www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Just catching up on your diary again Wurzel, some great reports and photos recently but especially envious of your Brown Hairstreaks, I almost missed them again this year, in fact I would have if not for an unexpected male up at Arnside.

Cheers,

Neil.

Glorious Brown Hairstreaks, Wurzel, in what has been (I'm told... ) a relatively difficult season for them.

I think I'll just go back and look through them again, and try and imagine Shipton frazzled by the heat...

Cheers,

Dave

Cheers Bugboy Sorry about that ...only one more from Shipton to go
Cheers Trevor Yep the heat made them throw the rule book out this year There was a lot of walking to get anything
Cheers Neil They did show up in unexpected places this year - I had one in the centre of town and one turned up yesterday outside the Vets (I didn't see it but he sent me the photo)
Cheers Dave I had to cover many, many miles for any shots I was frazzled too!

October 2022

Time to stop and ponder, will the season peter out or end in a flash of wonder?
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Fantastic Wurzel, Goldie

Cheers Goldie Not long until I'll have to start on next years

Shipton Bellinger 19-08-2022

This was a bit of an impromptu meet up with Philzoid. I was all set to hang-up the Shipton hat and instead start looking further afield for Cloudies. However after a quick call from Philzoid I stopped google searching Southbourne and instead checked the weather for Shipton which looked surprisingly favourable…I arrived a little early and so set to strolling the hedge hoping for an early doors Brostreak which would take the pressure off. Philzoid wasn’t far behind me however and so I retraced my steps and we strolled down the main hedge together and caught up with the doings of the other. Every now and then our procession would be arrested by a bright orange fast moving butterfly/moth. We were left wondering if these were Brostreaks but in the end we put down as Vapourers as they flew seemingly ceaselessly unlike Brostreaks which jink about but don’t generally fly that far. There were also a few butterflies about including a Wall which we encountered on the return leg of the main hedge. On our second journey down the main hedge I looked up when we were almost back to the ‘usual hotspot’ near the corner and I spotted a Brostreak up in the tops of the small trees. She came down but only to the right height for some ‘outstretched arm’ shots. Nonetheless it was a great start and hopefully suggested that more were to come. Indeed this initial Brostreak seemed to announce that the trip had officially begun and like a switch had been thrown butterflies started appearing and adding themselves to the day’s tally. As well as Small Heath the odd Red Admiral appeared and Holly Blues were stating to pole their heads above the parapets. From the corner of the main hedge we continued along the main track and strolled down towards the village. As we went we passed the bush which had previously contained a fellow enthusiast and a fresh female Brostreak but all was quiet here now save for the occasional Specklie or Meadow Brown. When we reached the cross roads we took the right hand track and then cut off and down the right hand side of the Dual track hedge. Again we were surprised by how quiet it was but a short way alongt he track between the first and second large patch of Bramble a Wall entertained us for a short while. Rather than sitting on the track and flying off almost as soon as it was in focus it was choosing to perch on flower heads and even in the vegetation at just the right height to save our knees. We paused where the path widens by the gate into the surrounding field and chatted to another enthusiast Richard. Having passed-on some tips for Grayling, Silver-spots and also where the Brostreak were to be found here at Shipton, he headed off in the direction of the main hedge eager to bag a lifer. Philzoid and I on the other hand continued strolling on enjoying the chat and the warm sun and not overly fussed by the butterflies. As is often the way when you relax the butterflies just turn upand so it was now. I’d spotted a small brown butterfly which almost fell to earth from the hedge. As I stared down at it I realised it was a male Brown Hairstreak. Despite calling out Richard doesn’t come back so Philzoid and I settle down to get some shots for ourselves. At the end of the dual track we turned around and walked back up the track on the other side of the Dual Hedge. Here the hedge is much higher as the track itself is lower than on the other side and the far side of the hedge is full of mature trees – including plenty of Ash. We stopped and looked up at the first one and there are two males and a Specklie flitting about at the top of the tree – oh if only I had a telephoto! A few Walls accompanied us along the track which is bone dry and baked solid with a fine icing of dust on the top. Depressingly the Ashes got progressively worse as we walked up the track, denuded and dying from Chalara – hopefully either some of the Ash will be resistant or the Brostreaks will assemble round other trees as there are Oaks and Sycamores here.

