www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Thanks Mark, really appreciated as always.

All the best, Nick.

Sat. 27th July

After working until midday i thought i would check a wood for second brood Wood Whites and do a count as the conditions were just right, nice and sunny. But on the way to the location where the first brood were seen, i came across a plant that was a magnet for Brimstones, nine individuals were happily nectaring on the flowers, the males ignoring the females, which i thought was rather unusual, and there were another three feeding on the surrounding Hardheads. I had never seen so many in one place at any one time, so i stopped here for a while making the most of this rare opportunity [only saw two 2nd brood Brimstones last year, both at Denbies]to photograph this lovely butterfly. By the time i had finished the sun had disappeared behind a blanket of cloud, so no counting of the second brood Wood Whites would be done today................

hideandseek wrote:i came across a plant that was a magnet for Brimstones, nine individuals were happily nectaring on the flowers, the males ignoring the females, which i thought was rather unusual

I think that's what you might call 'genetic programming'.

The idea that you could see male and female Brimstones ignoring one another in March and April is preposterous.

However, like all the adult hibernators that's precisely what they do in late summer. It'd be nice to know what chemical(s) are suppressed in July/August that are activated so robustly the following spring, but it's true, male and female Brimstones are interested in only one thing at this time of year....nectaring.

They seek to build up reserves to get them through hibernation and they'll happily share a thistle head without any pretext for anything else.

Thanks for your post David, you are quite right and, i fully understand their behaviour and the reasons behind it. But this was the first time i have seen so many Brimstones together, watching them feeding without one little squabble, the males totally ignoring other males as well as the females. After watching them for some length of time, i realised they were showing their counterparts a great deal of respect, two days later on the same plant i saw four Silver-washed Fritillaries nectaring, two males, two females and, they acted in exactly the same manner, not one little tiff between them, lovely to see such impeccable manners amongst these insects, also makes them a lot easier to photograph.

All the best, Nick.

Sat. 27th July, continued.

............but earlier that afternoon i did find a female Wood white ovipositing on Bird`s`foot Trefoil down in a ditch. I did try to get a picture of the egg, but found it very near impossible and gave up, telling myself i will give it another go another day. Today was that day. Arriving mid afternoon i set up my camera on it`s tripod and positioned both down in the ditch on one side and aimed the lens down towards the egg on the other side, but i found that the camera was just to high, i needed to be lying down with the camera just a few inches [or twice as many cm] off the bottom of the ditch, but i could`nt lie down facing the ovum. So i had to lie down along the ditch with the egg to my right, i put my racksack and camera bag down side-by-side across the ditch, placed my left arm with the camera in my left hand on the two bags at a right angle around the side of my head, then tried looking through the veiwfinder whilst trying to focus with my right hand down the other side of my head at a right angle, for the first time in my life i had become a contortionist, but i wanted the photo. After getting the egg in focus, or what i thought was in focus, i let go with my right hand hoping that my left hand would hold the camera steady and in position, then with my right hand i started, or at least with my index finger, pushing down on the shutter over and over again and, hoping i had got it right, even though perspiration was by now dripping down my forehead and into my left eye and, stinging like mad. So after fortyfive minutes of torture and, it being so hot, i decided i had had enough, and hoped that i had the photo i was after. [the veiwing screen on the back of my camera is really poor and, i can never really know how well i`ve done, or not, until i get home] So then it was a quick walk around some of the wood to see what i could find that was actually not flying in all this heat.......... 2nd brood female Wood White photographed just to the right of the egg the same day it was laid.This is the Wood White`s ovum that i photographed five days after it was laid, now having turned yellow in colour, [was white when first laid] and should hatch in a further five days.

Nice images Nick, especially the Wood White egg, given your determination (and discomfort) in obtaining it!

All the best

Mike

Lovely Wood White photo Unfortunately family duties called so I couldn't get over your way to enjoy them, still I did see some Lulworths as a consolation - don't know how I sneaked that one past the wife
Great shot of the egg as well, the contortionism certainly paid off , my limbs are cramping just contemplating it

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thank you Mike and Wurzel, your comments are always appreciated. I photographed another Wood White`s ovum today just after the female had laid it on some Bitter-vetch, i did`nt even have to get down on my hands and knees this time, it was high enough for me to stand and just point the camera, so no aches and pains this time, pure bliss. Well, it was`nt quite that easy, but could of been, if it was`nt for the wind blowing it all over the place.

All the best, Nick.

29th July

Another quick visit to my local patch in the afternoon was proving to be hard work, apart from some brief sunshine when i first arrived and managing a few photos on my favourite Brimstone plant. The weather now seemed to be against me, the sky clouding over and, heavy showers beckoning, butterflies had all but disappeared, bunkered down in the rich vegetation, even though it was still warm. Then a long chat with a fellow enthusiast, Jenny, who was here looking for her first Wood White, passed away some of the quieter moments. Then the sun reappeared, and i soon pointed out a Wood White for her that had come out of hiding, eventually seeing 3 or 4 before her departure a very happy person. It was late afternoon by now, so i made my way back to the car, stopping at the Brimsone plant as the sun was still shining, albeit weaker as it slid down beyound the tree line, to see if i could grab a couple more photos, and thats when my luck changed. Out of the corner of my eye i caught site of something small and white low down and to the left of the Brimstone plant, [as i call it] a quick look revealed a pair of Wood Whites copulating on some small white flowers..........so i was`nt going home just yet...........

29th July continued.........White is beautiful............

.............but 20mins earlier i had found another pair of copulating wood Whites but, unlike the pair on the white flowers which were in the shade, this pair were performing in full sun. They were also fresher with cleaner whiter wings, and being in the sun brought out the real beauty of these butterflies. I had only found them just a few minutes before they parted,.............. but a few minutes was enough to capture the following photo,.........

Absolutely stunning photographs! Where were these taken if you don't mind me asking?

All the best,

Alex

hideandseek wrote:trying to focus with my right hand down the other side of my head at a right angle

I can recommend the Seagull right-angle finder for situations like this! Only £32 from Amazon (or find it on e-bay) and it comes with adapters to fit most SLR cameras.

The body shell is plastic but it is optically very good and, if you are lucky, you get a wonderful manual written in "Chinglish" with phrases such as : "do not use the organism melting agent cleaning absolutely"

Mike

Hi Nick, superb photos of the mating Wood Whites.

All the best,

Mike

Hi Alex, thank you for your kind comments, appreciated. They were photographed at Chiddingfold Wood, in the same area as you were looking for the Purple Emperor.

Thank you Mike for taking the time to inform me of such a useful gadget, really appreciated.

And thank you Mike for your kind comments on my Wood White photos, [one of my favourite butterflies] again appreciated.

All the best to you all, Nick.

Up close..........Brimstone, male.

That is up close cracking

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thank you for your kind comment Wurzel, as always appreciated.

All the best, Nick.

Even closer............Green-vained WhitePainted Lady

Brilliant work

Keep it up ...

Kindest regards. Mark

Hi Mark,

thank you for your very kind comment, appreciated as always.

All the best, Nick.