www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Thanks Goldie

Sunday 25.10.2015 Knowle Village/Aytesbury Copse

I thought about visiting Beeding Cement Works today but I had not allowed for the change of clocks By the time I got out after returning from my boys football match I had already missed the best of the day. There were still a few butterflies around at one of my local spots but not making it into double figures today. 3 Red Admirals, a couple each of Comma and Small White and a single Speckled Wood was my tally for the day.

Love the Deer shot, I'd definitely try that cement works if I lived down there, you can't miss out on the lovely Butterfly, Goldie

Well Paul even if you did miss out on the LTB those Comma shots offer some compensation as they're great

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Well done, Jack, particularly with the Small White. I've certainly never seen one so late in the year.

Gorgeous Comma photos.

Yep you can certainly put a nice full stop after those splendid Commas Jack. Really nice Red Admirals earlier on as well.

ATB

James

Thanks all for your comments

Not much to report on this week, as the season dwindles away. I used up every brownie point I had left yesterday on a fruitless search for Long Tailed Blues in Sussex. I had a choice of sites and unfortunately did not pick the one that came up trumps That's the luck of the draw I suppose. At least I now know where to look next year Beeding Cement works came up with more butterflyers than butterflies Just one Comma and a distant Red Admiral. At Southwick Dock Basin just down the road it was completely devoid of people and butterflies. Just a couple of Silver Y moths was all I could find amongst the remains of the Everlasting Pea. This morning after a heavy dew and mist the Small White larva in my garden was looking rather damp. By the time I returned from football it dried out a little. I lost track of the larvae that resulted from eggs laid at the end of August. This one is the result of several eggs laid around 10.9.2015 and appears to be the only survivor of this batch. It looks to be in its final instar so should not be too long before pupation.

Hopefully there will be a few more butterflies before the winter sets in

Sorry you didn't get lucky with the LTB Paul Great shots of the larvae,especially the penultimate one

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Sorry Jack better luck next year Goldie

Hi Goldie & Wurzel Thanks for your comments

This butterfly year has been my busiest yet. Reluctantly, I have had to leave certain things out of my diary so I don't get too far behind. This is a bit annoying as I try to use this as a proper 'diary' and I like things to be in the right order and as well as current.
I always remain hopeful of some butterfly activity over the winter, but things seem to have dwindled away around here. So in the meantime I thought I would start posting a few bits that did not quite make the cut during the year.

My year started with Speckled Wood and Red Admiral early stages:

Speckled Wood Winter 2014/2015

As I have mentioned previously Speckled Wood seem to be quite at home in my garden. I have found early stages every year recently. Back in October 2014 I found 3 final Instar Speckled Wood larvae in the garden. As you will know this species can overwinter in different stages. I have reared this species several times in the past, during the winter of 2013/2014 they spent the winter as larvae. I was pleased that on this occasion all three larvae pupated within a few days of each other between 26th October and 1st November and spent the winter as pupae. These were kept outside for the duration of the winter and started to show the first signs of change in April. I seem to have been rather unlucky when it comes to seeing the actual moment of emergence of butterflies I have reared recently, and this occasion would be no different. Only two of the three pupae survived to produce an adult. Although initially one of the remaining pupa seemed to be a few days ahead in development they both emerged within a few hours of each other on the morning of 21.4.2015, after 172 days as pupae. I had prewarned my wife they might emerge that day and asked her to keep an eye on them. I rang from work to ask if there was any sign to which she initially said no (I don't think she had actually looked! ), her tone then changed to one of surprise and she announced that there were two butterflies sitting on the edge of the pot. She thankfully took a few pics with her phone. By the time I returned from work they were long gone. I am pleased to say that there are currently Speckled Wood larvae in the garden again, but this time I have left them to their own devices. They obviously don't need any help from me (next instalment winter Red Admiral larvae)

Great stuff Jack . One of the joys of this hobby is the eternal fascination with the whole metamorphosis process.

Great Speckled Wood piece

Cracking shots of the various stages Paul Those final shots form the phone are pretty smart too - which version of the iPhone were they taken with?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I had lots of Speckled Woods in my Garden this year Paul, so may be if I look out for them in April I may get to see some results from their visits, your shots are great Goldie

This species has one of the most beautiful pupae of all.

Interesting too to see the pair of them interacting with one another so soon after emergence.

A fantastic report on your Speckled Woods Jack

This is one of my favourite species and you have probably seen in my diary that I have a small resident population of Specklies in my garden which I take a great interest in. I have seen females egg laying a number of times but usually leave them to their own devices, not really having the facilities to rear them through. I have found eggs and caterpillars but have never yet found a pupa although they must be there somewhere for the population to continue.
As you say this species can overwinter as a larva or pupa, a fascinating survival strategy that leads to a succession of overlapping broods which in my garden means I usually see them on the wing from early April until mid October with maybe a short gap sometime in June.