Back at the main hedge we bumped into Richard and started walking up and down peering into the hedge hopefully. I tried a few tricks; willing orange leaves to become a butterfly, taking a few steps before stopping dead and suddenly turning to stare at a piece of hedge and even having a bite to eat as the butterflies seem to have an uncanny knack of realising when the hot pickle is just reaching scalding point against my cheek but nothing seemed to work. Richard headed back to the village for his lunch. I wondered if our luck was about to change again just like it had the last time he’d gone out of sight and then we bumped into another chap that we’d met last year. He tells us that he’d had a female down earlier before we arrived. As we’re talking a sure enough a female came down and fed on or took some moisture from in between the drooplets of some Blackberries. So Richard dipped out twice! I soon felt even worse for Richard for as we were watching the first Brostreak bimble about a second came down and this one opened up for us. The different nicks in the wing would have allowed us to identify them should they not have been ‘down’ at the same time. After a multitude of shots we did one last sweep of the Main Hedge and a Comma added to the colour as it landed low down close to us. It looked gorgeous but my time was dangerously close to running out and so I had to wish Philzoid well and make haste for home. I managed to be back with 2 minutes to spare so my Brownie points remained intact! This will definitely be my last visit now – the females are starting to get the odd nick, I’m away in Llangollen for a week and then the dreaded Sled Dog show will block off most of the hedge around the field making it even harder work. Mind you what a way to finish. Shipton once again
Showy female Brown Hairstreaks
Autumn in the air?
Have a goodun

Wurzel

P.S. After I’d gone Philzoid hung around the main hedge for a bit before moving over to Perham Down for a few Silver-spots. He let me know that Richard had eventually gotten his Brostreak as he’d turned up after I’d left.

Oh look, more Brown Hairstreaks.... just you wait until I get round to posting pics of LTB and crisp sharp open winged helice

Hello Wurzel, Just reading through your diary and love the term 'Falsestreak' It is one I will definately be using

You can have a whole bunch of those for all the Brown Hairstreaks in your PD. Sadly one I didn't manage to catch up with this year and the only word I can think adequately describes your Robber Fly is 'Sinister'. I am none too keen on the look of those fellers!

Yes, I'll add a couple of for the Brown Hairstreak females, Wurzel... I can only compete with the odd LTB and QoS much later on...

Cheers,

Dave

Cheers Bugboy To be fair I did you warn you that there was one more to come and the Brostreak to mile ratio was huge this year Besides LTB and Helice are so two weeks ago
Cheers Old Wolf I shall return the compliment with 'Argi' for the plural of Argus I reckon it's always good to leave something for next year, nut if you're ever around this neck of the woods give me a shout and I'll show you the best spots for them
Cheers Dave I'm not looking forward to the next few weeks on UKB Dave, I think I might run out of " "

Martin Down 28-08-2022

The holiday was almost over and I could count on one hand the number of days until I would have to head back to work, I’d seen all the usual species and the weather was a little ‘iffy’. Yet despite this I still made my way over to Martin Down for one last hurrah before my freedom ended for another year and it would be nose back to the grindstone.

