www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Great to see the White Admiral Goldie I've had that 'lens cap still on' feeling a few times at least it hing around long enough for you to realise and still get a few shots I reckon your Ringlet looks good for an ab.marpurgensis

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi! Wurzel, I was so glad to find the WA, I'd been to East Blean a few times and not seen one, they must've been out a while because it was faded , I found it in the same place in Blean woods has I'd seen the Heath last year, Blean Village seems the place to go these days for the Butterflies. I'll certainly go again. When I saw the Sliver Washed Fritillary fly passed I couldn't believe it
I've gone there off and on for years when we came down to see my Daughter, so it looks like it's spread from the other woods to there now which is great.

I didn't know the Ringlet was an ab, I don't seem to be doing too badly with those this year Just two I think Goldie

Tuesday the 1st August I set off for Reculver only to find the road closed so I carried on to East Blean Woods ,not my favourite journey these days since the chopping down of loads of trees, I know things are better by doing this but with the weather being so bad and the amount of trees cut I don't think its done much for the butterflies this year, any way I did see a mating pair of Gate Keepers, looking a round I saw loads of them, their season seems to be a good one this year inspite of the weather.

I took a few shots mostly of the Gate Keepers before heading home, when I went into my Garden on reaching home I was greeted by a Large White a Red admiral and a Holly Blue

This morning before the cloud arrived they were in the Garden again Goldie

Rained very heavily today but in-between the showers the Sun was shining and it was quite hot, so much so the Butterflies were out

I must admit to being curious to not a Butterfly but I think a bee, I don't think I've seen one like this one before , unless down in the South they're a bit different does any one know, I hope it's not an invasive species !! Goldie

Hi Goldie. I think your strange bee is a hornet hoverfly, Volucella zonaria - so not a bee (or a hornet) at all, but a harmless hoverfly.

You are right: they are a creature of the southern half of the UK (at the moment!).

Guy

Thanks for the info Guy, it's quite an handsome Hoverfly, , I've never seen one before like it, I was worried it was bad for the Bees' I'm so glad it's harmless, I wonder what else I'll find in the South Goldie

Great collection Goldie The thing I'd be looking out for would be Jewel Wasps - they're tiny iridescent little things and a joy to see.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hello Goldie ,
Plenty of Chalkhills now flying at Temple Ewell and i also had a single fresh 2nd brood Adonis .............The weather wasn,t great for my visit
but someone was there on the first and also had Silver Spot ,Wall , and Small Blue ................give it a week ,(if the weather improves !) may be worth a visit !
Good Hunting ! Allan W.

Hi! Wurzel, Thanks for the info, I had to bend under the branch to get that shot , I was worried it was harmful I'm into Butterflies not insects But if I was to see a Jewel Wasp at a safe distance, who Knows

Thanks Allan, I'll go there as soon as the Sun shines, it would be good to get the Adonis and the Silver spotted Skipper, I really like those Small Blue too ,hope fully maybe a Clouded Yellow thrown in. Goldie

Padfield wrote: ↑Fri Aug 04, 2023 4:34 pm Hi Goldie. I think your strange bee is a hornet hoverfly, Volucella zonaria - so not a bee (or a hornet) at all, but a harmless hoverfly.

You are right: they are a creature of the southern half of the UK (at the moment!).

Guy

I have been getting them in my garden here in Solihull in the midlands for a few years now. There seems to be quite a few around this year.

Cheers,

Neil.

"Jewel Wasp at a safe distance, who Knows"...No worries Goldie, they're only about 5mm long and the sting is used to deposit eggs, not actually sting prey Have a goodun

Wurzel

Goldie M wrote: ↑Sat Aug 05, 2023 3:58 pm..hope fully maybe a Clouded Yellow thrown in.

Fingers crossed, Goldie, although given the weather systems for the last few weeks I think they may be in short supply this autumn.

Hi! Neil, I saw this Moth yesterday, it looked like a Small White at first glance, but it wasn't moving much and seemed to be lying flat on the flower, I think it's a moth but I've never seen one like it before and it did seem a bit worn , it also looked to have a faded pattern of some kind on it's wing, it was obviously a day moth because it was midday when I saw it, any Idea's?

That certainly looks like a Jewel Wurzel it's well named I wouldn't mind those colours in a piece of Jewellery and there harmless too, I'll certainly look out for that one.

