www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Meanwhile, bedtime back at the cottage last night was disrupted by a large moth which appeared in the bedroom and would not settle. We put the light out and in the morning discovered the moth on the window. Looking in my book I found it to be a Lilac Beauty.
Taken with flash against the light and without flashThe stuff of nightmares

Lovely Heath Frits, Janet and what a beautifully atmospheric pic of Glastonbury Tor!

Hi! Janet , I'm just catching up on my posts, I love your shots of the LB, It's one I've got to see yet, I thought maybe this year but it looks like it will have to be next year now your certainly getting out and about the Heath shots are lovely, not seen them for a few years now so nice to see your shots. Goldie

We took a trip up to Sand Point, just north of Weston-Super-Mare, and parked up in the NT car park. From there we walked along the coastal track which became more and more bouldery and difficult, until with relief we reached a place quite near the end of the Point where it was possible to scramble up to the top. Once there we could see that most sensible people had taken the top path which led directly to the trig point and then carried on along the path to the end. Even before I'd stopped shaking with exhaustion, several Graylings presented themselves. They seemed to be only at that end of the Point though - I saw only Meadow Browns and Common Blues as we walked back along the top. An airshow over Weston gave us an additional thrill as various display planes flew overhead on their way to the show.
By the time we reached the car park again, Alan had had enough so we purchased ice creams from the van and I set off to look for a ruined priory that was marked on the map. A lovely walk across the downs revealed only Meadow Browns and a single Brown Argus (not that I was looking very hard) and the fact that the old priory is inaccessible on private land.

Great set of Heaths Janet and that Clouded Buff is cracker Those Grayling seem a bit early

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Aah, Sand Point! I remember that site, Janet. There used to be a colony of Glanville Fritillaries there until they died out after that awful winter of 2013. I know exactly which path you are talking about and yes, it's one hell of a slog!

Glad I'm not alone in not enjoying that path, David! Although a lone fisherman made the same trek with all his beach casting gear

For the final day of our stay in Barton St David, we chose to go to Collard Hill. Previously we'd been to another Large Blue site which isn't advertised by BC as access is very restricted. However, the temperature was high and the butterflies flighty and if they opened their wings it was to fly away. There were quite a few butterfly spotters there but I did not meet anyone whose name I recognised. Moving on to Hatch Hill we had no better luck but I did get a very tiny moth which I think is a Mint Moth. A second small moth I could not identify, but possibly a Small Yellow Underwing. The previous evening I left the lights on upstairs to see what arrived and we were visited by a Bright-line Brown-eye, a Riband Wave and another which again I could not identify. But back to today's expedition. Returning from Hatch Hill we passed the Hood Monument and entered a wooded path with a patch of brambles bathed in sunshine - and I was brought up sharply by a female Silver Washed Fritillary - my first of the year. She was a lone giant among the Meadow Browns, Ringlets and a GVW and was my prize catch of the day. Back at the ranch, Alan elected to stay indoors while I went out to explore a local quarry where I found a mating pair of Meadow Browns. and watched a Buzzard circling overhead

Janet - I've just scanned back a little through your posts and see you came across Grayling already. I'm whacked after my trip to see the Large Blues yesterday but now I have to go out again and search for Grayling!!!

Thanks

But before we did, I caught a few more moths last night by leaving the landing lights on (yes - I know it's an old joke!)
Alan held a torch steady while I snapped the Common Emerald which was on the ceiling, and on the wall was a Barred Yellow, and a rather gorgeous biggish one with metallic gold on its wings - a Burnished Brass Fan-foot Moth, Zanclognatha tarsipennalis - and one I still haven't identified Hopefully someone will help with ID!
So after a week of extraordinarily good holiday weather today was the journey home - via Glastonbury Tor where the last of the midsummer revellers were packing up for another year, and then Wells Cathedral and the gardens of the Bishop's Palace (well worth a visit!) where there were the now-ubiquitous Meadow Browns and Large Whites.
Thank you Somerset - you gave me a huge amount of butterflying pleasure!

