Pauline

[Pauline]

All those folk who assured me that I would eventually catch up with the PE were quite right. After another unsuccessful visit I decided to head home when I saw a PE ahead of me flying up and down the track. It landed a couple of times on the track and in the foliage and I managed to get a few shots although it was very skittish. Another lady was approaching from the opposite direction and it flew back and forth between us. I was in danger of being late for a vet appointment so I turned to go (again!) when from behind me I heard the sound of bikes approaching way too fast and an anguished call from the other lady shouting 'oh no! you've hit it!' Three speeding bikers had hit the PE as it had flown back down onto the track ..... and no, they still didn't stop or even slow down!!!

[Pauline]

An email from a friend inviting me to join him for a butterfly walk and a catch-up was the reason for my stroll in Alice Holt forest a couple of days ago. As I arrived, a couple were leaving in a camper van and informed me that in the last 30 mins they had seen 3 PE down on the track. As we strolled and chatted, the butterflies seen which were seeking minerals and moisture on the track were numerous - not just SWF, Red Admiral and Comma but even Skippers, which I have not seen before. Eventually we spotted a Purple Emperor some distance away, coming down onto the track but never really settling. We managed to get within a reasonable distance and I was able to get a couple of shots before it took off again. Thanks again Scott. Many are starting to look a little worn now:

[Mark Tutton]

I told you that your luck would change - hopefully you will get a few more chances and some are still very fresh like this one that Flossie found for you today
Kind Regards
Mark

[Wurzel]

"Re Essex - the reason you can't find any is because they have all congregated at one particular site in Hampshire! " any chance you could shoo a few in this direction please?
Cracking Emperors Pauline Today I think I found the trick to seeing them down low...I went with zero expectations and there was one in the car park

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

Just love these shots you have been sending me Mark - not for the PE but for Flossie. Been trying to remember when I first met her. Was it at Hayling over the LTB or even earlier than that at Noar Hill. Whatever, she is quite remarkable and is a credit to you. Just one thing tho', has she found me an egg yet!!!???

[Mark Tutton]

It was at Hayling for LTB - am working on the egg - saw two females laying today so fingers crossed
Kind Regards
Mark

[Pauline]

You're making me all nostalgic Mark - that must have been about 10 years ago? when we were all young!

[Pauline]

Cheers Wurzel - it's funny you should say that about the Essex Skippers - I'll tell you why. I rarely go out butterflying on Saturdays as I consider it my 'big muck-out day' where all the aviaries, sheds, cages etc are thoroughly cleaned leaving little time or energy for anything else. The parrots are given fresh willow perches weekly as part of this process, which I get from land at the bottom of my lane, about 2 mins walk away. I struggled yesterday to find the size of branches I needed so I strayed a little off my usual route and came across a host of Skippers, most of which turned out to be Essex, although there were Small and Large too. I do get the odd one in my garden and now I know where they come from:

As I watched I noticed a fresh female Large Skipper being approached by a male. Interesting courtship behaviour followed, the likes of which I have not seen before. It reminded me of SWF's but on the spot. The female would rise off the leaf and the male would fly over and under her before they would both land and I could see his abdomen curling round. This was repeated a few times - she certainly seemed to be receptive. I was cursing the lack of my camera and decided to return home for it. 5 mins later I was back and the female was just sat alone on a leaf, precariously close to a spider's web:

Several males were sat close by and occasionally came close ...... but not close enough. Cloud had returned and having waited some 30 mins without any action I decided that I really needed to get on with the chores. I decided to take one more look around that bramble patch first and at head height to the left of where I was standing was a mating pair!!!!! With hindsight I think this must have been the couple I originally watched and the other female was just co-incidental.

As I watched and took photos the mating pair was joined by a second male who was very aggressive and persistant in trying to get the original male out of the way. They tried crawling under the bramble leaf but he followed them, repeatedly attacking the male. These aren't the best shots but if you look closely in one of the shots it is possible to see that the second male is holding on to each side of the first male's wing trying to pull him off. It was very easy to spend another 30 mins watching this:

After what seemed like an awful long time he finally gave up and calm was restored:

[Pauline]

Having to stay local means having to search out new areas where butterflies may be found rather than visiting the usual 'go to' sites for a particular species. This was certainly the case for the Purple Hairstreak - one of my favourite species - as Browndown (with the stunted Oaks) was not an option this season. Consequently, most of these shots were taken whilst the butterflies were in the trees, but lovely to see nevertheless:

Female egg-laying:

A couple more from the same area:

[Pauline]

I've read about an influx of Red Admirals and have seen a few recently but yesterday I was lucky enough to find 3 or 4 very fresh Painted Ladies and a lovely fresh Small Tortoiseshell:

[Pauline]

My 'outing' today was a quick walk down my lane to check out my newly found 'Skipper spot'. I was not disappointed as this time I discovered a mating pair of Small Skippers and managed a few shots before the heavens opened:

