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Absolutely gorgeous shots Trevor and some in cop to boot I don’t think that Wiltshire will be quite as productive

Have a goodun

Wurzel

trevor wrote: ↑Sun Oct 08, 2023 8:07 pmHope you enjoy the images from today, David...

I certainly have, Trevor.

Absolutely lovely set of LTBs and you are right, that male is a wonderfully rich shade of blue. They never settle like that for me on the continent!

Many thanks folks for the LTB comments. If Sun. 8th was brilliant, Mon 9th was the opposite.

On Monday 9th October I called in at Lancing Ring on my way to Wiltshire, hoping for another
action packed day. It was not to be. I arrived with Paul Atkin for company, and we had a long
wait for the sun to burn through the stubborn high cloud. When bright sunshine did appear
the LTB's sat tight and kept us waiting. When a single male LTB did land nearby it was far from fresh.
Even the arrival of Neil Hulme did not improve matters, ending the theory that he keeps some in his pocket!
The highlight of this visit was a very fresh, male, Speckled Wood, and a female.

On Friday 13th I popped over to Herstmonceux in less than ideal weather.
It was breezy with some cloud, not surprisingly only three butterflies were seen.
Among the three was a very fresh female Small Copper, indeed a blue badge specimen.
One other Small Copper was present together with a Large White sheltering in a dahlia.

Those Small Cooper shots are extraordinary Trevor - such bright and contrasting flowers they almost hurt he eyes! Nice of the White to allow a little respite
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Those Small Copper images are positively delightful, Trevor. The range of colour is really striking.

Perhaps even more striking is the first Speckled Wood in your previous post. Those uph submarginal ocelli are abnormally dark.

Thanks Wurzel & David. Small Coppers have a preference for those blue asters,
a great colour contrast.

This afternoon in between bouts of foul weather we had a spell of summer.
At Herstmonceux for about an hour it was sunny with a soft breeze and a balmy 20c.
The surprise sightings were of two Painted Ladies, one fresh with a little hind wing damage,
and the other one faded. Two other finds were a fresh Large White and a Red Admiral.
A timely cloudy spell saw the Painted Ladies and the Red Admiral take to the stone path to bask.

Not bad for Oct 19th.

The fresher of those two Painted Ladies is a beautifully-marked individual, Trevor. Hopefully the flowers will keep going at Herstmonceux, and the butterflies with them. I'm guessing it's a favoured final stopping off point for southward-heading migrants at the moment.

Cheers,

Dave

Cracking set of shots - especially the first Painted Lady Trevor - you can just make out pupils in the hind wing eyes closest to the body

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Many thanks Dave & Wurzel. That nicely marked Painted Lady was around again today.

This afternoon Herstmonceux was host to a spectacular, fresh, Red Admiral ab.
On checking my first image of this Red Admiral I could see the white forewing
spots of ab bialbata. But something else was amiss, then it clicked!
There were no markings in the hindwing red band, the usual dark spots and
the blue at the inner ends of the hind wing were missing.
Fortunately this butterfly hung around for a few decent shots.

Then the afternoon got better!

There are lots of abnormalities about that spectacular Red Admiral, of which bialbata is the very least!

Edit: I'd go for ab. klemensiewiczi for this one

As Bugboy says there are a whole host of aberrant features Trevor - the red band stops short, the markings blue and white markings on the forewings look totally different from what you'd expect and the blue marks are white instead in the red band of the hind wing as well as the mentioned missing marks. It looks liek a few numbers got missed off the painting schedule Cracking find

Have a goodun

Wurzel

That's a terrific butterfly, Trevor! Considering how many everyone has seen this year abs of any kind are hardly ever reported, so that one is a true rarity. Back in Victorian days, you'd probably have got a hundred guineas for it!

Cheers,

Dave

Spectacular indeed!

Cheers Paul. I posted the RA ab image on facebook ' British butterfly aberrations '
some interesting theories on there.

Thanks Wurzel. A real puzzle for sure, a very rare ab apparently.

I agree, Dave, out of all the Red Admirals around this year, this one was the only one present
today and an ab as well. RA's have had a tremendous year in 2023.

Thanks Katrina, good to hear from you. Wish you had been there this afternoon it was fabulous.

This morning I went to the Uckfield model railway show, but around lunchtime it was so warm
and sunny outside it was a pity waste it.
So I abandoned the show and headed to Herstmonceux, fortunately my camera was in the car.
On arrival Verbena Bonariensis was the sole attraction for the butterflies seen today.
Firstly the two Painted Ladies seen on my previous visit were still there, then shock and delight
there was a surprise Small Tortoiseshell on the verbena, and then another. Two Small Torts together
in High Summer around here in 2023 would have been amazing, but on Oct 22nd what a sight!
Two Hummingbird Hawkmoths were also indulging on the verbena. I have included a shot of a
Hummer with pollen on it's proboscis.
And to wrap the afternoon up there was that Red Admiral ! Another shot of that included.

More beautiful shots. I wish I had been there too!

Thanks Katrina. If you wish to visit Herstmonceux again remember
the gardens close on Nov.5th. So not much time left.

Cracking selection of shots Trevor including one of something almost as rare as the Red Admiral - love the twofer of the Small Copper and the Small Tort; I wonder what infraction the former is questioning the latter about; "so what were your whereabouts on the 22nd of this month?"

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Cheers Wurzel. Just as good this morning ( the kitchen floor clean had to wait! ).

Settled in for the rubbish forecast, time to give the kitchen a once over.
That was until the cloud cleared and left a completely blue sky.
On 24th Oct a day not to be wasted. Off to Herstmonceux.
The Painted Lady first seen on Oct 19th was still there on the verbena,
along with a Hummingbird Hawkmoth ( with which my camera excelled ).
Also in the same area was a Small Copper in reasonable condition with a
supporting cast of about five Red Admirals flying all over the gardens.
At home a Comma was found basking on one of my magnolias.

Some fabulous late season butterflies there, Trevor, especially the ab. Red Admiral.

You're certainly getting your money's worth.