Due to the less than brilliant weather forecast I decided that I would park at Sillen’s Lane and treat my visit as more of a hike with the odd stop for some photos rather than the normal active search for the butterflies and car abandoned I set off up the track heading towards the foot of the steeply rising down at the south eastern end of the reserve. As I walked up the track the sun started to eat through parts of the cloud and it felt surprisingly warm contrary to the forecast. Meadow Browns flew in good numbers on either side of the barren white path and a brace of Common Blue males entertained along the top part of the path where the hedge thinned to next to nothing. I continued on, the main track turned off right towards the top of the Down and the Dyke but I carried on straight ahead on the path less well trodden making for the ever-so thinly turfed little field at the foot of the down. In the grasses on the way there were many more Meadow Browns and the odd Small Heath started to appear in amongst their larger and darker cousins and there was also another couple of Common Blues, who number wise were starting to live up to their name. When I reached the springy/thinly turfed field the sun slunk away for a short while and the temperature dropped along with the lowering light intensity; it became so dull in fact I had to take my sunglasses off. As the temperature dropped the number of butterfly sightings followed suit and after a couple of trips up and down the field I only had a couple of Meadow Browns to show for my efforts so I paused and looked into the distance to try and judge when, or even if, the cloud would shift. The wall of light seemed to be making its way towards me and so I settled down, had a snack and awaited the return of the sun. When it returned I picked up a Common Blue, Small Heath and a female Adonis before I set off again. Now I followed a set of animal tracks that meandered round a large clump of scrub before branching off and directly up the side of the Down along the most shallow of gullies. I’d found DIngies and Grizzlies here in the past but it was too late for even a second brood of either but when I’d almost reached the top an Adonis encouraged me to keep going as did a rather nice ‘blue’ female Common Blue. Chuffed that my hike was proving okay for butterflies I picked up speed as I paced down the dyke side path towards the bench. As I walked a mustard yellow butterfly went up from the side of the Dyke and flew towards and past me before retuning and flying on and landing on the chalky path. It was a Cloudy and while it sat on the white chalk it really stood out. As I approached closer I could see that it was in a bit of a state with the odd chunk missing here and there but it despite this and the fact that it was only my second of the year I clicked away happily as this was twice the number I’d encountered in 2021. I followed it for a bit waiting for it to settle for long enough to get in close but it proved to be harder work than I remembered so in the end I let it fly up and turned my eyes away to look at something else. In this case I found a few Adonis taking nectar form Hemp Agrimony which were clinging to the wall of the Dyke. Some were already looking tatty but one or two were in great nick. I followed one up the steep side of the Dyke and on the other side there was a flat scrubby area so I had a little look about while I was here. I found a Small Copper and then when I worked my way to the end of the Dyke and back round I picked up a some more Blues. First there was a Chalkhill and then I tried my luck with the Adonis only to be distracted by the return of the Cloudy, possibly the original one. This time I was able to watch it for longer and a passing cloud, in modern parlance, ‘did me a solid’ and covered the sun for just long enough to ground the Cloudy so I could get in a get some nice close images. When the sun emerged the Cloudy led me on a bit of a dance along the Dyke, up the top of the steep bank, putting up a Painted Lady in the process and through the top field a second time. The Dyke itself is intersected here by a path cutting through, on one side is the field I was chasing the Cloudy through and on the other a lush pasture field full of horses. It was obviously private property so of course the Cloudy decided to head there next, zipping through the barbed wire. Sadly I watched it go but it turned abruptly and flew back towards me, stopping just short of the fence. No bother though as I was able to hold my camera through and get some decent enough shots. As I turned to leave it in peace I realised that both times it had turned up I’d been trying for some Adonis Blue shots…perhaps there was a pattern there? From this lofty position I followed the Dyke as it snaked its way down the hill. The bottom of the dyke was thick with scrub so I had to take the narrow path that clung to the bank so that I could look out for the butterflies within the Dyke itself. There were plenty of Meadow Browns as to be expected but sadly far fewer Blues than I was hoping for. True there was a reasonable mix of Common, Adonis and Chalkhill Blues but they were very thinly spread. At the bottom I arrested my progress and spent a few moments checking out the miniature terraces at the Hollow Hotspot. As I climbed up (well stepped up to be more factually correct) to the first terrace the sun came out with it and so too did the butterflies. Perhaps this was the reason for the dearth on my descent? Whatever I started enjoying seeing plenty of butterflies interacting, flying around and spooking one another or chasing each other about. It was wonderfully chaotic and a joy to behold. Small Heaths would flutter about like headless chickens, zigging and zagging here and there whilst Adonis and Chalkhill Blues would bluster boisterously into each other but all and sundry were seen of by the vicious and any diminutive Brown Argus. I walked the Dyke to the half way spot and when the sun showed itself and ceased hiding away behind the clouds the occasional Blue did likewise, popping up and standing out amongst the straw-coloured grasses like some had sprinkled little clusters of sapphires. On the return journey the sun started to appear more frequently and as I tried to take advantage of this and get a few shots of an Adonis a Cloudy flew past. At first I thought it might have been the same one from the top of the Down which over time had worked its way down behind me and slipped past whilst I’d been enamoured at the Terraces, however the damage was in different places and much more extensive on this individual. Back at the terraces it was quite quiet as once again the cloud was obscuring the sun. Then, as before, the minute the cloud parted and the sun shone down unobstructed out popped all the butterflies to take full advantage of the fleeting falling rays. As the erupted from where they’d been hiding in amid the grass stems I ticked off all the usual species so I stood back to enjoy the spectacle. One Adonis in particular caught my eye as it looked really fresh whilst it flew. I watched it and then stalked it and as I leant in on the final approach, yep a Cloudy turned up; if only this happened all the time I could guarantee a Cloudy every year! After wandering about watching and filling my memory card my time almost ran out and so with a heavy heart I overcame the pull of this great little spot and started back to the car. ON the way things were seriously quiet and I was left surprised at how much seemed empty compared to the concentration of butterflies in one spot at the terraces. Not much cropped up on the final stretch but I was starting to feel the effects of the mammoth walk I’d undertaken, well my feet were anyway and so gulping back the last of my coffee I started the car up and drove off into the afternoon (doesn’t have quite the same ring as sunset does it?) Try for an Adonis
And a Cloudy photobombs
What are the chances?
Have a goodun

