August 2013

[sahikmet]

yesterday at Bold Hill Aston Rowant, Skippers plenty, silver spotted small, Essex and several large skippers. Also second brood common blue. Still plenty of Chalkhill blues. Cheers Sezar

[millerd]

My eight-year-old son spotted a caterpillar in a hedge today (just at his eye level!). It turned out to be a Comma, and a closer look at about a metre of the hedge revealed there were at least eight Comma larvae of various ages munching happily away. The plant? A type of small-leaved elm, as far as I can tell. I've found them on hop and nettle, but not elm before.

Dave

[Butterflymax]

Here in Rugby, Warwickshire, we seem to be having the best year for butterflies since at least 2009. About a week ago I was beginning to wonder if another infestation of Painted Ladies was on the cards after seeing four in one day in my back garden, having not seen one anywhere since 2009. I also saw four Small Tortoiseshells in the garden in one day in late July (and ten on Trevor White Drive between the Sports Centre and St Cross Hospital, along with plenty of Gatekeepers) which is great, considering I saw none anywhere last year. On 2nd August, at about 7pm I counted no less than thirty Peacocks on the budleia bush in the garden plus a White, thus beating the record of seven Painted Ladies in 2009. However, despite a few visits to Ashlawn Cutting since April in which I've seen a few of the usual resident species, nothing could really have prepared me for the 1st August. I'm wondering if I've made butterfly history on a local level due to seeing not one but two species that aren't supposedly resident there: Silver-washed Fritillary and White-Letter Hairstreak. I wondered if I was dreaming when I saw the fritillary and failed to get a photo before it flew off into the trees, but then I found the hairstreak half an hour later and got several photos of it. Suddenly the fritillary seemed much more plausible. As far as I know, the only hairstreaks ever seen at Ashlawn Cutting are Green Hairstreaks and they've not been seen there since 1987. Fritillaries have never been seen there before in recent times as far as I know, although I'm sure I saw one there as a child in about 1983. However both species are known to inhabit other sites within five miles away, such as Elliot's Field and Ryton Woods. On 1st August at Ashlawn Cutting I also saw my first Common Blues, Small Coppers and Brown Argus of the year. Totals as follows:

Small: 115
Large: 87
Green Veined White: 124
Brimstone (female): 1
Peacock: 23
Comma: 1
Silver-Washed Fritillary (suspected sighting): 1
Gatekeeper: 86
Ringlet: 43
Meadow Brown: 56
Marbled White:1
Small Skipper: 7
Large Skipper: 1
Holly Blue: 2
Common Blue: 11
Small Copper: 8
Brown Argus: 1
White-Letter Hairstreak: 1

[Butterflymax]

The '17' I refer to in the buddleia picture is Peacock butterflies. There's also a White visible somewhere!

[Philzoid]

Seems like the buddliea's are inundated this year . Visitors to mine are mostly Peacock then Large White afterwards Comma; Small white; Red Admiral; Meadow Brown; Small Tortoiseshell Large Skipper and Gatekeeper. No Painted Ladies though

04/08/13 Took my eldest and her friend to Denbies Hillside late afternoon. My initial plans to go in the morning were scuppered by the cycling event which saw lots of the key roads to access the area, closed until around 04:00 . This was going to have be a quick trip.
Immediately on arrival at the top of Steers field we were greeted by Chalkhill Blues being carried along in the blustery breeze (the top of Denbies is always windy).. I headed to my right to follow the path that goes down the hill by the wood which offers some shelter from the wind. Although the vegetation was well overgrown the Chalkhill blues abounded ….. I've never seen so many butterflies … except perhaps at Denbies last year (Susie)

Chalkhills everywhere

As well and the masses of Chalkhills there were Small Skippers, Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers aplenty and I was able to get a Solitary Small Copper, a Dark Green Fritillary and a Marbled White, complete with butterfly ticks which seem to be a particular prevalent feature on the Denbies MW's.

If only that Small skipper had stayed put (multiple species shot)

Spreading Bellflower

My daughter's friend used her mobile phone to take pictures and on seeing the Dark Green Fritillary just marched right up to it and took her picture a few inches away … talk about beginners luck.

Taken by my daughter

The sun was warm the vegetation lush and colourful and the air hummed to the sound of a myriad of insect wings . A groan of disapproval went up when I said we had to go …now that's a first

Phil

[Wurzel]

Cracking stuff Philzoid - you're training them well.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Vince Massimo]

Light winds and broken cloud prompted a visit to nearby Colley Hill (next to Reigate Hill), Surrey. The target species were Silver-spotted Skipper and Chalkhill Blue. They were both out in modest numbers which made it easier to follow any interesting individuals.

