www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Those open winged Holly Blues deserve some as I can never get them to open up any more, I must be wearing the wrong cologne

Have a goodun

Wurzel

It's time for a little revenge.
I'm still over Wurzel's open wing male Brown Hairstreak images from
this summer, so just for him here are some more open wing Holly blues!.

Fair play they're great shots Trevor

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Primroses already, Trevor? If things carry on as they are, I'm sure the daffs won't be far behind.

Back in early May I stumbled across a healthy colony of Green Hairstreaks. There were so many
that I had plenty of time to experiment with various settings on my camera, in order to get some
reasonable images. I have always found this little Butterfly most difficult to photograph.In sunlight
the wings seem to act as a light reflector, a setting on the camera which would normally take a reasonable
image of any other species just ends up as a white blob!.
I still find that beautiful, variable, green sheen hard to capture. I will take up the challenge
they offer again next year.

Trevor.

PS. Any hints and tips welcome !

I woulds say that those photos are more than adequate. But to give best chance of getting exposure correct, why not bracket? Most camera have this facility.

Jack

Great shots of the Green One Trevor I too struggle to get that 'green sheen look', so if you work out how to do it let me know please. I too will will be having a try at it next season and so can reciprocate if I get there first, mind you I'm still amazed that I can get any shots of a Greenstreak after several years of them giving me the run around!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I have visited many local(ish) sites for Orange Tips with varying degrees of success .
Always a fairly tricky Butterfly to capture, until I discovered the delights of the old
railway cutting in Hailsham. Here the Orange Tip population is confined to what is
a linear, quite narrow site. In practice this leave the Butterflies no option but to fly
up and down, and indeed are quite captive! .
With many favoured nectaring sources also present, frequent opportunities for a decent
shot are possible.

Lovely photo's Trevor, they make you long for Spring Goldie

One of my favourite images of 2015 is of this male Marbled White, taken on July 6th at 08.40.
Whilst awaiting an audience with HM. PE. I went for a wander to see what was on offer,when
I noticed this pristine Marbled White on some foliage, at the bottom of a ditch !.
The stealthy(ish) approach with my camera ready, was totally unnecessary because the Butterfly
remained motionless as I took shot after shot. But it's perfect pose gave me the best image I have
ever achieved of this species.

Looks like he'd just emerged, Trevor, which explains why he wasn't skittish like this species often is.

CRAZY WEATHER.....

For several weeks now, here in the south east we have had very few days of single
figure temperatures. Recently 12 to 14c has been the norm.
My question is, how will this affect next years Butterflies.? Surely the hibernators will
find it too warm to fully hibernate, if any do wake up too early a sudden cold snap
could be fatal.
Species that spend the winter in other life stages may also be disrupted by the unseasonal
warmth.
In my opinion the natural world in this country is geared up for cold winters which go
hand in hand with short daylight hours.

If any UKB diarists have an opinion on this subject, I would welcome their comments.

Best wishes,

Trevor.

Current temperature here near Heathrow at around 2330 is 14 degrees. I have no heating on in the house at all and am sitting comfortably in a t-shirt. Could be June outside. As you say, Trevor, goodness knows what hibernating butterflies make of it. Luckily, there has also been no sunshine to speak of since the start of November, and it is often that aspect of weather that triggers hibernators to become restless, so maybe they are safe.

Dave

Although these warm temperatures are a tad on the unseasonaly extreme side, I think hibernating adults are more able to cope than juvenile stages. It's just my gut feeling but I'd be more worried about egg's, larvae and pupae surviving this winter than adults. I suspect there would be a higher than normal percentage to be killed by bacteria, fungal and viral pathogens than normal due to these very damp and warm conditions.

Although it's been sunny here in the Moray area and mild with 13C yesterday, haven't seen any butterflies.....

.....except for the Tortoiseshell in its container the fridge at 4C where it remains perfectly happy.

Jack

According to the Met Office stats, for England as a whole, November and December 1994 were very mild and quite wet in December too. We all know what a great summer it was in 1995 so there is hope yet for 2016

ATB

Peter

The worst thing that could happen would be for early emergences to then run into cold conditions which, if I remember rightly, is what happened in 2012 when March was positively balmy but was followed by a cold and washed-out April.

As has already been mentioned, warm, moist conditions will encourage mould as well as failing to kill off the usual number of butterfly predators.

I'd happily pay £100 to guarantee a two-week freezing cold snap in January. That should get things back to normal.

SEASONAL AND UNSEASONAL GREETINGS FROM HAILSHAM

All images taken today, am.

I've seen snowdrops round my part of Wales but to have daffodils in full bloom prior to Christmas is just plain wrong!

David M wrote:I've seen snowdrops round my part of Wales but to have daffodils in full bloom prior to Christmas is just plain wrong!

Bizarre as it may be David, there are other Daffodils in bloom locally. I just photographed the largest clump
I had seen!.