Hi! David, the weather here is supposed to take up by mid week starting tomorrow I hope, maybe it's been too hot for the CY over in France and it'll come here to cool off

Well, my friend came for a visit from the North today so yesterday I was out shopping, when I'd put everything a way and tidied up I went to Seasalter, it was too late to go to Temple Ewell( hope next Time) I found a few Butterflies but all seemed to be in Recovery a Common Blue was practically dismembered, a couple of Gate keepers ( mating ) had got stuck in the long grass and couldn't get out even when I'll nearly walked on them, so I took a few shots parted the grass to let them escape

I did see a Lovely Small Tortoiseshell, also a Brown Argus, both looked okay, then I spotted this Moth which I've mentioned to Neil, I've not seen one like it before , I keep coming across these now , I must say things are getting interesting here
Before I left the house the Butterfly bush was again an attraction , even the Holly Blue was interested , first time I've seen a HB on the bush. Lets hope the Sunshines soon it's rained today, Goldie

Goldie ,
I reckon your moth is a Sitachroa Palealis ...................Carrot-seed moth ,funnily enough i saw one at TE,a couple of days back ,and see them occasionally at Dungeness too.
Allan.W.

Thanks Allan, I wonder why they've given them long names, I've had my company again today , it would be a lovely day wouldn't it If all goes well I hope to try Temple Ewell tomorrow , it seems we're going back to the dark ages on Friday
Thanks for keeping me in touch with things, I've just remembered my company came by Bus from Canterbury and said the road to East Blean was closed, I tried Reculver the other day and the road was closed there, hope fully the road to TE will be open Goldie

Allan.W. wrote: ↑Tue Aug 08, 2023 8:21 pm Goldie ,
I reckon your moth is a Sitachroa Palealis ...................Carrot-seed moth ,funnily enough i saw one at TE,a couple of days back ,and see them occasionally at Dungeness too.
Allan.W.

Yep, I would agree although it is not one that I see around the midlands.

Cheers,

Neil.

Great set of shots Goldie particularly that Small Tort I love he way it's hanging on and feeding Fingers crossed for the Cloudies, those are the kind of clouds I like to see

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Good luck with the Cloudies Goldie .................VERY few and far between so far this season ,and i,ve only hear of one or two in North Kent so far ................ I did see one ,very tatty individual back in April at Samphire Ho ! ,and with all the cliff caves and suchlike in the area .......... I believe it could have overwintered . Don,t forget Samphire Ho . At this time of the year ,particularly along the beach section ,along the Cliff base its good for Adonis, Small and Common Blue and Wall ,not in huge numbers ..........but they,re there !
Another excellent area is the cliff tops at St Margarets bay .........park by the monument ...............and just wander ! ...........Good chance later in the year for Long -tailed Blue in the general area ,particularly towards Kingsdown leas ...............a few were reported a few weeks back ,also good for Adonis ..............there were a few Swallowtails there as well ,a while back .I f you do get to St.Margarets there is an excellent small NT ,reserve right behind (and to the left ) of the monument called Bockell Hill (not to be confused with the much larger area known as Bockhill farm ) this really is an excellent spot especially for Small Blue and Common Blue ................... I got lucky there with at least 2 Continental Swallowtails .................
lifers for me ! (in the UK at least !)
Good Hunting !
Allan.W.

Third time lucky with this post, I can't seem to get my shots right

Hi! Neil, I bet when that moth is fresh it has a great pattern unit's wing, it was rather faded, I'll have to look it up

Hi! Wurzel, no cloudies today at Temple Ewell but I'm hoping the Skipper i got was a SSS, it never closed it's wings so I'm not sure, I could use your help with butterflies , I can never tell if I've got an Adonis or not I've looked at shots I took last year of them and I'm still no wiser It was a lovely day today but only the Chalkhills seemed to open their wings on landing, exception being the Skipper.

Hi! Allan, thanks for telling me about TE, I went there today, with the weather being so nice the Small Blues never seemed to settle for long before taking off again , I think I only managed the one shot If you hear of any thing happening at Kings down let me know, I've been to St Margarets bay years ago it seems now so I know where that is.

Well I set off early for Temple Ewell, I thought I'd get there before it got too hot weather wise, the Butterflies were still sleeping I think nothing was stirring, after about an hour things got going, it seems they don't like the grass too high, it was only when I reached the top field where the grass was short that things really got going, I'm not sure if the Skipper I got a shot of is a SSS but I hope so, I managed to spot it land but it wasn't long before it took off , it was so quick I couldn't see where to

The Chalkhills were the same , off in no time also the Small Blue. Goldie

Great! You got a Silver Spotted Skipper, Goldie.