Silver-spotted Skipper male - Colley Hill, Surrey 6-Aug-2013

Chalkhill Blue male - Colley Hill, Surrey 6-Aug-2013

Chalkhill Blue male - Colley Hill, Surrey 6-Aug-2013

On the way out I checked another area and immediately stumbled upon an aberrant female Chalkhill Blue. It was marked diferently on either side, the most extreme being the right hand side (ab. parallela?).

Chalkhill Blue female ab. - Colley Hill, Surrey 6-Aug-2013

Chalkhill Blue female ab. - Colley Hill, Surrey 6-Aug-2013

The left side probably warrants a different name, while the upperside was generally "normal".

Chalkhill Blue female ab. - Colley Hill, Surrey 6-Aug-2013

Vince

[andy brown]

A couple of blues from this evening at magdalen hill.

[Neil Freeman]

A great day up at Arnside Knott

Hundreds of Scotch Argus, some HBF and DGF, Grayling, Common Blue, Small Copper, Peacock, Comma and thousands of Whites, Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers

In the meadow on the way down to Heathwaite, a Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow

More details and photos will be in my diary when return home later in the week.

Neil F.

[IAC]

Hi all,
A large number of Painted Lady seem to have been washed up on the east coast of Scotland this past few days. Between 50 and 60 seen today on the Berwickshire coast along with quite astonishing numbers of Small White and Large White that are busy peppering any available plant with eggs...Also there does seem to be a good few reliable reports of Clouded Yellow among these migrant hordes. I saw one such Clouded Yellow a few weeks ago. Also on the Berwickshire coast, for those of you who visited this season for Northern Brown Argus. You may be wondering just how they are getting on. I managed to find a good few fresh ones, quite unexpectedly considering the prolonged warmth this season. Butterflies in general up here have never had it so good since 2006....and that goes for there admirers as well. 15 species today...I know that most of you in the deep south get 15 species on your garden buddleia...but for me up here in little old Berwickshire is quite a thrill

Iain.

[MikeOxon]

15 species along the very sheltered Roman Road at Otmoor, Oxon this afternoon: Large Skipper, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, GvWhite, Small Copper, Purple Hairstreak, Comma, Peacock, Painted Lady, Silver-washed Fritillary, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Gatekeeper - but not what I went to look for: Brown Hairstreak!

Since the antennae of Small/Essex Skippers receive a lot of attention, here are those of the Large Skipper - quite different, with rings around the extended orange tips.

Roman Road, Otmoor - 7th August 2013
Nikon D300s with 300/4 + 1.4X TC - 1/250s@f/8 ISO800

Here's another face,showing the proboscis of a Painted Lady:

Roman Road, Otmoor - 7th August 2013
Nikon D300s with 300/4 + 1.4X TC - 1/350s@f/9.5 ISO400

As well as butterflies, there were Brown and Southern Hawker Dragonflies, Common and Ruddy Darters, and Emerald Damselflies, plus this unusually marked Harlequin Ladybird:

Roman Road, Otmoor - 7th August 2013
Nikon D300s with 300/4 + 1.4X TC - 1/350s@f/9.5 ISO400

Mike

[Pete Eeles]

Also on the Berwickshire coast, for those of you who visited this season for Northern Brown Argus. You may be wondering just how they are getting on. I managed to find a good few fresh ones, quite unexpectedly considering the prolonged warmth this season.

Great stuff Iain! That is one heck of a protracted emergence!

Cheers,

- Pete

[adrian riley]

News from Bugalert
Hi, Gang
Thought you should be aware that a Long-tailed Blue was reported in Kent yesterday.
Adrian Riley www.bugalert.net

[Ian Pratt]

Up at 07.00 to see the butterflies at Bonchurch Down near Ventnor with the first rays of sunshine.
The following were seen:
large white 10
small white 3
marbled white 20
small copper 3
gatekeeper 10
meadow brown 20
common blue 6
chalkhill blue 20
brown argus 6
dark green fritillary 1 (first at this site for me)
grayling 1(first at this site for me)
small skipper 1
peacock 1
No adonis blue, wall brown or small heath, however.
Ian

[AndyR]

A quick lunchtime walk around from home bought up a Clouded Yellow in Waterhay Chancel graveyard N Wilts. It didn't stop but flew right in front of me and up over the hedge. A superb view. No common Blues yet. 9 other species counted in one spot on water mint near R. Thames, including Red Admirals which have been few and far between up until now.

[David M]

Arrived at Aston Rowant this morning and stayed till 1pm. I can honestly say I've never seen so many butterflies on a single site. They were about in plague numbers.

The slopes were shimmering with powder blue such were the numbers of Chalkhills about, and Meadow Browns, Small Whites, Peacocks, Green Veined Whites and Silver Spotted Skippers were around in the high dozens.