Wurzel

It seems like Martin Down always does its best to produce the goods, even after being roasted over the course of the summer we've just had. However, the feeling you convey of everything being tired and a bit thin on the ground matches exactly how things felt when I ventured forth after my enforced absence from the fray (which was around the last week of August too). Certainly those Cloudies look thoroughly chewed, but as I commented somewhere else, they seem to be tough old butterflies!

Cheers,

Dave

In your previous post I note some soothing, sorry I mean seething, shots of that
immaculate female BH. The envy meter has just gone of the scale!
Your Cloudies look as though they had a rough crossing, and hopefully they bred here.
I note on facebook some fresh ones were seen near Devizes more recently.

Great stuff,
Trevor.

Cheers Dave Those Cloudies had definitely been in the wars Things stayed a bit thin on the ground but certainly got a lot fresher a few later
Cheers Trevor Sorry about the Brostreak shots I think the Cloudies might have bred as a few wee...well I don't want to give any spoilers

Dyrham Park 29-08-2022

At 9:50 we were first in line at the gates of Dyrham Park near Bath. After a brief chat with my sister in-law who was a car behind us in the queue and the reason we were here the gates opened and we rolled in and parked up. I grabbed my camera just in case but didn’t expect to get too much on film as I’d be spending most of the day walking and talking and enjoying the convivial company…

The path circled round the top of the hill and round to the view point from which the landscape from miles around including both of the Severn Bridges were visible. During the walk here across the parkland, with its sea of grass punctuated with the occasional well placed tree there had been a couple of Specklies but the gusty wind had ripped them away from their position in front of my lens before I could click. We carried on down the hill, though the old farm buildings which were now converted into an ice cream kiosk and café and down the hill to the house. It sits at the bottom of the ‘bowl’ and all the paths and tracks are drawn to it like the dendritic patterns of a river system. One of the tracks was off limits to protect it for the wildlife. It was bordered by Queens Lace and other umbelifers on both sides right the way along its length. All the butterflies knew which side was inaccessible of course and I could only watch the Meadow Browns fluttering about on the other side of the path. A Painted Lady lifted off at one point and shot away down the slopes towards the house and its gardens.

