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Re: jackz432r
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2016 10:19 pm
by Wurzel
Crickey that is tiny - I almost didn't see it!
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
Great Angle Shades as well
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 11:24 pm
by Paul Harfield
Thanks Wurzel
Sightings from the UAE
My Brother is NOT a butterfly watcher, but maybe some of my interest rubbed off on him when we were younger. He now lives in Dubai and has sent me some pictures of some sightings from this week.
![moth1.jpg (386.14 KiB) Viewed 893 times 6.3.2016 This Striped Hawkmoth (Hyles livornica) landed on his balcony during dinner!](./files/thumb_11661_9b8734c0da44530e68d0788b8e635e57)
- 6.3.2016 This Striped Hawkmoth (Hyles livornica) landed on his balcony during dinner!
![IMG-20160310-WA0001.jpg (549.33 KiB) Viewed 893 times 10.3.2016 We think this is an Oriental Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus)?](./files/thumb_11661_cecb24accd7872981f5af1300518b93d)
- 10.3.2016 We think this is an Oriental Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus)?
White Letter Hairstreak
Meanwhile I have had a second White Letter Hairstreak egg hatch on the 4.3.2016 though to date I have not seen the larva. The larva that hatched on 26.2.2016 is still very small when compared to Paulines largest larva. It is currently living outside totally unprotected.
![P1080482.JPG (884.96 KiB) Viewed 893 times 10.3.2016 13 day old White Letter hairstreak larva](./files/thumb_11661_2703012e370adb32e94f61adf1112306)
- 10.3.2016 13 day old White Letter hairstreak larva
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 5:17 pm
by Pauline
That's a smashing shot of No 2 Paul, especially given how tiny it is, and trust me, I know just how hard it is to get any sort of shot at that size, but that image shows it off well and puts it in context size-wise
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 11:46 pm
by Paul Harfield
Thanks Pauline
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
This is actually No.1. No.2 is still unfound.
Sunday 13.3.2016 Knowle Village
My butterfly season started today
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
.
It always feels like such a relief when I see my first butterflies of the year. I went out yesterday and saw nothing although there was a good vibe
![Cool 8)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)
. I thought I had left things a bit too late today at 1pm, but I need not have worried. An hour at one of my local spots provided 4 Small Tortoiseshells
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
.
![P1080569.JPG (948.14 KiB) Viewed 854 times Several Small Tortoiseshells were performing in this area today](./files/thumb_11661_130555a2bfd53d39b487d0b3b4d3ced2)
- Several Small Tortoiseshells were performing in this area today
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2016 7:26 am
by trevor
Congratulations Paul, and well found. It looks like the new season has started.
Keep up the good work,
Trevor.
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 11:24 pm
by Paul Harfield
Cheers Trevor
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Lets hope the sunny weather continues.
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 10:22 am
by Goldie M
Glad you saw your First Tortoiseshell Paul, isn't it great
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
I've tended to wait until after 1pm because it seemed too cold for them to come out earlier. Cheer's Goldie
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 10:37 pm
by Paul Harfield
Thanks Goldie
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
you are right about the timing. Those Small Tortoiseshells were seen between 1.45 and 3pm.
19.3.2016 White Letter Hairstreak Larvae
The larvae are proving elusive and very difficult to photograph (I don't know how Pauline does it) They are very small and spend most of the time tucked well away in amongst the flowers head first.
![P1080606.JPG (870.73 KiB) Viewed 803 times (not a great photo) The largest of my larvae (21 days old) tucked in head first 19.3.2016](./files/thumb_11661_89df78c2923ae57435d571c4f6e65acf)
- (not a great photo) The largest of my larvae (21 days old) tucked in head first 19.3.2016
![P1080612.JPG (635.15 KiB) Viewed 803 times 5 day old larva well hidden 19.3.2016](./files/thumb_11661_ae32f129a651744f7742e549a3af8eb9)
- 5 day old larva well hidden 19.3.2016
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 7:43 pm
by Wurzel
Great stuff there Paul - plenty of Small Tort and cat action and your brother is a pretty jammy non-butterflier
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2016 5:43 pm
by Pauline
It's great to see your photos Paul which demonstrate perfectly how illusive these cats are. I am lucky in that I have the flexibility to be around when the sun puts in a brief appearance as it doesn't take long for the cats to then become active and begin to eat. You are clearly doing well with them and they would seem to be far better aligned to those in the wild than my ones - you seem to have the timing spot on
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
. Well done!
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2016 12:05 am
by Paul Harfield
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2016 7:37 am
by trevor
It looks as though you had a brilliant day as well Paul.
