www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Thanks, Trevor. I'm sure the damp spring and early summer weather will help, as it may also do for Small Tortoiseshell ... until the next drought!

The Purple Emperor season is underway. Matthew saw two at Knepp today. There was a time when we wouldn't see PE until White Admiral and SWF were both 'well out', including females. Based on the last couple of seasons, those old rules have been consigned to the dustbin. Go forth and seek HIM out. I suspect I'll see you soon.

BWs, Neil

Great news, Neil ! And the weather forecast for the week has improved.
As for Small Torts I've seen two so far this year, both ex hibernators, at Halnaker.

22 June 2024

As my older brother has been living in either the Netherlands or Belgium for many years, he had never visited the BC Sussex reserves until yesterday (22 June). The main reasons for heading there were to show him how we have converted the once dark, conifer-dominated Rowland Wood into a place of beauty, and to see if we could re-locate Nigel the Nightjar (first spotted by Nigel Symington and hopefully indicative of breeding).

Bearing in mind that I'd seen no reports of Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary over the preceding eleven days, this species wasn't even on our radar. I was therefore surprised and delighted when we found seven individuals, including five females laying eggs far and wide. The best of the other butterflies we saw included two White Admiral and my first Dark Green Fritillary of the year. We also encountered high numbers of Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Small Heath, Ringlet and Meadow Brown, together with a few Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue and Red Admiral.

We spotted a Yellow-legged Clearwing (without the help of a pheromone lure) and a brief hunt for reptiles was rewarded with a double-figure count of Slow Worm and a black Adder. Ironically, given that a recent habitat assessment performed by a statutory body raised concerns about a paucity of violets on Park Corner Heath, I saw more here than I've ever seen on any site anywhere! And yes, we did see Nigel.

Nice to see those SPBFs, Neil. I hope they can continue to thrive in that location.

Thanks, David. Let's hope so. I'd personally like to see them released into the wider Vert Wood complex, to create a more robust metapopulation structure, but the last time I asked about developing this reintroduction, the response was less than lukewarm.
BWs, Neil

Knepp 2024 In Pictures (Part 1)

With so little free time at this time of year (although I take an annual break from fieldwork so that I can enjoy the early part of the Purple Emperor season), there's not much time for the narrative. Suffice to say, Knepp has delivered top notch wildlife experiences by the bucket-load. These include much more than butterflies alone, although the following images show a few of those highlights. On a recent safari, my group watched close-up interactions between three Turtle Doves, with a pair chasing off a single male before mutual preening, exchanging crop-milk and then mating, all on a bare branch illuminated by the evening sun. The wonderful sound of both males 'turring' at each other was then punctuated by Cuckoos in stereo.

That female purple hairstreak is the picture I've wanted to take all my life, Neil!

Guy

Thanks, Guy. I feel very lucky if I get one chance like that every couple of years. This year, two of these beauties fell to earth in front of me within 5 minutes - I couldn't believe it was happening! I saw a third drop onto bracken two days previously; my best-ever run with pristine female Purple Hairstreaks. They are so stunningly designed that I always find myself dreaming that I'm hovering over an oak canopy in the evening sunshine, looking down on 50 of these and a handful of male Purple Emperors - it must be heaven up there at this time of year.
BWs, Neil

You were right about that female PH. Absolute perfection.

Thanks, Trevor. More female Purple Hairstreaks coming up - all different individuals!
BWs, Neil

Knepp 2024 In Pictures (Part 2)

These recent images from Knepp bring me back up-to-date. The Purple Emperor season is still in full swing, although the number of groundings will now tail away for another year. As in previous seasons, we have watched in awe as a Hobby catches the battling male butterflies high above the oak canopy, with iridescent purple wings slowly spinning down to the ground.

The largest Red Deer stag in the Southern Block at Knepp, Liberace, was photographed by BC Sussex Chair Dave Brown. Capturing this moment with an attendant Magpie was well beyond the limited capabilities of my camera.

Looks like you were spraying liberally all over the place Neil!

Some excellent images of the wildlife, Neil. The Purple Hairstreak in your earlier post must have emerged immediately prior to you finding her, such is her condition.

Full purple on a bramble leaf
Chiddingfold was back to how it used to be,+ the ab, a great time had by all.