www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Good luck with the LTB searching Paul, if you find one don't be afraid to share it, I still might have one days worth of Brownie points left in bag

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi Goldie & Wurzel Thanks for the encouragement Watch this space but don't hold your breath I have little opportunity at the moment to get out and about. My wife is recovering from yet another operation on her poor knee, this time a full replacement. Outings are likely to be brief and local for the foreseeable future so I am also making the most of goings on in the garden To add to the 2 existing Small White larva, on Saturday I noticed that 6 more eggs had appeared on the same plant. I imagine that these are more of the same. 5 have been laid on the upper leaf surface and 1 on the underside of the leaf. I am amazed at how quickly the existing Small White larva has increased in size. Just prior to taking these pics there was a small wasp like insect walking around the leaf, but I was too slow to photograph it. I am not sure if it was up to no good. The Speckled Wood eggs laid last weekend are yet to hatch.

The Holly Blue larva still has not reappeared but I did spot some signs of feeding damage and what looks like frass. Having had no experience of Holly Blue early stages I am not sure if this feeding damage is compatible with Holly Blue. Another unidentified larva has appeared and I have also had to remove yet another spider from this flower head

jackz432r wrote:The Holly Blue larva still has not reappeared but I did spot some signs of feeding damage and what looks like frass. Having had no experience of Holly Blue early stages I am not sure if this feeding damage is compatible with Holly Blue.

It certainly is - and the larva should be visible if it's still around, although is probably still very small.

Cheers,

- Pete

Hi Pete
Thanks for the confirmation Found more feeding damage today but still cant locate the larva

Sunday 20.9.2015 Searching For Something Unusual

On Sunday I was allowed a few hours break from being nursemaid I tried to make the most of it by visiting 3x sites in hope of something interesting

My first port of call was the area of Everlasting Pea mentioned previously. The Weather was much better this time but still no sign of Long Tailed Blues In fact still not many butterflies, perhaps I was a little too early in the day. Several Small Whites, a Speckled Wood, a Red Admiral and an Angel Shades moth was all I saw. I also spotted yet another Wasp Spider, these seem to be at every site I go to now. This one seemed to be constructing a package of some sort, is it an egg sac? My second location was my Clouded Yellow site at Haslar Gosport, reliable for the last couple of years but not today Again Small Whites were the most numerous species with a single Large white and a Red Admiral for good measure. Finally a little further away from the coast I visited one of my favourite butterfly hotspots from the last couple of years at Aytesbury Copse, Knowle. This is has been a sort of migrant catcher over the last couple of years Clouded Yellows last year and Painted Ladies this year. Again Small Whites were the most numerous including a mating pair, a lovely female Green Veined White, only my 4th Small Copper of the year a Comma and finally a male Common Blue.

Keep on looking for those LTB's Jack, I think you've got a very good chance of finding some. We've got some better weather coming up too.

ATB

James

That's a strikingly marked female GVW, Jack, a species I haven't seen much of this late summer/early autumn.

Hi! Jack, some nice shots If you do find some LTB's I'd keep the location quiet, the man or woman with the net could pay it a visit, seems these people are checking out UKB's Goldie

Hi James
Looks like you have had a good share of the luck where Long Tailed Blues are concerned I think I am less likely to come up trumps down this way, but I shall continue to keep everything crossed

Hi David
Yes she did stand out amongst the all the more mundane Small Whites

Hi Goldie
Thanks for the comments and don't worry I can be very vague with details if required

The season has definitely wound down significantly. My weekend was sadly characterised by its lack of butterflies despite some excellent weather In several places where I would expect to have found at least some butterflies I returned a count of zero. Here is a round-up of my recent doings:

Holly Blue In The Garden I keep hopefully checking my Hebe bush but I have not seen any more of the larva although there did appear to be some additional feeding damage.

Speckled Wood In The Garden The Speckled Wood eggs which were laid in my garden recently appear to have hatched and there would seem to be some feeding damage. However, I have not actually seen any larvae yet.

Small White In The Garden The most recent eggs to have been laid have now gone. Hatched or predated I am not sure as I can not find the larvae. I am sure they are likely to be well hidden. At least one of the larger larvae is still present and not far off being fully grown. Saturday 26.9.2015 Southampton

A quick check of my Everlasting Pea site did not reveal anything exciting. Several Small Whites and single male Large White and Red Admiral. A second, smaller area of Everlasting Pea on a sunny South Facing grass bank beside a busy road also did not hold any surprises other than my 5th Small Copper of the year Sunday 27.9.2015 Hedge End

