P.J.Underwood.

P.J.Underwood · Post by **P.J.Underwood** » Tue Dec 10, 2013 8:02 pm

Guy,
Firstly I didn't include a bellargus with spots,so here it is.I will search my other photo's for an agestis.Finally,here are another four difficult blues-the bad photo's don't help-for you to check over.This is the last of the blues as all I can see is spots in front of my eyes!
P.J.U.

Post by **Padfield** » Wed Dec 11, 2013 8:26 pm

Hi PJ. In this set, the first one is, obviously an Adonis blue. The others, I think, are all silver-studs, except for the penultimate, which I believe is Idas. I have to say 'I believe' because the genus Plebejus is very sedentary and there is considerable variation within each species. That said, I feel reasonably confident with these IDs!

Thanks for posting all these pictures - I've really enjoyed looking through them. I do hope others will step in and offer alternative suggestions for ID where I've been tentative. Of all the butterflies you've posted, I think the Iolas blue carries the most cachet - and it's one of my favourite butterflies ever. That ID correction was definitely an 'upgrade'!

Guy

P.J.Underwood · Post by **P.J.Underwood** » Thu Dec 12, 2013 6:37 am

Guy,
Thanks for the ID's so far.Don't worry,it isn't over yet.I will bring you the fritillary's next as soon as I have time.I am using solely the Photographic guide to butterflies of Britain and Europe by Tan Haahtela and others,for ease and time,and that is perhaps why some ID's are a little shaky or it could be just me!
P.J.U.

P.J.Underwood · Post by **P.J.Underwood** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 2:56 pm

These are the fritillaries plus an odd one we found during our week in Croatia,last June.Please feel free to alter my I.D.'s
P.J.U.

David M · Post by **David M** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 4:36 pm

Your first fritillary shouted 'Marbled' at me, due mainly to its general wing shape plus the 'scalloped' look to the edges.

Post by **Padfield** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 7:05 pm

I agree with David - that first one is a marbled fritillary. The one lower down, that you have labelled lesser marbled, would seem to be a marbled fritillary too. The half-shading in the yellow spot at the base of s4 on the hindwing gives it away.

To me, your high brown fritillary is a Niobe fritillary, form eris. There is a similar form in high brown, form cleodoxa, but it lacks the extent of black edging to the hindwing spaces.

With lesser spotted and spotted fritillaries in the region, I can't tell which yours is - did you get a suitable view to confirm lesser spotted? The other one I can't confirm or deny is the Nickerl's. This is a species I find endlessly difficult to identify from pictures but can now tell instantly in the field by its demeanour and flight (though I've never seen Assman's, which might be similar).

I love the marsh fritillary, ssp. bulgarica! And twin-spot fritillary is still on my list of yet-to-sees!

Guy

P.J.Underwood · Post by **P.J.Underwood** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:36 pm

Thank you David and Guy.It is like being back at school and having your paper marked!I will go back over the photo's and add the corrections.It will then be a better record.
P.J.U.

P.J.Underwood · Post by **P.J.Underwood** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 2:16 pm

I am now trawling through my photo's of Croatia again.In the first 150 I have found these two.Could the first be a Red underwing skipper and the second....any ideas?
P.J.U.

P.J.Underwood · Post by **P.J.Underwood** » Sun Jan 05, 2014 1:23 pm

Dawn from my back garden,looking towards Botany Bay.
P.J.U.

Susie · Post by **Susie** » Sun Jan 05, 2014 1:54 pm

Stunning sunrise Philip

It was the same over Horsham but I missed it. You know the saying 'red sky in the morning shepherd's warning' so we're in for more grotty weather later.

P.J.Underwood · Post by **P.J.Underwood** » Sun Jan 05, 2014 4:16 pm

I did not have to venture far to find this one,today.A firerug inkcap (Coprinus domesticus) growing out of the window sill (oak-85 yrs old) in my bathroom.I think we need to clean the windows!
P.J.U.

P.J.Underwood · Post by **P.J.Underwood** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 7:20 pm

Rome.
I am pleased to be able to report that my season of overseas butterflies has started with two Cleopatra's in the Palatine gardens of Rome about a week ago.They were both males and had obviously emerged from hibernation.
P.J.U.

P.J.Underwood · Post by **P.J.Underwood** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 11:47 am

Botany Bay today.Much better than recently with Brimstones and Peacocks out in force.Also a few orange tips and Green veined whites.And then my first Wood Whites of the season,a pair fluttering in the ride at a favoured early spot.I am 7 days later than previous years.I was also joined by my first Nightingale,that was in good voice.
P.J.U.

Wurzel · Post by **Wurzel** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 10:46 pm

That's fantastic news PJ - you seem to have access to an early site because this is the first sighting again isn't it?