After checking out the Orangery we strolled around the gardens past Worcester Pears and Meddlers and round along the side of the pond. A Red Admiral stared down imperiously at me from one of these fruit trees and a Hawker skimmed over the algal covered pond. I was just about giving up on the butterflies and contemplated putting my camera away when we entered the formal gardens with the rows of bedding flowers. A few Whites fluttered along the boundary wall in the distance and then a Painted Lady just drops down in front of me. As I grabbed a few shots I wondered if this was the same one that I’d seen along the restricted path earlier? It didn’t give me long to ruminate over its provenance as it shot of quickly to be replaced by a Hummingbird Hawkmoth. I followed this the length of the garden before finally giving up with and as I turned to go and catch up with the others I spotted a small butterfly and one I’d not expected in the least. It was a Brown Argus looking very out of place on the colourful blooms when it should have been providing the interest in the seas of straw-coloured grasses. I caught up with the others along the terraces on the side of the hill and up and round and then down again we walked and talked. While the other visited the church I stayed outside and watched a pair of Specklies playing in the sun. They’d have the odd goodhearted skirmish before circling around and landing back at exactly the same perches. Only when a Large White showed up did this pattern breakdown and they both viciously turned on their larger and distant cousin. Once the others emerged back into the sun we made our way back tot eh orchard for lunch. I spotted a Darter which sat still and the odd Specklies and White appeared as well as a fly-by Comma while we ate but I packed my camera away as I was too busy being sociable to run off camera in hand. Surprize at Dyrham
A Brown Argus of all things
What’s that doing here?
Have a goodun

Wurzel

That Painted Lady was a vivid splash of colour - a splendid insect! I suspect the Brown Argus was a refugee from the sea of straw, looking for refreshment among the garden flowers.

Cheers,

Dave

Cheers Dave I reckon you're right - everything was dried to a husk

Martin Down 31-08-2022

The summer had finally come to an end, I’d reached my final day of freedom before once again pressing my nose to the grindstone. To make the most of the last day I stole away for a while to Martin Down. I parked at the Main Car Park for a change and walked down the stony track; a Specklie passed me by and I spotted a couple of Blues off to my left hanging around at the entrance of what used to be the little scallop where I’d find Dingies but is now an impenetrable wall of Bramble. The wind was cutting across the site, whipping at the flower stems and taller grasses so the trick of the day was finding areas sheltered from the supposed ‘gentle breeze’ which the BBC weather app had forecast; gentle my arse, about as gentle as Ivan Drago was with Apollo Creed!

I walked diagonally across the second field behind the Butts and a few Small Heath did their best to play in the battering gusts and there were still plenty of Chalkhills. At first they looked to be in good condition but really they flattered to deceive. When they flew they appeared sky blue and fresh and then when they landed they revealed their true nature, they’re tired and faded, battered and bruised and some just looked plain washed out – a regular optical illusion! In the next field on behind the Butts there were some female Chalkhills on the little slope down into the sunken and thin ‘lawn’ and then as I walked a cross there were a fair few more females as well as rather nice looking female Adonis. To succeed with getting any shots of her I had to turn to a different tactic. The breeze somehow managed to find it’s way through the wall of bramble or over the top and then it would progress across the turf rattling and shaking any vertical flower stem in its path and leaving a trail of rocking butterflies in its wake. Luckily the cooling effect of the wind meant that the butterfly sat still calmly waiting for the wind to wane. I would get into position, focus on the butterfly and then the moment the autofocus locked on I would click away before the breeze picked up again. By now I was just around the corner from the Butts and I climbed out of the sunken field and followed the track around the edge of the Butt with more Small Heaths and Meadow Browns showing up. I continued on, wandering along the track at the foot of the Butts and into the even more sparsely turfed field. The track itself was the most sheltered spot and so I concentrated my efforts here. There were a couple of male Adonis and Chalkhills, at least one Brown Argus and a few Common Blues to keep me occupied and the Butt and it’s scrubby fringes acted as a pretty good windbreak although somehow the odd gust still managed to find its way into the little sea of calm both the butterflies and I were enjoying. Just as I’d become resigned to the wind the weather changed it up a little. The wind dropped to the forecast breeze with the occasional gust but now the sun became the problem. With the decrease in the wind when the cloud rolled in the sun remained hidden. The butterflies responded by sitting tight hidden away in the relative cool. On the rare occasions I did find one the cloud covered sky meant dull photos to boot. With the sun was hiding behind the cloud for fairly long periods of time so I called upon my next trick. I intended to follow my target and wait for it to land as the sun went in. Then I’d sit tight, as tight as the butterfly and watch for the sun to roll across the surrounding fields. As the curtain of light inched closer and closer I’d get into position, focus and then the minute the sun struck the butterfly and it was lit pleasantly lit I’d click away and hopefully get something on the memory card before it took off. I tried this with an Adonis Blue and I spent the next 10 minutes watching the clouds, then watching the progress of the sunlight across the down finishing up with some shots of the butterfly down on the deck. Finally the wind died down, the sun shone and the butterfly opened up. Within 30 seconds it was off, a 10 minute wait for that! Next I braced myself and set out from the calm and into the (almost) storm taking the walk down to the half-way spot. On the initial walk down only a couple of Adonis and Chalkhills showed themselves in one of the rare breaks in the sun. In another one of these sunny intermissions at the half-way point a Small White showed itself along with a few Meadow Browns. Slightly further along the Dyke there were the odd Blue and Brown but it was proving hard work; it felt like I had to cover a lot of miles for a few photos, a familiar feeling this season and the butterflies seemed to pass me by in a bit of a blur (or was that because they were windblown?). I retraced my footsteps and eventually ended up back to the track at the foot of the Dyke where the same butterflies were still hanging around so I paid them some attention before slowly, almost begrudgingly, I made my way back at the sun was now hidden for longer and longer periods my footsteps slowed considerably at the thought of; ‘back to work tomorrow’… “The summertime blues…”
“Do you mean the butterflies?”
“No end of the break…”

