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Matsukaze wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 7:52 pm If the Marsh Fritillaries here are descended from ones released last year, what are they feeding on? The populations on the chalk in Wiltshire and Dorset use devil's bit scabious, but I understand that this plant only occurs on chalk in this area. Is an alternative foodplant being used here?

I don't know the answer to this - I don't know the site well enough to say for certain whether devils-bit scabious grows here or not. I have seen it on other Chiltern sites, though, along with field scabious. The latter can be used by Marsh Fritillaries in the absence of the former I believe, so maybe that's how they managed.

Thanks for your kind comments, Trevor - that pairing was actually of Common Blues, though both of the partners were bright and new enough to rival their close cousins in the attractiveness stakes! I agree - early starts are essential - not least in this neck of the woods to avoid the newly-returned bugbear of M25 traffic...

Dave

Marsh Fritillaries will eat other plants, Other Scabious Species, Plantain, HoneySuckle, Knapweed, Just as Glanvilles will eat Speedwells in the wild. Just because books say only Devils Bit, doesnt mean they dont use other foodplants in the wild. Remember Brown Argus was said to only eat Rock-Rose not long ago, these days hardly uses it now in the south chalk downs.

Thank you for the information, Martin - it's useful to know that Marshies will eat other things. I had read that when they are in danger of eating themselves to extinction on a site when numbers of caterpillars exceed the amount of scabious available, they do move on to other plants, but didn't realise the females will lay on other plant species from the outset.

After the novelty of Marshies at Ivinghoe on 1st June, I dropped into Pitstone again on my way home. By now it was very warm and sunny and though Small Blues were still around, their numbers had droped from my previous visit. Despite the copious amount of Kidney Vetch here......the species doesn't seem to have had a very good year on this site. Dave

Cracking set of shots Dave I wonder why they seem down - the sites round my way seem to have done quite well - Martin Down was crawling with them Perhaps they got hit at the wrong time by the cool/wet weather we had a while back

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Cheers, Wurzel. I think this and other Chiltern sites may have been particularly affected by the frosts throughout April. A visit to nearby College Lake (which also has abundant kidney vetch) failed to turn up a single Small Blue butterfly. I saw good numbers here only a couple of years ago.

My next outing was on Thursday 3rd June, this time to Denbies Hillside. Though memory dims a bit with all I've seen in the intervening couple of weeks, I remember being surprised by how many Grizzled Skippers were still flying whilst numbers of Dingies had fallen a bit. I saw more female than male Adonis Blues today, and as they are far more inconspicuous, there were probably many more I didn't see. This one is a male......but these are all females.By contrast, here is a rather blue female Common Blue.There were good numbers of these as well.

Also in decent numbers and popping up all over the site (and probably the start of their second brood, considering how fresh they were), Small Coppers. However, pride of place for the day goes to something I'd never seen before. I knew what it was as soon as I saw it fly by - typical buzzing, darting Grizzly flight, but far whiter than it should have been. It was an ab. taras. The downside was that it was a particularly active individual with a long patrol route along the bottom of the slope next to the fence, a route that took it over the fence and back and didn't seem to involve many pauses for breath or nectar. Eventually it did stop briefly close enough for me to manage a couple of shots.It's things like this that make this pursuit of ours so worthwhile - very few trips out do not feature something new or different to add to the burgeoning repository of experience.

Dave

That ab.taras is a little beaut Dave - I've only managed a ab.intermedia (if that's the right one) so have a few of these I know what you mean about the Grizzlies - they seem to be working to a different schedule this season - I saw an almost 'out of the box' individual on Saturday

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Many thanks, Wurzel - it's always good to turn up something new you've been waiting to see for years!

On the way home from Denbies on 3rd June I checked in at Fairmile Common just in case the Silver-studded Blues had sneaked out, but the site was largely bereft of butterflies. I turned up a few Small Heath and a Small Copper......and that was it.

3rd June (part three)

Once back on home territory, there was time to wander out again round my usual circuit. I found fifty or so butterflies, but only six species; to be fair, it was late afternoon by this time:

Common Blue 16
Brown Argus 12
Small Heath 9
Holly Blue 8
Small Copper 5
Small White 4

In the sunshine, the Small Whites were typically difficult to approach, and this is the nearest I got to one enjoying the newly opened bramble flowers.The Copper tally was quite high: they are widespread and scattered across the site, and I must have just found a higher proportion than usual today.Most of the Holly Blues were females, found in Common Blue territory laying on goats' rue.The Brown Argus included one or two brand new examples......as did the Common Blues.One of these new examples was a striking female.Whilst plodding through the rapidly growing grass, I stumbled over a hen pheasant. Instead of exploding upwards in shock as they usually do, she remained frozen to the spot (guarding eggs, perhaps).I don't know which of us was more surprised.