Great Stuff,

Neil.

Hi All Thanks for the comments

Red Admiral Larvae Winter 2014/2015

Back in November 2014 I was lucky enough to observe two female Red Admirals laying eggs locally on one of the last summery days of the year. I was curious by what mechanisms, if at all, the early stages of this species could survive the winter. So I decided to retain one of these eggs to rear through. I returned home surprised to find that I had in fact unknowingly brought 2 eggs home. I am sure they were probably both laid that day. I decided to keep one outside (L2) and one in a slightly more protected surroundings, as a sort of control (L1). I will focus on L2 which had perhaps the more interesting development: This egg was laid on/about the 1.11.2014. After 20 days it was evident under a magnifying glass that the larva appeared to be fully formed within the egg, finally hatching 27.11.2014. The L2 first instar larva made a home between the ridges on the underside of a nettle leaf with quite a dense silk pad. By the end of December it had not progressed any futher than its 1st instar. On the 19.1.2015 I had recorded -3 degrees at 9.30pm and noted that the larva had taken on typical pre-moult appearance. This was the coldest part of the winter and by the end of January it still had not moulted. At this stage I was convinced that this larva would not survive the winter. It was not until the 11.2 2015 that L2 was found freshly moulted, having spent a remarkable 76 days in the 1st instar enduring the coldest of the winter and still only measuring 3mm in length. Similarly, 2nd instar took a further 51 days to complete.
Daytime temps had increased significantly by the beginning of April and accordingly development of L2 speeded up noticeably. 3rd, 4th & 5th instar all with a duration of 13 days each. On 9.5.2015 I was surprised to find L2 was showing signs of moulting again. On 11.5.2015 L2 became a 6th instar larva. This larva suspended itself for pupation on 26.5.2015, but unfortunately this final moult did not complete successfully and after nearly seven months this larva had failed to survive. Whether this was due in some way to the prolonged development or possibly I kept conditions to cool in the later stages. L1 was reared in less cold conditions with less temperature variation. Whereas L2 endured the coldest part of the winter in the 1st &2nd instar L1 spent this time in the pupal stage. L1 pupated on 24.1.2015 and spent 50 days at this stage. By the 11.3.2015 there were definite signs of colour on the developing pupa. On 13.3.2015 there seemed to be signs of emergence, but unfortunately the emergence failed. Ultimately, without a successful outcome for either of these larvae, it is difficult to draw any conclusions. However, the young larvae can certainly withstand low temps and survive for long periods in a semi dormant state.
In late January 2014 I returned to the location where these eggs were originally laid to spend some time looking for Red Admiral larvae. There was barely any green Nettle growth at all, just a few shrivelled and withered leaves. Unsurprisingly, I did not find any larvae and think it highly unlikely that any would have survived at this location. Given the opportunity I will certainly like to rear this species during the winter again with better preparation and hopefully a better outcome.
I spotted my first adult Red Admiral of the year on 30.3.2015 at the same location, a rather tattered individual which had probably survived the winter as an adult.

L1 & L2 development overview *(L1 1st & 2nd instar duration is combined)
L1
Ovum 15 days
1st Instar *
2nd Instar 18 days
3rd Instar 14 days
4th Instar 13 days
5th Instar 25 days
6th Instar none
Ovum-Pupa 135 days
Pupa 50 days

L2
Ovum 27 days
1st Instar 76 days
2nd Instar 51 days
3rd Instar 13 days
4th Instar 13 days
5th Instar 13 days
6th Instar 16 days
Ovum-Pupa 209 days

Excellent observations and reporting Paul . It certainly makes very interesting reading and validates the reports of larvae regularly surviving the winter on sheltered sites on the south coast.
viewtopic.php?f=110&t=8143#p94263
viewtopic.php?f=110&t=8295#p98371

It is particularly helpful to me at the moment because I am monitoring a Red Admiral larva, which I have kept in a sheltered location since it hatched.This is more for the benefit of the young plant, which was being battered by the storms and would not survive the coming frost.

Egg laid on 9th October 2015
Egg hatched on 6th November (after 28 days)
1st instar 12 days
2nd instar presently.

I will be writing an article on the subject in due course and would like to include your data please

Vince

Excellent report, Paul - I especially appreciate the data!

Cheers,

- Pete

Really interesting report Paul, as you've evidence the larva can make it though the extreme cold temperatures - perhaps if it hadn't of been as cold for so long it might have made it through? You're certainly becoming a dab hand at rearing now - I have a couple of moth pupae - should I be putting them outside?

Have a goodun

Wurzel