Have a goodun

Wurzel

A for that fresh female Adonis further up this post.
Obtaining shots of Adonis without grass blades in the way ( Tilshead comes to mind ) is a rare treat .

Trevor.

Cheers Trevor I still don't know how I got that shot - I was just raising the camera and clicking away - I wish I could remember though

Martin Down 17-09-2022

Last year I planned on visiting Southbourne to catch up on the Cloudy population that remains there. I ended up talking myself out of making the trip and regretted it later as I missed out on not only several Cloudies but among them was a Helice. This year I was resolute that I would get a Dorset Cloudy and so I googled street maps to find free parking, worked out the quickest route and even made contingency plans to drop the girls in Bournemouth first to maintain my stash of Brownie points. Everything was in place and then for some reason I talked myself out of it and instead I ended up doing the usual Saturday morning chores. I suppose that’s the thing with this end of the season – you’ve seen almost everything and most of what’s left looks a bit battered BUT you feel like you have to go out as it might just be the last trip of the season…and then the morning comes and the next day looks good so you reckon you might just put it off until then. Then you wait and hope but the next day your hopes are dashed. So it looked like happening again this year…but I did go out after lunch.

As I pulled up into the main car park at Martin Down a pair of Whites fluttered along the Bramble hedge but they were too far away for my lens to reach so I set off down the main track hoping that this wouldn’t be ‘one of those days’. As I continued down the track and the hedges on either side muffled the noise of the busy road and it grew quieter and quieter with each step and there weren’t any butterflies either. I stepped out from the dual hedges and within three steps a mustard yellow butterfly flew across the path. At first I was like “oh a butterfly”. Then I was “it’s a nice custard yellow colour” then I was like “It’s a cloudy!”. Luckily it was a female and see had a penchant for the yellow flowers which she sipped from regularly, not flying far in between sips. At one point the sun went in so she rested on the deck and I sat down and waited for the return of the sun with her. When it came back out the colour shone out from her – and what a hairdo! Eventually I left her in peace and carried happily on. Martin Down at this end is a series of four fields delineated by a raised bank or shooting butt. The second was quiet and then I cut diagonally across the third and climbed out to be greeted by a Cloudy flying at me from the Dyke. This was a male and it flew strongly and ceaselessly. Four times I lost it and then managed to pick it back up flying along the Dyke and down into the third field. I would watch fly along the bank and then down but somehow it would disappear once it was in the field. I did find a Small Copper and a brace of Common blues here amid a few Meadow Browns whilst wondering where the Cloudy had gotten too which served as a slight compensation. The last time I saw it, it flew down into the forth field below the tallest of the Butts so I followed it and a few Blues flew before it but once again it somehow disappeared from view. I wondered if it had dropped down unseen to feed on some of the smattering of flowers but in this particular field the turf was so closely cropped that a Cloudy sitting feeding would have been even more obvious than a flying one. I climbed back out of the sunken field and followed the track around the corner and then along the foot of the Butt. The sheltered corner again produced the goods with a tired Adonis, 2 Small Coppers, a Common Blue and a tiny Brown Argus as well as a few more Meadow Browns. The Small Heath flew around the path down into the field but as I strolled across it there