[Wurzel]

Love the last shot Pauline It reminds me of the pencil toppers that I used to have as a kid

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

Cheers Wurzel - one more just for you (although I did see a couple more in a different location today):

I mentioned earlier that I had some Peacocks hatch out on my small nettle patch. I also know for certain that there was a Red Admiral larva in the same location that I was trying to monitor. However, the Peacocks literally ate me out of house and home and I am not sure what happened to the Red Admiral but it disappeared along with all of the nettles. I put a few of the final instar cats into a cage but discovered too late that whilst it had been in the garage over winter mice had chewed holes in it so all but one escaped. There was little I could do to mitigate the situation as I was fully occupied with more important issues but I did manage to take a few shots:

Before too long I am expecting the garden to be covered in butterflies!

[millerd]

It won't be long, Pauline - I saw my first new Peacock flying today before the rain started. That is a beautifully ornate chrysalis, as they are often either speckled greyish or greenish and that one is a mixture of both and a whole lot more.

There is something rather wonderful about watching a seething nest of Peacock caterpillars in the sunshine - it almost seems like one single organism. And of course it is the only way one might legitimately get to celebrate a black mass...

(Sorry, Pauline... )

Dave

[David M]

Some excellent reports and observations lately, Pauline (as ever).

So good to know that you've had a few audiences with HIM, although bikes racing down tracks in Emperor season would probably have seen me react very angrily.

Lovely Large Skipper triumvirate and those Purple Hairstreaks stand out too.

[Pauline]

Peacock nests seem to be everywhere recently Dave. Here is one of 3 that I saw recently at the Straits:

You're flattering me David but it's exactly what I need right now as I struggle to get out:D . Those bikers certainly do make me angry as they have an arrogance about them and a sense of entitlement to priority usage of countryside which is shared by many. I am tempted to step out in front of them to see what reaction I get but I fear I may end up like the PE! I found bits of another one on the track today:

I was in this location after reading about several Abs seen here in the last few days and whilst I went more in hope than expectation, it was a good reason to be there. I didn't see the Abs but it got me thinking about previous trips to Alice Holt and the Abs that I had seen there. A couple below (just to satisfy my nostalgia!)

It was good to see Flossie again (and Mark). As we chatted a tiny white butterfly went past with a delicate, fragile flight. Our first thought was Wood White but given the location that was obviously impossible. Turned out it was the tiniest GVW I have ever seen and also my first of the season:

The great thing about seeing the same butterfly folk year after year is the shared memories and this tiny butterfly brought to mind another occasion, on Hayling Island again, where Mark and I saw the tiniest Common Blue. We were trying to work out how to measure it as 'evidence' but eventually I managed to get a few shots of it with a 'normal' sized Common Blue. I managed to find those shots Mark and this is one of them

There were many SWF around including a really fresh female taking shelter in the bracken. It was the presence of 4 males that attracted my attention to her as she hid under the flower head. Given the colouration and camouflage provided by shadows perhaps they should be called Tiger Fritillaries

...and a few others:

[Mark Tutton]

Hi Pauline
I remember that Common Blue well and I have never encountered another as small as that since. The tiger SWF made me do a double take - stunning image! I may have found another culprit for Emperor wings on the track as well as bikes and dragonflies- as I was watching two males spar today a Hobby zipped in a took one of them and I saw the discarded wings flutter down through the trees. The hazards butterflies face?
Kind Regards
Mark

[Pauline]

When you add collectors in this area into the mix Mark it's a wonder we have any PE at all!

Today I thought I would go to Chalton Down to see the Chalkhill Blues - and see them I did, but no photos. There were only 2 males but they did not stop and I did not have time to look for them. The Painted Ladies were still there but likewise, no time to get any more shots of them. I managed a few shots of the DGF but I think you might have to wait until next season Scott to see the image we were discussing

I did see what I think is a migrant hoverfly - Scaeva pyrastri ( a migrant hoverfly species). There were a few of them about:

On my last visit here I took a random shot of a female Marbled White to demonstrate to someone the difference in colour between male and female. On closer inspection of the photo it looks as if she is about to lay an egg? I'd be interested in another opinion:

As I was leaving this Gatekeeper begged me to take a photo

[millerd]

...On my last visit here I took a random shot of a female Marbled White to demonstrate to someone the difference in colour between male and female. On closer inspection of the photo it looks as if she is about to lay an egg? I'd be interested in another opinion...

If you look at the grass below-right of the butterfly, just in front of the leaf, there seems to be a white blob. I think this may be an egg she has just laid. What do you reckon?

(That's a lovely female DGF by the way... )

Cheers,

Dave

[Wurzel]

I reckon Dave is right about that being an egg - and they drop them rather than laying them so that would explain why she's away from the egg itself. Love the Tiger Fritillary shot - for a moment (before reading the text) I though you'd found another ab

Have a goodun

Wurzel