I have neglected the footpaths close to my house for most of the year. Last year the council cutdown/severely trimmed back many trees and shrubs giving a totally different feel to many of my local haunts. A quick circuit of the usual 'Hotspots' was disappointing in several places with no butterflies at all. Thankfully there were a few butterflies around but only 3 species seen in total. Speckled Wood were the more numerous as well as a couple of Comma on the local Blackberrries and a single large White. Highlight of my day came in the shape of a Comma pupa. I think this is the first time I have ever found an unhatched pupa in the wild Hopefully it should be out within the next couple of weeks. It should be easy enough to keep tabs on it

That's a good find - coming across pupae of any kind in the wild is really tricky

Dave

It's all gone quiet round here too Paul Cracking GVW a few posts back and a great pupal find
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi Dave & Wurzel thanks for the comments

A quick round up of whats going on In The Garden

I have to assume that the Holly Blue larva that hatched after being laid on Hebe has sadly perished as I can find no trace at all
The Small White larvae must now be close to pupation and I have now found at least one more larva on a second Garlic Mustard plant In the garden
I have not managed to locate any Speckled Wood larvae but they must be there as there is increasing feeding damage. Saturday 3.10.2015 Knowle Village/Aytesbury Copse

A quick visit to one of my favourite local butterfly spots where I saw just 5 species. Despite the season feeling like it is rapidly fading away, Small White numbers actually seem to be increasing here Of the 16 seen in an hour and a half, most were males. I counted 3 Commas enjoying the Blackberries including one very fresh example. A solitary Speckled Wood caught my eye. I spent a lot of time last year looking for variation in this species without finding any. This one although quite faded seemed to have very indistinct markings and only a hint of hindwing eyespots. I wonder could this be ab. saturatior My day was r ounded off with a single Red Admiral Sunday 4.10.2015 Southampton

Another hopeful inspection of my area of Everlasting Pea was disappointing. There was a good amount of sunshine but it was quite windy near the water and in fact I recorded no butterflies at all here.
I was still seeing butterflies up until the middle of December last year, but at the moment it feels like I would be lucky to be seeing any by the end of October this year

Hi! Paul, love the Comma upside down on the Berries Goldie

Hi Jack.
That Speckled wood was a good find ,and as you suggest it is very like,Ab;Saturatior I was lucky enough to find one similar to yours back in September(page 1,Sept; sightings) you could also check it out on the Cockayne website. Nice one ! Regards Allan.W.

Hi Goldie & Allan
Thanks for your comments

Sunday 11.10.2015 Hedge End

I managed to completely misjudge the weather this weekend I set off on Saturday (expecting it to be the better day based on the forecast) looking for Clouded Yellows along the Gosport Coast. When I arrived it was cool (barely 14 degrees), overcast and windy and I saw no butterflies at all I returned home disheartened and hoping that Sunday was not warm and sunny Of course Sunday was in fact very warm and sunny After the normal Sunday football run with my eldest son there was not enough time left for a productive trip to the Seaside so I made do with a quick look around close to home. Lots of Commas were found feasting on Blackberry juice in several of the usual spots. It always amazes me how well camouflaged they are when supping Blackberry juice even with open wings, but maybe that's my colourblindess I have to stand in front of a Bramble bush for ages initially seeing none when maybe there are actually half a dozen or so before my eyes. The Comma pupa I found recently has now gone, the nettle stem trampled and just the tip of the pupa still attached to its leaf. Whether it had emerged or just been trampled I don't know, but there were several Commas close by. However, I managed to find another Comma pupa in a completely different area. This one is on wild Hop, but it does not look quite so healthy. Several Speckled Wood were seen as well as what looked like a female Brimstone in the distance. The Blackberries/Brambles were also proving very popular today with other insects. Red Admirals were conspicuous by their complete absence, until I decided to call it a day and then spotted one engrossed in Blackberries. It was totally oblivious to me taking pictures from every possible angle and trying all tricks to get it to open its wings. I have heard we we are in for a harsh winter for a change (something to do with there being lots of nuts around apparently ). A few more weeks of butterflies first though, please

SUPERB COMMAS & RA

Cracking Red Admiral shots Paul and that was a great aberrant Specklie previously A harsh winter could be good for our butterflies, so long as it's followed by a decent spring and summer for once

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Love the Red Admiral's on the Berries Paul, your shots are great for this time of year , very Autumnal . Goldie

Hi Trevor, Wurzel & Goldie
Thanks for your comments

Today the conditions were right on the cusp of butterfly activity here. I made three passes of my closest Bramble patch without seeing any butterflies at all On the fourth pass the sun came out briefly and all of a sudden there were 5 Commas and a Speckled Wood Similarly in another location nothing to begin with and then the moment the sun appeared there were 3 Commas and a Red Admiral on the Ivy

Nice Comma Paul ,Goldie