However, I think the standout moment from the visit was that lovely female Common Blue. Dave

I have mentioned several times this year (and in years past) that at point in the season, the local (female) Holly Blues can be found mingling with the Common Blues in the grassland areas of my local patch and laying on goats' rue. On Saturday 5th June, I had an opportunity to take a series of shots of this activity which I thought I'd record as a separate post.

Here's a female Holly Blue nectaring close to a male Common Blue.It was interesting to note that the two took not the slightest interest in one another, though the male Common Blue chased all of his own species of either sex. No doubt she looked and (more especially) smelled entirely wrong.

Here she is, having moved onto the goats' rue.She first set about finding a spot to lay......and then proceeded to do so.Close-ups just about reveal the moment of laying......and the result It was interesting to watch and amazing that I was able to do so from such close quarters as the butterfly remained utterly engrossed in this highly important activity.

I post the rest of the outing separately.

Dave

What a wonderful set of pics of the Holly Blue egg-laying - especially that close-up. Wow.

Brilliant views of the Holly Blue Dave The way you've captured the way she places her abdomen makes it look so meticulous very reminiscent of the queen from Aliens almost to my mind

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Thank you Ernie and Wurzel - I was lucky to have the opportunity to capture the event without disturbing the butterfly.

Overall, Saturday 5th June was the best of the year so far locally, with over 100 butterflies of eleven different species seen. The tally looked like this:

Common Blue 30
Small Heath 22
Brown Argus 15
Holly Blue 13
Small White 11
Brimstone 3
Red Admiral 3
Speckled Wood 2
Painted Lady 2
Green-veined White 1
Peacock 1

Remarkably, the Red Admirals were the first I've seen on my local patch this year, and all were somewhat worn......presumably recent migrant arrivals along with the Painted Ladies. One of the latter was also rather the worse for wear, and turned out to be egg-laying on one of the larger thistle plants. In contrast to the meticulous attention given by the female Holly Blue to this process, the Painted Lady accomplished the act in a fraction of a second and was straight off to the next thistle.There were some nice new Brown Argus......and amongst the increasing Common Blue population, a further selection of attractive females.One of these joined in the theme of the day.There were some fresh males as well.Somewhat overshadowed by the activity of the females, there were still male Holly Blues around - including this one taking minerals from a damp patch to facilitate his contribution to the next generation.Finally, with good numbers around today, I managed to catch up with a Small Heath. One of those days when staying local was as worthwhile as doing anything else!

Dave

Hi! Dave , those Common Blue shots of the Female CB are fantastic and the Egg laying Holly blue shots are Brill Goldie

Great report Dave - there was definitely something in the air that day almost like a mass spawning Cracking shot of the Small Heath especially as there isn't a grass blade intruding in the shot

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Thank you Goldie - there are some more nice blue female Common Blues to come...

You're right, Wurzel. I reckon if I'd looked closely, I'd have found the Brimstones and Red Admirals egg-laying too! My local Small Heaths are surprisingly well-behaved and relatively easy to get close to unobscured. I have no idea why this is, but I don't complain.

Monday 7th June was another warm and sunny one, but once again I drew a blank at Fairmile Common for SSBs - it really can't be long before they appear. There wasn't much flying once again - a fleeting glimpse of a Small Copper, a few Small Heaths, a solitary Brown Argus......and finally an almost transparent Painted Lady. When it landed on the pinky-orange gravel in the middle of the site, it effectively disappeared. I had great difficulty locating it for this shot. So, home once again and a somewhat similar day to Saturday. Not quite so many individual butterflies (80 or so) but eleven species again (though not quite the same ones: swop in a Small Copper for the Peacock, and an Orange Tip for the GVW ). In fact, that Orange Tip (a female) remains the last one I've seen locally this year.The Small Copper had seen better days......and this worn Red Admiral appeared to be another recent immigrant......but one of the Speckled Woods was quite new-looking.However, once again the Brown Argus and Common Blues provided the bulk of sightings and the best-looking butterflies. Brown Argus:Male Common Blues:Female Common Blues:Looking back at my 2020 sightings, I find that Common Blues are doing just as well here in their first brood this year as they did last year, albeit a fortnight or so later. If anything daily counts are slightly higher in 2021.

