Janet Turnbull

[Wurzel]

Beautifully crisp images Janet that jump out of the screen Especially like the Painted Lady as you can juts make out the blue 'pupil' in the black hind wing spots

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Janet Turnbull]

Thank you Wurzel - I've been trying different techniques to try and improve the sharpness. I used a Lumix bridge camera with a zoom, set on macro but standing well back for these. Doesn't do to zoom in too far though.

It's a dry garden, Jack - and it grows very vigorously! - Janet

[Goldie M]

Lovely shots of your Garden Janet and the Butterflies , they look great on the White Buddleia especially the Comma

I'll have to wait until next year now to find those Heath Butterflies more's the pity , I'm not to good with a sat nab though, I'll probably end up in the middle of warrington Goldie

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Janet, Interesting find with the Scotch Argus.

Have you had a response from Yorkshire BC yet?

Cheers,

Neil.

Hi Neil - Dave Ramsden, Recorder for the area, tells me there was an 'unofficial reintroduction' of Scotch Argus which appears to be doing reasonably well and expanding its range. The earliest record the local Recorder has is from 2011. He added that there has been no ongoing site maintenance for the species.
I don't know if it's supposed to be a secret so I have deleted the description of the exact spot!
Janet

Hi Janet,

Sorry for the delay but I have been away and just caught up with your reply. Thanks for the info, I did wonder if your sighting was the result of a reintroduction as in appearance it looks like a typical example like those I have seen at Arnside rather than the form described that used to be found at Grassington.

Cheers,

Neil.

[David M]

It's interesting how the Large Whites seem disinterested in the white buddleia, Janet. Must admit, when they have a choice most butterflies seem to prefer the lilac/purple colour, but white is always a nice background when you get the colourful vanessids on them.

[Janet Turnbull]

19th September
After a long spell away I decided to go back to Carrington Moss to see what was happening there. Immediately suffered two midge bites as a reward for watchind the dragonflies. There were several white butterflies which from a distance and in flight appeared to be Large Whites. A dark shape on a reedmace stem morphed into a Comma and was the only photo I managed but there were also a couple of Red Admirals.

20th September
Today instead of attending the ER strike in Manchester we had to recce a walk near Haworth. Along a stretch of footpath near the Bronte Falls were a Small Copper basking on a stone; Small Heath; several Red Admirals, Small Tortoiseshell, and further along in the edge of the trees, a few Speckeld Woods.

[David M]

Very nice Comma image, Janet. I know what you mean regarding biting flies....I dread to think how dragonfly aficionados manage.

[Janet Turnbull]

Yesterday I helped with the volunteers scything a meadow which has not seen any attention for years. I observed one Large White but other than that there seem to have been very few butterflies about these last few days. Hacking through the undergrowth I came to a sudden stop mid-scythe as I spotted a flutter of wings deep in the grass. At first it looked like a Skipper, but then turned out to be a terrified moth which had nearly lost its wings I think is a Brimstone moth but I'm happy to be corrected - it doesn't look exactly like the pictures. It allowed me to photograph it before taking it to a place of relative safety.
The moth seems to have got its underwing stuck above the forewing, but the second photo, although out-of-focus, showsmore of the patterning.

[Allan.W.]

Think your moths a Sallow (xanthia icteretia ) Regards Allan.W.

[Wurzel]

Cracking Comma Janet I would have gone with Brumstone for your moth good job I wasn't able to post right away

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Janet Turnbull]

Cracking Comma Janet I would have gone with Brumstone for your moth good job I wasn't able to post right away

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I'm not convinced either way, Wurzel - the patterning doesn't look right for a Sallow and there is too much for a Brimstone

[Allan.W.]

Had another look at your moth ,and you,re quite right ………………… not a Sallow , its certainly not a Brimstone ,
but I reckon its a Pink Barred Sallow …….. Xanthia togata
Allan.W..

[Janet Turnbull]

Had another look at your moth ,and you,re quite right ………………… not a Sallow , its certainly not a Brimstone ,
but I reckon its a Pink Barred Sallow …….. Xanthia togata
Allan.W..

Yesss! That's it Allan. Thank you!
Janet

[David M]

Nice work, Allan. I'd never have gone for that.

Not surprising that butterflies are thin on the ground, Janet, given the prolonged spell of stormy weather we've had lately. I dread to think how our south Wales populations are faring following all the wind and rain recently.

[Janet Turnbull]

On Monday I went along to Sale Water Park to see if Taylor's Field had been scythed. It had, and a Large white fluttered up to my face, had a look and flew away before I could get a snap - I did wonder if it was actually a female Brimstone - and then I saw this very dark and beautiful Speckled Wood sucking on a soggy tissue.

Today I came upon a Red admiral with a spot of blue on its wing - and then I realised it was just a shadow..

[Wurzel]

That soggy tissue makes an interesting and different background Janet It almost has the look of a patch of snow

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

That's an unusual food source for a Speckled Wood, Janet, but good to see they're still going further north in the UK. I guess they'll all be gone by the end of the month.

[Janet Turnbull]

Bohemian Paradise, October 8-14
Not exactly UK sightings, but six of us did this walking holiday in Bohemia (Czech Republic) and the other five are now well acquainted with looking out for butterflies, as well as mushrooms of which there was a wonderful bounty. Being on a walking holiday meant I had only a compact camera rather than the heavy Canon SLR and I found it frustratingly difficult to even find the critters in the viewfinder. By the time I had located them and zoomed in they had moved on! The first few days were mainly in the forests; there were mushrooms but few butterflies. Later on it became more open with woodlands.
The first butterfly I managed to photograph was a Comma. On the section between Kost and Hruba Skala a flash of orangey brown caught my attention and it settled to bask on brambles near a wall. As I trained the camera upwards, a farmer's face appeared in the frame which startled us both, but the Comma maintained its cool and I got the picture. Painted Ladies were very much in evidence so maybe it was a good year for them there as well.

Next day, between Trosky and Prachov, we stopped by a pretty fishing lake for lunch and nearby I saw the only Central European butterfly of the holiday - a Queen of Spain fritillary. It was basking low down on the ground but it was nervous of my presence and by the time I had captured it, I had to run to catch up with my companions, and had to ignore the two Brimstones which were hawking back and forth. However, they had stopped further on to mark the place where they too had spotted a Brimstone, and this one allowed me a portrait.

Prachov to Jicin was also in more open countryside and once out of the rock town there was a stretch of Michelmas Daisies along the path. Here there were more Painted Ladies and a single Small Copper. Lunch was taken in a sunny, wide ride in open woodland and I spent most of the time unsuccessfully chasing a couple of Red Admirals. However, further along we came upon a pile of rotting apples by the roadside and this was humming with activity; Peacocks, Red Admirals, Painted Ladies, wasps and hornets were all making the most of this feast.

In Jicin itself was a small park with what was left of the summer flowers, and I found Peacocks and Painted Ladies nectaring there. A walk through beech wood up to a viewpoint gave me the best Red Admiral of the holiday as it basked among the fallen leaves.

[Wurzel]

A lovely report and set of photos Janet - especially the topside view of the QoS - really well marked that individual I visited the Czech Republic a few years ago now and it was fantastic and your report has rekindled my longing to go back

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

That selection's almost a home from home, Janet (even QoS pops up here occasionally).

I love the colour contrast with the Peacock on those purple asters. Beautiful.