I saw 21 species (and amazingly there were no Red Admirals or Speckled Woods), although I didn't see the Clouded Yellow reported to me by another visitor.

Speculative totals really, but here goes:

Chalkhill Blue 1,000+
Meadow Brown 500+
Small White 100+
Peacock 80-120
Silver Spotted Skipper 70-100
Green Veined White 50-70
Hedge Brown 40-60
Large White 20-30
Brimstone 20-30
Common Blue 20-30
Brown Argus 20-30
Essex Skipper 10-20
Small Copper 10-15
Small Skipper 5-10
Small Heath 5-10
Marbled White 3
Small Tortoiseshell 3
Comma 2
Dark Green Fritillary 2
Ringlet 1
Holly Blue 1

[Willrow]

Quote David M..."Arrived at Aston Rowant this morning and stayed till 1pm. I can honestly say I've never seen so many butterflies on a single site. They were about in plague numbers.

The slopes were shimmering with powder blue such were the numbers..."

I can only agree David, I spent a wonderful day at Aston Rowant on Tuesday and was utterly amazed with the numbers, will get my belated sightings report done asap.

Bill

[MikeOxon]

Re. Aston Rowant, I think it is also interesting to note that this site is immediately adjacent to a very busy motorway, on a steep stretch, where vehicles climbing the hill are working hard.

It seems to me to demonstrate that local air pollution is not the issue that some people make out (another thread on this forum considered that loss of butterflies at Whitecross Green Wood might be due to air pollution, but this seems highly unlikely and rather to be due to poor site management for the species concerned)

There is evidence that major roads and railways are beneficial, in that their verges provide corridors for many types of wildlife to disperse through our hostile agricultural mono-cultures. These links are vital in ensuring genetic diversity within the populations on our increasingly isolated wildlife reserves.

Mike

[Willrow]

Aston Rowant NNR, Oxfordshire - Tuesday. Good early morning start from South Wales and I arrived at the reserve at 8.45am rearing to go on my first visit to this well loved location for butterflyers. I was almost immediately welcomed by an overhead Red Kite that made me feel right at home From the viewing platform I was able to survey the M50 as it cut a swathe of incessant traffic through the arable heartland of Oxfordshire, the infamous drone took some blocking out and seemed totally alien to the overall environment, I was soon to put it to the back of my mind and start my adventure among the butterflies.

Within a few minutes walking along the top path I saw my first Silver-spotted Skipper the first of literally hundreds that I saw throughout the days visit, lots of photos later and I was waking up the Chalkhill Blue from their dew laden beds, it had apparently rained heavily throughout the night and they were mostly having a bit of a lie-in. As the morning moved on the temperature rose into the low twenties and the insects danced busily throughout the hillside and by mid-day the whole reserve seemed positively awash with butterflies, I've never seen more, a sight that will remain with me, it probably epitomizes this wonderful summer...just delightful.

My daylong visit produced 20 different species, but it was the two previously mentioned species that stole the show, surprisingly I saw just one Marbled White in habitat that I would have expected to have seen them in their scores. Essex Skipper were evident, I recorded around 15 to 18, they certainly seem to confine themselves to the longer grasses far more so than the Small Skipper and are a challenge for the butterfly naturalist/photographer.

During late afternoon I met a newcomer to butterflies Dave Meadows (great to meet you Dave ) and he mentioned his interest in Orchids and I had the benefit of his local knowledge when he showed me quite a goodly amount of Frog Orchid a species that I had not seen before, a nice bonus to add to the great butterflies experienced, I left Dave with the suggestion that he visits UK Butterflies a resources he was unaware of, I only hope that it adds to his enjoyment of the natural world

Finally, the locals have decided to rename the reserve Aston Willrowlant to commemorate my visit...

Bill

[badgerbob]

I managed to escape from the house for just over an hour today, so, following a brisk walk I arrived at The Comp at the back of Seaford to see how the Wall Brown was doing. I had already had a couple of males fighting in the back garden during the day so I knew numbers were growing in their 2nd brood. As soon as I hit The Comp I saw a male nectaring on some knapweed, this was then joined by another and I was hoping both would open their wings to get an unusual picture. As usual with the Wall though they didn't hand about. Fortunately though a little further along the path I saw a male basking in the sunlight. Just at this point a cyclist came along and put the butterfly up but my luck was in as it then settled in a better position. After several pictures it was time to rush back home having achieved what I set out to do.

Yesterday I paid a visit to Ashdown Forest for dragonflies but in the Old Lodge car park the fleabane has come into flower and was very popular with the butterflies with 2 Silver Washed Fritillaries, a very fresh Peacock and a Painted Lady. The Black Darter dragonfly was also good to get.