Dave

Really lovely fresh Brown Argus and Common Blues, Dave.
And a great, almost text book, study of the ovipositing Holly Blue in your earlier post.

I think the silly season kicked off today!.

Stay well,
Trevor.

Cheers, Trevor - they were lovely new examples.

The silly season has started, eh - it was almost entirely cloudy here again today (no sun since last Wednesday) and a poor forecast tomorrow, so I shan't be heading for the woods for a day or two!

Meanwhile, a fortnight ago:

With the weather forecast promising a continuation of warm and sunny conditions, it was definitely time for another major excursion. In order to explore a bit more than I had a couple of years ago, I booked myself into a hotel on the eastern side of Norwich for a couple of nights, and set off early on Tuesday 8th June for Norfolk.

I arrived at Strumpshaw a little before eleven, and within a minute or two of me reaching the visitor centre, a Swallowtail appeared and nectared conveniently on the flowerbed just outside. It was there for only a minute or two, but just long enough for me to snatch a quick shot - well, I might not see another... Chuffed with this piece of good fortune, I thought I'd share the sighting with a text to Bugboy... The reply came back that I should make my way to the meadow beyond the Doctor's garden, where he was being entertained by two others. It seems he had decided to take advantage of the weather in the same way. Up on the meadow, two more Swallowtails were avidly nectaring on various yellow flowers, barely stopping for any time at all, and with their characteristic wing-fluttering constantly while doing so. It really was a question of point the camera and hope for the best, and the use of "burst" mode seemed to increase the chances of acquiring a few reasonable shots. It was a good thing I had an evening at leisure in the hotel to sort-and-delete. These are the better shots - you can only imagine what the discarded ones were like... As it turned out, these were the easiest sightings of the day. Much wandering around the reserve produced a few views of butterflies over the fens, as well as interesting dragonflies......and the sounds of interesting birds. Bugboy mentioned that he had still not seen an Orange Tip larva this year, and faced with the challenge I eventually located one late in the day.After Bugboy had headed off for his train home, I managed a last Swallowtail, perched unhelpfully up in a tree (the butterfly, not me...).A very successful day, with the prospect of more to come.

Dave

I'm very envious of your Swallowtail sightings Dave. I would be delighted to get shots like that. One day .............

Great Swallowtails Dave Those shots from the meadow with the yellow flowers bring back memories of when I was there a couple of years back.

Cheers,

Neil.

A great day indeed, and my pictures are only half way sorted through, the deletion process has been painfully brutal

Thank you, all - it was well worth the trip and the overnight stays to see the Swallowtails.

Wednesday 9th June was sunny from start to finish, cloudless and hotter than the previous day. I set out to have a look at one or two other spots where Swallowtails might be found, and headed initially for Hickling. I had visited this area once before, back in 2004, and it was remarkably unchanged. However, it proved quite difficult to track down the butterflies, but after a few circuits of the reserve I established which area seemed to be the hotspot. I realise in retrospect that it was the same spot where I had seen them 17 years ago - some things clearly don't change! The heat and sunshine kept the butterflies very active, and despite seeing perhaps half a dozen I came away with just the one shot for the record. I next explored How Hill. This site, despite having areas of suitable Swallowtail habitat close by, seems to be manage more as a general visitor attraction with a variety of areas on offer to wander through. Very pleasant and picturesque, but it somehow felt a little artificial, and despite an enjoyable stroll along the designated trail, I didn't come across any butterflies.

After this somewhat disappointing morning, I returned to Strumpshaw where despite the heat, I did have more luck finding Swallowtails. Today, though, they were to be seen out on the reserve......concentrated (as at Hickling) in one particular area and notably attracted to nectar on a number of guelder-rose trees.There were a small cluster of enthusiasts in this area, one of whom turned out to be DaveO'B (of aberrant Duke fame). Good to meet you, Dave, and put another face to a name. One of the butterflies took quite an interest in its gathered fan club, and repeatedly swooped along the path visiting each one of us in turn and threatening to land on one lady's hat in particular, and once settling briefly on some nettles.It also posed from time to time on the reeds (or are those sedges?) out on the nearby bits of fen in typical textbook fashion......and on one occasion set off on a wild chase after a much larger individual of its own species (which the consensus decided may well have been a female).Entertaining stuff. My last view of this magnificent insect was of it basking up in a sallow. A full day, with a particularly good end to it - and a distinct contrast to the previous one in terms of butterfly behaviour.

Dave