I don't know a lot about moths Janet so can't really help with ID but I love that golden reflective one.

Also - does the Wells Bishop's Palace still have its "Swan" bell?

ernie f wrote:I don't know a lot about moths Janet so can't really help with ID but I love that golden reflective one.

Also - does the Wells Bishop's Palace still have its "Swan" bell?

Apparently the swans do still ring the bell but I forgot to look for it - and being a stop on the way home we were rather time limited. We fully intend to go back again next year!

We went out with the church ramblers - a meander, (or even just a long walk to a pub!) from Little Moreton Hall near Congleton - and it was great that the other members of the group are getting hooked on butterfly spotting. Some even take photos! A total of 8 species were seen during the course of the walk: Large Skipper, Meadow Brown, Large White, Comma, Small Tort, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Speckled Wood but in the heat only the PL and RA stopped long enough to snap.

Great set of shots Janet, those Silver-washed are brill You unknown moth is a Riband Wave of the typical form, your previous Riband was the form remutata. As for the other one...not a clue sorry

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi Janet, busy catching up with a ton of posts after a week away with very little internet access. I see you've been getting around a bit! It's a good thing those Heaths didn't land on your finger as I think they would be causing you to break the law, they one species I believe it's illegal to touch! Your 'Japanese beetle' from a few posts back is a Garden Chafer, they can be exceedingly common in late spring, I see swarms of them when I go Duke hunting in the Chiltons.

Great to see you got a Painted Lady on your walk, Janet. I have only managed to see two so far this year so it seems its not one of their larger influx years.

Hi! Janet great shots, I've not seen the Red Admiral up here yet , the last one I got a shot of was in Spring in Kent, so your shots are encouraging Your Grayling shot is great, I find them very hard to get a good shot of they blend in so well with their surroundings Goldie

Wurzel wrote:Great set of shots Janet, those Silver-washed are brill You unknown moth is a Riband Wave of the typical form, your previous Riband was the form remutata. As for the other one...not a clue sorry

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks, Wurzel - I've only recently started 'noticing' moths, and am finding the ID-ing quite difficult!

bugboy wrote:Hi Janet, busy catching up with a ton of posts after a week away with very little internet access. I see you've been getting around a bit! It's a good thing those Heaths didn't land on your finger as I think they would be causing you to break the law, they one species I believe it's illegal to touch! Your 'Japanese beetle' from a few posts back is a Garden Chafer, they can be exceedingly common in late spring, I see swarms of them when I go Duke hunting in the Chiltons.

I'd no idea it was illegal to touch the Heaths, Bugboy - and to think I was going to try and tempt them with jam!
I'm relieved my bug is a common Garden Chafer since Defra seems paranoid about the Japanese Beetle which it closely resembles.

Hi Goldie, I've been lucky with this Grayling - I think all my former shots showed them nestling against rocks!

I agree, Ernie - this was only my second Painted Lady this year and last year was poor, too.

Well done with the Large Blues Janet, and a great selection of subjects from a lovely part of the world.
Some nice moths there as well, I love your female Silver-washed.

Hi Janet,

Some great reports and photos recently

Your Fan-foot is a Small Fan-foot (Herminia tarsicrinalis) and the unidentified one in the previous post (June 24th) is a Fan-foot. Very similar apart from size and the shape of the sub-terminal cross line.

Cheers,

Neil.

Neil Freeman wrote:Hi Janet,

Some great reports and photos recently

Your Fan-foot is a Small Fan-foot (Herminia tarsicrinalis) and the unidentified one in the previous post (June 24th) is a Fan-foot. Very similar apart from size and the shape of the sub-terminal cross line.

Cheers,

Neil.

Thanks, Neil - the difference is so subtle, I thought it was the same one. I had to look hard to see what you meant!