were only a few more Meadow Browns and a couple of Blues, most, if not all of which were looking well past their best! I pressed on along the Dyke to the half way point and as I reached it I saw another/the male Cloudy, just as the sun went in. I wasn’t able to see where it had gone down with the failing sun and so while I waited for both to return I had a mooch around and spotted a female Brimstone and a few Meadow Browns. Alas my waiting was to no avail as the sun stubbornly remained behind the clouds and so I moved off once again along the well-trodden track along the Dyke. Next were a couple more Blues and a tired Chalkhill but the lack of sun was proving to be a pain – the cloud sat right overhead and as it covered the sun the temperature dropped noticeably and the breeze picked up. Annoyingly the fields on other side of the reserve were bathed in sun and as I walked I watched as the light drew closer achingly slowly. I was a good way along the Dyke when the sun finally emerged and I recognised the spot as the very place I’d seen my last Cloudy a few weeks back. I looked around and there was just a white…wait a minute I thought there’s something not quite right about that one? As I approached it looked a little like a chop job. Someone had bolted the fore wings of a White with the hind wings of a Cloudy – it was my first ever Helice! I managed to keep up with it as it flew first along the Dyke back the way I’d just come and then turned around and retraced its wingbeats(?). Despite the relatively rapid progress it would make it was not too difficult to keep up with as Helices are female and so it would flutter from one feeding stop to another. The trick came in second guessing which flower it would feed from next as the flowers didn’t seem to have an awful lot of nectar and it would only be at each one for a matter of seconds. I’d have to walk/run to keep up with it and then as soon as it landed swoop in and click away. This seemed to pay off and eventually it found some better nectar sources so I was able to start filling the memory card. However it didn’t like me getting on it’s right side for some reason(?) and so the backlit/stained glass shots were at a premium. I didn’t mind though as she was gorgeous – the pink margins showed up brilliantly along the pale white edge as did the lemon wash on the tip of the forewing against of the rest of the wing and contrasted nicely with the almost blue-white underwing. After a while I left it alone and headed back along the diagonal track that runs from the end of the Tunnel track to the half way spot where I was again greeted by the male Cloudy flying swiftly along the Dyke. It kept going until it was just a blur on the memory. To be honest I can’t remember much else after this as I strolled back to the car in a daze – that Helice what a beauty!
I put off Southbourne
Martin Down’s all yellow
And joyful Helice
Have a goodun

Wurzel

I've been looking forward to your helice, and a few for the penultimate shot.
She looks to be very fresh, pity about the recent misadventure. As for the others .
Those earlier channel hoppers you saw must have had some energy left!

Great stuff,
Trevor.

As mentioned before, you can always rely on Martin Down, Wurzel. Some excellent shots of that beautiful helice Cloudy! Much is due...

Cheers,

Dave

Nicely done with that helice, they seem to have been rather plentiful this year, I've seen at least three and perhaps half a dozen this year! Apparently, dryer conditions make them more numerous, I think this year counts as 'dry'!

Cheers Trevor There must have been plenty of life left in the old dogs/Cloudys after all
Cheers Dave I was dead chuffed to finally get my first of this form - so different from the usual canary yellow ones
Cheers Bugboy If they're influenced by drier conditions I'm surprised all the females weren't of this form this year Bugboy

Have a goodun

Wurzel