Good numbers of Small Tortoiseshells are being reported in these diaries, so hopefully they will be as common
this year as they were when I was a boy. Well done with the Small Whites.
Have a great season,
Trevor.
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2016 9:50 pm
by Wurzel
Congrats on the Small Whites Paul - are those firsts for the year? Good Friday was definitely 'good' compared to the weather today - at one point the rain was horizontal!
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2016 10:01 pm
by Paul Harfield
Hi Trevor & Wurzel
Thanks for your comments
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
. Definitely a 'good' Friday and yes I was particularly pleased with those Whites. I am hoping for Orange Tips next time
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2016 10:19 pm
by Paul Harfield
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2016 10:54 pm
by Paul Harfield
Sunday 17.4.2016 Hatch Farm - Looking For Orange Tips
I thought I would check out a couple of local spots in the hope of some Orange Tips this weekend. It would seem, at least around my patch, that it is a bit early for them. I was not disappointed though. Plenty of Peacocks, a Comma, a Small Tortoiseshell looking for somewhere to lay her eggs and a just emerged Speckled Wood.
No Orange Tips and curiously no Brimstones at all, in fact I did not think I would see any whites, but a male Small White appeared briefly as I made my way back to the car.
![P1080816.JPG (661.21 KiB) Viewed 669 times I think this Speckled Wood had emerged that morning. I have not noticed one so hairy before!](./files/thumb_11661_7b68695b4ba030930b15fe8e858c75a0)
- I think this Speckled Wood had emerged that morning. I have not noticed one so hairy before!
![P1080841.JPG (783.35 KiB) Viewed 669 times This female Small Tortoiseshell was very thoroughly checking all the new Nettle growth for a suitable egg laying spot. Gently touching the leaves with her antennae.](./files/thumb_11661_300217a839b724487f4f821d8542fc09)
- This female Small Tortoiseshell was very thoroughly checking all the new Nettle growth for a suitable egg laying spot. Gently touching the leaves with her antennae.
![P1080858.JPG (1.01 MiB) Viewed 669 times Just the one Comma today](./files/thumb_11661_0b296d1b89ca5680289bae9d327a970f)
- Just the one Comma today
The M27 motorway runs within a few metres of this site. The visually picturesque image of a woodland carpeted with Bluebells was somewhat ruined by the incongruous loud roar of traffic on the famously noisy concrete motorway surface.
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 10:40 pm
by Paul Harfield
Sunday 24.4.2016 Stephens Castle Down
Initially the weather did not look very appealing today, but it did brighten up
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
. I thought I would check out my local Duke site. I was not expecting to see any Duke of Burgundy as this is a much later site than some, but I thought there might be a chance of an Orange Tip or Grizzled Skipper. Butterflies were actually very thin on the ground, not even a Brimstone which are normally very numerous here at this time of the year. A single male Small White and a handful of Peacocks was all I saw
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
.
![P1080868.JPG (688.46 KiB) Viewed 616 times This female was busy laying eggs in almost exactly the same spot as I recorded almost exactly a year ago.](./files/thumb_11661_6de6e7038deba65384467bebae014b7c)
- This female was busy laying eggs in almost exactly the same spot as I recorded almost exactly a year ago.
One Peacock busy laying her eggs in almost exactly the same position as I recorded in my diary last year.
![P1080897.JPG (860.61 KiB) Viewed 616 times The resulting egg mass](./files/thumb_11661_44a42639d24b69207c27c50cd642f497)
- The resulting egg mass
I have still only seen 6 species this year, hopefully the season will get moving soon.
Back at home I was suddenly aware of a Small White feebly fluttering in the garden. I did not see this freshly emerged individual arrive so, in my head, I would like to think this was derived from one of the larvae that were living in my garden at the end of last year
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
.
![P1080914.JPG (1002.82 KiB) Viewed 616 times Perhaps this Small White was derived from one of the larvae present in my garden last Autumn.](./files/thumb_11661_c69e8f9495cd031145721a6307518052)
- Perhaps this Small White was derived from one of the larvae present in my garden last Autumn.
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2016 10:28 am
by Goldie M
I think they knew this weather was on the way
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
Goldie
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2016 9:15 pm
by Wurzel
Great sequence of shots Paul
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Any chance you can send a few Specklies this way - there have only been ne or two records in the whole of Wiltshire so far this year
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2016 10:59 pm
by Jamie Burston
Brilliant sheen on them eggs! Great Speckled Wood underside. I hope your White-letter Hairstreak Larva is ok? All the best,
Jamie