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Re: jackz432r
Posted: Sun May 01, 2016 8:16 pm
by Pete Eeles
Excellent ovipositing sequence, Paul! You're giving Vince a run for his money
Cheers,
- Pete
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Mon May 02, 2016 9:43 pm
by Gary.N
Love the shots of the Peacock eggs.
Gary
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Mon May 02, 2016 10:06 pm
by Paul Harfield
Hi Goldie, Wurzel, Jamie, Pete & Gary
Thanks for all your comments
Sunday 1.5.2016 Hatch Farm
Being without car today meant I was confined to sites close to home. The weather was acceptable so I thought I would have another try for my first Orange Tips of 2016.
![P1080922.JPG (974.92 KiB) Viewed 1012 times There were literally thousands of these beetles destroying the young Alder saplings here. Does anybody know what they are?](./files/thumb_11661_2442a2ab2bb04e957ccf0188b7811aa5)
- There were literally thousands of these beetles destroying the young Alder saplings here. Does anybody know what they are?
First butterfly of the day was a Comma followed by Peacocks all looking rather aged now. There were also a couple of Speckled Wood and thankfully a few Brimstones around, the Brimstone seems to have been notable by its absence during recent outings.
![P1080916.JPG (970.03 KiB) Viewed 1012 times The hibernators are starting to look weary now](./files/thumb_11661_842bbf0a9b2b58822764b8b64076284d)
- The hibernators are starting to look weary now
![P1080931-001.JPG (694.47 KiB) Viewed 1012 times Speckled Wood male....and female.](./files/thumb_11661_6d8069ea01959aa1a1191dfce81c1f23)
- Speckled Wood male....and female.
I headed over to the boggy area where the Cuckoo Flower grows expecting to see at least some evidence of Orange Tip activity. However, although I spent some time here there was no sign
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
. A little later on in a different area I spotted a small white butterfly fluttering. It eventually settled briefly on some Nettles enabling me to identify it as my first Orange Tip of the year, a fresh female. I followed it as it fluttered along the sunny edge of the field completely ignoring the patch of Cuckoo Flower. I eventually caught up with it for long enough to get a photo before it disappeared into the neighbouring gardens.
![P1080941.JPG (651.91 KiB) Viewed 1012 times First Orange Tip of 2016 was unusually a female which totally avoided a large expanse of Cuckoo Flower](./files/thumb_11661_16a62b448642417248cf94fa578a35bb)
- First Orange Tip of 2016 was unusually a female which totally avoided a large expanse of Cuckoo Flower
![P1080954.JPG (1014.38 KiB) Viewed 1012 times This male Holly Blue was clearly enjoying his tasty meal!](./files/thumb_11661_4c2ccbfc4a46e689c6ff72461fb066fc)
- This male Holly Blue was clearly enjoying his tasty meal!
As I made my way back I passed a large clump of Brambles. One particular clump of Bramble leaves had a generous coating of bird excrement which proved irresistible for my first Holly Blue of the year. This male returned several times to the same location to feast upon its delights
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
.
Hopefully next time with transport I will be able to enjoy some Duke of Burgundy action.
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Tue May 03, 2016 9:10 pm
by Wurzel
Lovely Specklies Paul and that close up of the HB is a cracking shot.
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Is your female OT and aberrant as the forewing spot seems much larger than usual?
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 10:21 pm
by Paul Harfield
Thanks for the comments Wurzel
'
Sunday 8.5.2016 Stephens Castle Down
Today I was hoping for my first encounter of 2016 with the 'spring downland quartet', namely Green Hairstreak, Duke of Burgundy, Grizzled & Dingy Skipper. The weather looked to be pretty much perfect. Unfortunately I was tied up first thing, by the time I left home at 9.50am the temperature was already saying 25 degrees
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
. I had already notched up 5 species walking from the car to the entrance gate including my first Red Admiral of the year. I arrived on site to find everything in full swing and it was only a few moments before I had already ticked three of my four boxes, that just left Green Hairsteaks to find.
![P1090063.JPG (867.23 KiB) Viewed 980 times Grizzled Skipper](./files/thumb_11661_c5554b255252771c05e58b4200744bc0)
- Grizzled Skipper
![P1090084.JPG (1023.27 KiB) Viewed 980 times Duke of Burgundy](./files/thumb_11661_3e058946c7de3fea9054b1992c30dea4)
- Duke of Burgundy
![P1090120.JPG (927.33 KiB) Viewed 980 times Green Hairstreak](./files/thumb_11661_2a0f3a68de94eaac049918fb3923078f)
- Green Hairstreak
Duke of Burgundy do not normally occur here in massive numbers, I counted four today which all appeared to be males. I counted a dozen Dingy Skippers and half that number of Grizzled Skippers. Once I had located the Hairstreaks in their usual haunts I counted five including an egg laying female. There were also plenty of egglaying Brimstones. After my first Red Admiral of 2016 earlier I saw a further two including one egg laying female.
