting. The rather monotone mid grey background also made for some curious photos. Hopefully if they make it through the winter I’ll see them on a bit of greenery next year.

Your male with the tip of its left forewing missing ,was a bit of a celebrity and was last seen on the wing just over a week ago.................he,s had a good run ,good that you found some foodplant ,i had a look myself ..........but with no luck...........nice pictures.
Also along the same lines ,Q of S has also been recorded as having bred at ,at least 3 other sites in Kent .
Allan.W.

Some terrific shots of the QoS, Paul. They are such attractive butterflies, especially when we see them over here so rarely. I was there two days earlier, and amongst others spotted the one Allan mentions with the missing wingtip. You did well to find the foodplant in amongst all the dry cereal stems and everything else - it would be great if a colony somehow established itself. However, it may have to be elsewhere, as I heard disappointing things about what this particular site is destined for... (More on that in my own post).

Cheers,

Dave

Thanks for the information regarding LTB behaviour, Paul. Long may their arrival on these shores continue!

Same goes for Queen of Spain Fritillaries, although their frequency of numbers is rather less reliable than those of boeticus. That said, it must be a wonderful feeling to be able to switch from observing Long Tailed Blues one day to spending time with Queens a few days later. If we get another benign winter we may well have a few more of the latter next spring.

Brilliant QoS shots Bugboy I really love the outline they cut when they close theirwings, really interesting angular profile It would be great if this species started colonising - I'm not sure of anything holding it back - I mean they found up in the Alps?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Allen, I did notice my male on facebook a while back, still looking in non-too shabby condition.
Thanks Dave. We can but hope this invasion is the start of something special. With confirmed breeding in several sites in Kent it looks promising, just have to hope our winters are conducive to their ecology. From what I understand about them they seem similar to Red Admirals in that respect, being able to survive at a slowed down rate as various stages.
I have to say that those few weeks did feel like they were spent on the med coastDavid, and it hadn’t finished either as you can see below!
Thanks Wurzel, I reckon it’s our mild wet winters that that stop them but I’m far from an expert on their ecology.


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October 2022

Sunday 2nd, return to Worthing. Although the LTB sightings seemed to have slowed down now, a bright sunny day was all I needed to tempt me down to see if any late emergers had stopped of before making the journey over the channel. However, another species stole the show, and the previous stars were barely a footnote for the day, my crazy end of season extravaganza still had a bit of mileage.

I quickly found a worn male LTB flying up and down the Tamarisk hedge, but it was a fresh helice Clouded Yellow that caught my attention, even more so that she was behaving impeccably by basking and feeding and allowing me oodles of time to grab plenty of shots including a few attempts at uppersides. Things were set to get even better as the afternoon wore on. There were several Cloudies here today, as there had been on every previous visit, but the slightly cooler conditions had made them much more approachable, here’s a male doing some pebble basking. The LTB's did occasionally attract my attention as well. There had been numerous Cloudie aerial chases already as males encountered females but several circuits into my afternoon, I noticed some stationary yellow fluttering up ahead and closing in I realised a male had cornered a standard model female who was giving him the routine Pierid ‘bugger off’ pose, and in doing so I had plenty of time to grab some sharp uppersides. After a minute or two she’d had enough and flew off with him in chase. Chuffed with that and thinking my day had peaked I moved on. Things were set to get even better though. The helice was still very approachable and I added a few more backlit poses to the growing collection of helice shots and spent a bit more time with the trio of LTB that were still here. The Blues were quickly forgotten when I noticed some more yellow fluttering, this time a male had cornered my helice. Upperside shots of male and both versions of female Cloudies in one afternoon? Oh go on then! My day had finally peaked! Not what I was expecting but this tiny corner of Worthing was still punching well above its weight!

You've had a fantastic autumn, Buggy. Queen of Spain, long-tailed blue, and those amazing upperside shots of helice with wooing male ... When I was a kid I literally dreamt of stuff like that (and then woke up).

Guy

The Cloudie shots are amazing, Paul - that last one of the upperside of the helice female as she does her best to put off the male (you can see why he took some dissuading!) is fantastic. It makes me wish I'd had another trip down there... This year's immigrant season has been astonishing (though to be fair, Painted Ladies have been a bit thin on the ground wherever I've been), and you've really made the most of it.

Cheers,

Dave

Your diary certainly makes some fascinating end of season reading Paul. Despite being largely reliant on public transport you clearly make the most of your opportunities. And also trudging up the hill to Whitehawk is always worth it - it may have been eclipsed this year, but as we all know, all that effort really does sweeten the reward when it finally comes!

Really excellent images of those open-winged Clouded Yellows, Paul. The helice is a joy to see.

Like Dave, a great report from Walmer .
I was wondering what was so special about that field of wheat for the QoS.
Your shot of the wild Viola is surely the answer. Maybe a mated female QoS
came over during the summer and found the Violas.
Superb effort with the ' open wing ' Cloudies .

I think it's all over around here.
Trevor.

Absolutely cracking sequence of shots Bugboy - the rarely seen topside Cloudy is worth a few but that Helice knocks them out of the park - that orange blob against the greenish white - lush

Have a goodun

Wurzel