www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Safe to say that the White Admiral is having a very good year if Bookham is anything to go by. Like many species it looks like a protracted flight for them, still plenty of freshly emerged mixing it up with the tattered ones from last week. I could only spare the morning so missed the brighter afternoon and any more possible HIM sightings.

Large numbers of both Silver-washed Fritillaries and White Admirals in the wood this morning despite the overcast conditions. Green Lane Wood, Wiltshire.

A few Heath Fritillary at Pound Wood today in Essex.

A day of mixed results, under mostly cloudy skies and in the company of several familiar faces HIM was a no show at Chiddingfold and surprisingly little else was actually on the wing. Dave (Millerd) and I moved on to Denbies in the afternoon finding plenty of fresh Marbled Whites, several DGF including a gorgeously dusky mint fresh female and our first Chalkhill Blues of the season. We finished the day at nearby Box Hill where many more fresh Marbled White and DGF fought to steal the show. Pictures will appear in my PD at some point in the future, promise (and also in Dave's obviously).

At last I managed to see my first Gatekeepers of the year this morning. Sandridge Common, Wiltshire

I went to Hutchinson's Bank yesterday. The forecast sunny spells didn't really materialise & after a n hour or so of warm but cloudy conditions dark banks of cloud rolled in with even one or two spots of rain. In the sub--optimal conditions managed 11 species:

3 faded Small Blue
1 tatty male Common Blue
4 Dark Green Fritillary
1 Comma
c35 Marbled White
c30 Ringlet
c20 Meadow Brown
3 Small Heath
2 Large White
4 Small White
4 Large Skipper

Nice to see lots of the local botanical speciality- Greater Yellow Rattle which is locally abundant here, but nationally rare. Couple of Pyramidal Orchids noted. Red Kite & Kestrel overhead.

An afternoon spent chasing Lulworths around Durlston proved very successful. Fate and luck combined to allow me to avoid the bulk of the rain and I had the butterflies all to myself. Marbled White were probably the most numerous, all looking very fresh followed by the Lulworth and/or Small Skippers. Also nabbed my first Grayling of the year. Other species in attendance included Essex Skipper, Gatekeeper (handful of fresh males), Meadow Brown (surprisingly few), Common Blue, Small Blue (old first gen I think ), Dark-green Fritillary, Small Heath and Ringlet.

The place is looking much more green and lush than in previous years, unsurprisingly!

Popped into the neighbouring fields after the rain had stopped in the late afternoon.

Despite the dampness there was still a fair bit of activity. Marbled White, Meadow Brown and Small Skipper were showing in good numbers, plus my first Gatekeeper of the year. Looked to see if any Purple Hairstreak were on the various oaks but couldn't see anything.

I found my first Gatekeeper on my local patch late this afternoon despite only bright cloud rather than sun.In fact there were quite a few butterflies around, most of them Meadow Browns, but they did include a surprisingly fresh first brood female Common Blue......a Marbled White, which is a relative rarity here...and a good number of Essex Skippers (far outnumbering the Small ones). Checking their identity does lead to some endearing photos - Essex definitely have the edge in cuteness over Small for some reason... Dave

Also had my first local Gatekeeper, a male, down the road, desperately try to gain warmth in the country park down the road.

Some DGF action on the hill. Beacon Hill, Wiltshire

Went round my local fields a couple of times this afternoon.

Weather better than yesterday but similar (large) numbers of Meadow Brown, Marbled White and small Skipper (I'm giving the latter a year off from my ugly mug and not doing any face-to-face scrutiny for Essex). More Gatekeepers and Ringlets on show today plus a very lively fresh Comma (dark version) and my first white for a long time (Large). No blues at all.

An impressive looking Emperor dragonfly was out and about, so too this male Brown Hawker.

This Comma caught my eye today. Much paler and washed out compared with the other Commas nearby. Could it be Hutchinsoni

I was expecting to see a few more Emperors in this thread having seen quite a number already in my local woods and having a couple of very nice close encounters. I posted a few of the photos, plus a short video on my diary page viewtopic.php?f=29&t=9248&p=164305#p164304. The pictures are taken in Bucknell Wood in Northants which is one of my favourite local woods.

Here is an additional shot from yesterday in case you don't want to visit the diary.

Hope to see a few more on here soon.

Another good morning in the wood. Green Lane Wood, Wiltshire

Andy02 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 6:01 pm This Comma caught my eye today. Much paler and washed out compared with the other Commas nearby. Could it be Hutchinsoni

I'd say so, Andy.

David M wrote: ↑Wed Jul 14, 2021 3:05 pm

Andy02 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 6:01 pm This Comma caught my eye today. Much paler and washed out compared with the other Commas nearby. Could it be Hutchinsoni

I'd say so, Andy.

Thanks David.
Underwing attached

There seems to have been either a mass emergence or an influx of Small Whites at Lancing on the Sussex coast today. I counted around 75 along a mile of promenade, either on or behind the beach. Some were definitely coming in off the sea at 6.15pm and there were also 12 Painted Lady seen in the same area.
The wind was from the north at the time, but many insects are known to migrate against the wind.

In the garden, all of my Large White larvae have disappeared, many due to parasitism.
Vince

One of 3 White Admiral abs seen at Monks Wood today. Only one I managed to get a pic of. Seem to be having a good year in Cambs

Vince Massimo wrote: ↑Wed Jul 14, 2021 6:21 pm There seems to have been either a mass emergence or an influx of Small Whites at Lancing on the Sussex coast today. I counted around 75 along a mile of promenade, either on or behind the beach.
Vince

I hope you checked every one of the immigrants to see if they were the Southern version or not, Vince!

There has been a sudden increase in their numbers up round my way too, but I assumed mine were all locally grown - maybe not.

Cheers,

Dave