![P1090056.JPG (734.3 KiB) Viewed 980 times One of many egglaying Brimstones and the resulting egg](./files/thumb_11661_116faefb51c4669c461acdf60684a456)
- One of many egglaying Brimstones and the resulting egg
![P1090154.JPG (969.98 KiB) Viewed 980 times Egg laying Green Hairstreak](./files/thumb_11661_0a486d8457bb673c19dc37312ce7d7b2)
- Egg laying Green Hairstreak
Peacock, Comma, Small Tortoiseshell, Orange Tip, Small White and a mudpuddling Holly Blue made up the rest of the days sightings. A quick check of the Peacock eggs laid 2 weeks ago revealed that they are yet to hatch. This was one of those days where I could have stayed all day until the evening had I not had other things things to attend to
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
.
![P1090172.JPG (1022.65 KiB) Viewed 980 times Mudpuddling Holly Blue](./files/thumb_11661_82c9f98d489e5ac4270bc1500ecf07aa)
- Mudpuddling Holly Blue
![P1090170.JPG (1021.22 KiB) Viewed 980 times Small White](./files/thumb_11661_602657bb91c2c89a509400579b9ccb00)
- Small White
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Tue May 10, 2016 7:36 am
by Goldie M
Lovely Butterflies Paul,
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
No Dukes here yet. Goldie
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Tue May 10, 2016 8:11 am
by trevor
HI Paul,
That last image of the Green Hairstreak is a cracker, just the sort of image
I find very difficult to obtain. Lovely Dukes too.
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Tue May 10, 2016 1:31 pm
by bugboy
Very
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
of the egg laying Greenie, she looks stunning in that second sunlit shot! Looks like a great site.
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Tue May 10, 2016 8:51 pm
by Wurzel
An absolutely cracking sequence of shots Paul
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
You must of had a brill day
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Tue May 17, 2016 10:21 pm
by Paul Harfield
Hi Goldie, Bugboy, Trevor & Wurzel Thanks for your kind comments
Sunday 15.5.2016 Knowle Village
Unfortunately I had little time to get out this weekend
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
. I had to be satisfied with a flying visit in less than perfect conditions on Sunday afternoon to one of my favourite spots. The sun made only brief appearances and when it disappeared the wind was pretty brisk.
![P1090186.JPG (980.17 KiB) Viewed 933 times Better late than never, my first Green Veined & Large Whites of the year](./files/thumb_11661_84592e43a9247f69a8a38347e7a1ecbd)
- Better late than never, my first Green Veined & Large Whites of the year
First up were my first Green Veined Whites of the season, one male and one female. As always plenty of Small Whites here mostly hunkered down in the vegetation today, taking to the air as soon as the sun came out. I also found my first Large Whites of the year, several males.
![P1090206.JPG (918.01 KiB) Viewed 933 times Plenty of Small Whites but this was the only female seen](./files/thumb_11661_05f48997eeb1da69ab5901e9b35ab557)
- Plenty of Small Whites but this was the only female seen
![P1090200.JPG (958.59 KiB) Viewed 933 times One of many male Small Whites typically in this pose sheltering out of the wind](./files/thumb_11661_aaad17a59de9367a5edd70ab06ed960f)
- One of many male Small Whites typically in this pose sheltering out of the wind
I was starting to think that today would be an all white affair, but eventually a Red Admiral flew past. It spent some time bobbing around the Nettle patches in a very nervous a jittery way sometimes disappearing deep into the undergrowth before reappearing in a different position. On the way back to the car an aged Peacock put in an appearance. I also spotted a male Orange Tip roosting upon a Nettle plant. This individual had found itself in a cool shaded spot and gone into roosting mode despite the fact that a couple of meters in any direction there was full sunshine.
.
I am now up to 14 species this season, but hopefully there will be more to report next time.
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Wed May 25, 2016 11:29 pm
by Paul Harfield
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 9:12 am
by Paul Harfield
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 11:57 pm
by Pete Eeles
jackz432r wrote:To my complete astonishment there was a Duke of Burgundy there crawling up a grass stem
Hi Paul - nice find! Can you please report this to Hants BC? This is pretty significant, as you rightly observed!
Cheers,
- Pete
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 6:29 am
by trevor
That's Butterflying at it's best, finding the unexpected.
Both PBF and Duke are having a brilliant year, and spreading it would seem.
Lovely images as always.
Trevor.
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 1:20 pm
by Pauline
That's a great find Paul. Where do you think they might have spread from? I don't know that area too well or where the closest colonies are?
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 8:16 pm
by Neil Freeman
Great report and photos
Well done on finding the Dukes, it is always so much more satisfying to find something for yourself than seeing things at the well known sites.
Cheers,
Neil.
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 9:23 am
by Goldie M
Great find those Dukes and lovely shots too, it seems the Dukes are doing well down in the South but they're not doing too well in the North
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
Goldie
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 9:40 pm
by Wurzel
Two great finds Paul, definite rewards for taking the time and doing the leg work
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2016 9:22 pm
by Paul Harfield
Thanks All for your comments
Pete - I have made Ashley Whitlock aware of these findings and of course all my sightings are submitted via Living Record
Pauline - I am certainly not an expert, but as far as I am aware the nearest Duke colonies are Stockbridge Down to the West and Deacon Hill to the east. It has been suggested to me that they could originate from Stockbride Down which is closer but still some distance away. Of course they could have been there all the time in some hidden away area surviving in low numbers and the population reacted to newly created habitat. Or it could have been unofficial human intervention of course.
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 8:30 pm
by Paul Harfield