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Visited the National Botanic Gardens near Cross Hands today. Not too many butterflies about as it was cool and mainly cloudy, but a handful of welcome Red Admirals were seen:
Five Small Tortoiseshells were counted:
Other species were: Small Copper (approx 10), Small White (20-30), Large White (1), Green Veined White (3) & Speckled Wood (1).

Still plenty Nymphalids up north in Gateshead apart from Peacocks which have disappeared.

Haven't seen any vanessids around London for a while. Only one in recent weeks was a very worn Painted Lady. Of all the groups of butterflies these seem to have had the worst season. Most others seem to have had a good year.

Rivoldini wrote:Still plenty Nymphalids up north in Gateshead apart from Peacocks which have disappeared.

That's a fabulous image, Rivoldini. Getting two Commas alone into a single frame is hard work, but alongside a Red Admiral as well is tremendous.

Today several of us visited Wallasea Island, Essex- for me my first visit.

Though primarily for birding I was hopeful for some insects. Initially didn't think it would be productive for the latter as the open landscape was subjected to a strong, blustery SW wind + total cloud cover. The cloud eventually lifted to yield some decent spells of sunshine. First butterfly was a fairly distant Small/Green-veined White, the only one to be seen.

Next to be seen was Common Blue + this was the most abundant species with up to 20 seen. Also seen was a fresh Red Admiral nectaring on the Sea Aster, a pristine male Wall Brown, 3 Small Heath, 2 Small Copper + an amazing (my first UK ones this year)5 or 6 Clouded Yellows, the second most numerous species.

I'm sure if it had been less blustery we would have seen more.

The only other insects noticed were a couple of mating pairs of Migrant Hawker, 2 Ruddy Darters + a Common Darter.

Thank you for the kind comments. To dwell further, this has been the best year for Commas up in the north. There were nine on the same Gateshead bramble bush and clouds of Speckled Woods.Here are a few more photos from last week.

Rivoldini, you've surpassed yourself there! Three Commas in close proximity! Mightily impressive.

On the 6th September I was on my 2nd home, (High and Over)!! The idea was to check out the 3rd brood of Wall Brown, which at that point hadn't quite materialised, with only a worn 2nd brood just hanging on. After bumping into James (B. Rex), I spotted a Clouded Yellow that was fluttering around looking as if it was looking for egg laying spots. On closer inspection we saw it actually lay an egg, so after photographing the egg I placed a stone by it to mark the spot.

Yesterday, after seeing several 3rd brood Wall Brown, including several females that were also looking for egg laying spots, I stumbled across my marker for the Clouded Yellow egg. Getting the reading glasses on I was surprised to spot a tiny little larva. To be honest I didn't think it was Clouded Yellow until I got home and looked up the 1st instar images on UK Butterflies. After realising it was a Clouded Yellow larva I quickly went back up the hill to try and improve on the very poor images I had got first time. Although the 2nd attempt was a little better the tiny creature decided to head deeper into the foliage and I just couldn't re-find it.

I know its a moth but ........

This is the Oleander Hawkmoth. A very rare immigrant to Britain, mainly from Southern Europe, but highly regarded by most British mothers. We were lucky to be present when one was handed in to Dungeness Bird Observatory having been trapped at a local nearby private garden. The finder is one of the regular birders who spends most of his time at Dungeness so you can imagine his delight when he opened his moth trap to find this, a first for Dungeness. This is a highly prized moth and attracted visitors from as far as Norfolk on the day. The photo does not do the moths size justice but it is big, probably about the largest moth you will see in Britain. Our first in over 30 years of wildlife watching.

Hopefully a butterfly will now be found of equal beauty and rarity

I've been envious of all the sightings of Small Coppers, until finally today I got to see my first of this year... Along with eight Speckled Woods and five Peacocks.

dave brown wrote:I know its a moth but ........

This is the Oleander Hawkmoth...

More a work of art than a moth, Dave. This is, to me, the pinnacle in the European moth range in terms of sheer beauty. One day I hope to get to see one.

Oleander Hawkmoth

Have to agree with you David. This is nature at it's best. Amazing how a plumage, clearly designed for maximum camouflage, can also be a thing of such beauty.

Last of the Commas,time to hang the camera up. Another pair from Gateshead, this morning.

This afternoon I thought I,d visit a different site ,to see what was about . I generally head straight down to Dungeness ,but being so windy ,I thought I,d try a couple of sites a bit nearer home. First up is an excellent plant site at Tutt hill near Hothfield (Kent) ,at this time of year there are generally a few Small Coppers about and other bits and pieces ,but on arrival I was met by a lot of ploughing and muck spreading activity
so I went back to Hothfield Common , didn,t expect to see too much ,as the weather seemed to be getting worse ,but in between sun and deep cloud cover and strong wind I was very pleased to find 22 Small Copper ,most ly found around the main bog and the old football pitch.
There were several Speckled woods about and a few Commas ,I reckon my Copper count would have been much higher if it hadn,t been so windy !! Regards Allan.W.

That first Copper is interesting, Allan. The forewing spots are very scant compared with what one normally sees with this species.

Small Copper in the garden feeding on buddleia. Progeny of individuals seen in the first week of August?

ATB

Peter

Yes David ,theres a lot of variation in the size of the forewing spots on the Coppers at this particular site ,probably half of those seen do show much smaller ,reduced spotting, that said the other one had particularly large spots !
I had a flying visit of around an hour ,late afternoon to the same site ,and managed 21 Coppers and two fresh Peacocks ,things are certainly slowing down now ,and we had our first frost this morning to !. Regards Allan.W.

I'm envious of all Allan W. 's Small Coppers, but was happy to see a (poorly photographed) Wall today in the sun, plus this very chubby and healthy looking late instar Swallowtail, on Fennel in my garden in Brittany. At least 17 Peacocks, mainly on flowering Ivy. Still hoping for a Clouded Yellow...

Plenty Coppers in Tyne & Wear this morning. This one just verging on caeroleopunctata.

Comma and asterisks. Gateshead this morning.