Bugboys mission

[bugboy]

It was indeed Dave, lucky you saw her land, don't think we'd have noticed her otherwise, she was very well camouflaged.


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July 2024

Thursday 11th part 2. As I often do at this time of year I moved on from Bookham to spend the second half of the day at Box Hill. However, it was actually rather hot, so I killed a few hours in the Stepping Stones pub before venturing up the slope. Marbled White and Dark Green Fritillary were starting to their age but some were still presentable.

Other more recently emerged species and individuals were showing them up a bit though.

Early on in the walk I came across a writhing mass of orange next to the path. Initially I thought I’d stumbled across a courting/mating pair of DGF but it turned out to be two males who it would seem were intoxicated in a pheromone induced frenzy and were completely oblivious to my presence. Presumably a female had emerged here earlier leaving a patch of pheromones.

[bugboy]

July 2024

Thursday 11th. After three days filled with Purple Hairstreaks it’s back to a work report. Only female Essex Skippers were found today, the males presumably completed their role for the species. A few Large Skippers were also active.

Gatekeeper numbers were starting to build, this one looked very photogenic perched on a mass of thistle seed heads.

A few Green-veined White were the only other species that allowed a photograph.

[Wurzel]

More fantastic Purps Bugboy but contrary me, now I'm more intrigued by the 'wing waiting' Hedgies

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

ThanksWurzel. They’re nothing extreme but there’s a few that were nearer the front of the queue when spots were being dished out .


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July 2024

Tuesday 16th. A week after my previous wander around Epping Forest I returned to see if the Purple Hairstreaks were still numerous. The Hogweed that had been so attractive was now a platform of brown seeds but I had little doubt that I was being watched from nearby Oak trees by numerous hairy eyes.

The residents in the usual clearings along the main rides kept my attention, Gatekeeper in particular coming into their own now. A few of the males seemed to have reduced markings on the hindwings.

There were also plenty of Skippers which seemed to consist mostly of Smalls.

Essex

Small

Smalls

Large

Small

When I reached the second Hairstreak hotspot only one showed itself, but he did present itself for the camera, albeit above my head.

Along the rides various Nymphalids provided splashes of colour, mostly looking freshly minted.

As I would expect, Whites were represented by the Green-veined variety

Before leaving I stopped by the Hogweed again and was rewarded by the sight of a female Hairstreak basking in a nearby Oak. Not every species had a bad season this year!

[Wurzel]

Great to see the Purp - they had a terrible time over this way Also good so see a few David Skippers in there as it means that I'm not that far behind you now and as I'm recuperating after a bit of an op I might even catch up that is if the painkillers don't knock me out

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel. I hope you have a speedy recovery, can’t have you speeding ahead of me! Still a couple more reports featuring them Purple flavoured Hairstreaks

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July 2024

Thursday 18th. Another lunchtime wander at work. The (David) Essex Skippers have now all gone but the Large Skippers have peaked, a very odd. There were also two mating pairs of Gatekeeper in the same sunny glade.

[bugboy]

July 2024

Saturday 20th. A rather gloomy, grey start to the day at Bookham but there was enough warmth in the air to stir a few butterflies from their slumber. Gatekeepers and all the three species of Skippers found here made themselves available for photographs.

There was also a nice fresh Peacock.

Since it didn’t look like it was brightening up anytime soon, I went looking for White Admiral babies and was pleasantly surprised to easily reach double figures with little effort, thirteen 1st and 2nd instars and likely many more went unseen.

Back into the rides a bit more warmth had encouraged some more activity

But it wasn’t enough to keep me for much longer so I moved on to Ashtead Common to see what I could find there. More Skippers, (although only Small and Large were positively ID’d) and a few Marbled White, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown

I also added Comma to the days tally

And Purple Hairstreak…. Sort of...

[Wurzel]

Cracking set of shots, although I don't think you can really claim Purp The first Hedgie looks interesting; what is the pale/whiteish spot? Is that some sort of abrasion pattern, rain damage or pathological? Intriguing...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

ThanksWurzel. I think that was a pathological thing on that Gatekeeper. Some more below for your appraisal

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July 2024

Sunday 21st was a two site day down in Sussex, starting off at Mill Hill where I hoped to tick off Chalk Hill Blues for the year. It was cool and overcast when I arrived but a few butterflies were stirring, here an Essex Skipper is just poking its head above the parapet to check there’s no strange men lurking around with cameras.

A short time later I came across my first of the target.

There were only a few around but the weather conditions ensured I got plenty of snaps.

A few more Essex Skippers were active but the most numerous lepidoptera by a significant margin were 6-spot Burnet moths with numerous pairings found.

Gatekeepers became numerous as the morning warmed, not a huge amount of variety but hindwing ocelli seemed an optional extra.

Some Buddleja in full flower halted my exploring for a while, a couple of Painted Ladies and a Small Tortoiseshell, had made it a temporary home.

Curiously, there were a lot of Thymelicus but not a single Small amongst all the Essex

[trevor]

Well done with the Small Tort. A species I keep an eye out for every time I go out.
My total for the year so far is six.