What happened in Rome - you got as far as the Cleopatra and then jumped a month?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Neil Hulme · Post by **Neil Hulme** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 11:18 pm

Hi PJ and Wurzel,
Chiddingfold is certainly an early site, but there has been a sighting which slipped under the radar. Will McCall posted a nice pic he took of a Woody White at Tugley on 13th April on the BC Sussex Facebook page.
BWs, Neil

P.J.Underwood · Post by **P.J.Underwood** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 7:20 am

Sorry,I have been a little sluggish on the butterfly front.We sold our house before Rome and found another in Chiddingfold within four days.We are now in the middle of moving,otherwise I would have been out on the 13th when the weather was good.But I am very happy hearing a nightingale as well.
P.J.U.

P.J.Underwood · Post by **P.J.Underwood** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 3:34 pm

As I am still between houses and living in a Camper, with my computers in moving boxes,life is somewhat tiresome.However,I managed to visit Noar Hill yesterday with Bill Plumb,Malcolm Greenwood and Simon Cross and saw many Dukes and Grizzled Skippers,and today at Kithurst Hill saw my first Duke of the season there, after 3 recent visits in the last four days.So life is coming better and we move into a house soon!

P.J.Underwood · Post by **P.J.Underwood** » Mon Jun 16, 2014 7:45 pm

Two things have happened in the last week.Firstly after a lapse of six weeks I am back on the internet,and secondly myself and Bill Plumb have returned from a week at Farm Latour in Hungary.Pete Eeles has recommended this spot for butterflies and I believe he has been three times.We were apparently between the early and the summer butterflies and our aim was to find the Poplar Admiral.
When we arrived there was a slight drizzle so we went on Rob's bird tour for that day.We saw Saker falcons,bee-eaters,rollers,imperial eagles,lesser grey shrikes and many others.The highlight for me was finding a Large Copper lurking in the reeds.
The next day the sun was out so we joined Rob's butterfly trip.Firstly a field with Clouded Apollo's,Assman fritillaries,
Chestnut Heaths and a chequered skipper.Then to the hills to find the Hungarian glider on a patch of Spirea.We also saw about three cardinals.All the time we were seeing various blues and fritillaries whose identification I will sort out later.We finally went to a valley that day were we saw Black Hairstreaks,a Pale Clouded yellow,twin spot fritillaries,lesser marbled fritillaries,Eastern Bath whites,and others.
The next day it was now getting hotter.So we took the plunge and asked Rob where to find a Poplar Admiral.We drove the car some two hours north,up near the border.We parked the car by a cafe in the village he had directed us to.We walked about half a mile along a stream and then further along a dry path in gorgeous meadows.We stopped by a house and looked on the sparse horse droppings.And there it was on the ground just as he had said.Our mission was accomplished.
The next few days we went to other sites everywhere finding something different.The last day,as we were leaving we even spotted a common glider at a mud puddling pool.
Here are a few pictures of some of the goodies.I will do a complete list later.
The place is easy to get to,thoroughly recommended and I can't wait to go again.
P.J.U.

P.J.Underwood · Post by **P.J.Underwood** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 8:37 am

Having visited Croatia some 3 years ago and produced an extensive list,I was happy to spend a week with the family enjoying a beach holiday at Trogir,near Split.The Scarce Swallowtail was very common as were the Long Tailed Blue and Geranium Bronze.I attach a few photo's of note.
P.J.U.

P.J.Underwood · Post by **P.J.Underwood** » Fri Aug 26, 2016 3:04 pm

On Wednesday,17th Aug we firstly visited Denbies Hillside in search of "adonis".We were depressed when we saw the extreme growth of the vegetation compared with the past.It was very butterfly unfriendly.The Silver spotted skippers had moved to the field on the right and were easy to find.Chalkhill blues and Common Blues were also seen at the top of that field.My question is "what has happened with the grazing? Are there still rabbits around?" No Adonis were seen on this occasion,despite good weather.
We then moved on to Pewley Down,an excellent site with lower vegetation where the small blue is being encouraged.And then to Oaken Wood-another neglected site which is most depressing after the winter work we put in over past years.However,Botany Bay was much better,where we perhaps saw the last second brood Wood White of the season at 4.10pm.
Determined to find Adonis we returned to Denbies Hillside on Wed.24th.Aug.The weather was very hot,and we found just one (of the second brood) at the top of the field on the right.The good news was that there was a notice on the lower gate stating that Belted Galloways were being introduced,but it will need a good flock of sheep controlled by electric fencing to make much difference.
What do others think?
P.J.U.

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P.J.Underwood-Denbies.