www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Still catching up with UK goings-on after my return last weekend from France. Managed to find both Essex and Small Skipper flying together on a small, orchard site in Abergavenny on Saturday 22nd:

I was in the area today, so made an optimistic visit (considering the weather) to Daneway Banks. Conditions improved from the initial persistent rain through drizzle and greyness to sunshine, and the butterflies came out in numbers. No Large Blues, which I was not really expecting at this date, but plenty of skippers, browns and burnet moths, a few freshly-emerged Common Blues and Brown Argus, Silver-washed Fritillary from the nearby woodlands, and a somewhat worn White-letter Hairstreak, a species I have never managed to photograph before as an adult. I saw no elms on site so would suppose it had come in from the nearby woodland, where another probable WLH was fluttering high in the elms.

There are elms in nearby Siccaridge Wood, Matsukaze, so I suppose the WLHs have come into the reserve from there.

A couple of trips out at the weekend ,the first early Saturday afternoon to Lydden Down near Dover,mainly to see the Chalkhills
I wanted to try and get a reasonable image or two of a female, which I managed ,reckon the males outnumbered the females by about 15 to 1, was lucky enough to find a couple of Common Blue Abs,(which I,ve posted elsewhere ) amongst good numbers flying,biggest surprise though was a fresh
Silver -Spotted Skipper ,easiest my earliest.
On Sunday I headed Down to Dengemarsh ,to a spot which is always good for Common Blues,i try to arrive as they,re warming up ,with spread wings amongst the grass stems, and wasn,t disappointed, standing in one spot and looking around , I counted 45 ,posted a poor picture which
has about 15 in it (+ a Gatekeeper), it was a job not to step on them ! but as I walked along they got up 15-20 at a time,once again a wide variety of
colour varieties amongst the females.Also found a male with some black spots on the base of the hindwings. I,ve also posted an interesting little moth from Lydden, Oncocera Semirubella. Regards Allan.W.

Nairn & Moray 24th July
Mass emergence of Speckled Woods and GV Whites after recent rain, both species in excellent numbers.
Typical Speckled Wood habitat in this area. They like to nectar on heather. Also Ringlets which never seem to nectar on anything . This is typical Scotch Argus territory but they are still not out.

GV Whites like more open habitats.

Also flying locally: Meadow Brown, Large White and Common Blue (in their appropriate habitats). Red Admirals seem to be turning up (but only as singles) almost anywhere.

Jack

Good for you, Jack. Nice to see some unusual habitat for a change.

David M wrote:There are elms in nearby Siccaridge Wood, Matsukaze, so I suppose the WLHs have come into the reserve from there.

I went looking there for signs of breeding - I didn't find any WLH eggs but did come across this, which I think is a Comma caterpillar.

Matsukaze wrote:I went looking there for signs of breeding - I didn't find any WLH eggs but did come across this, which I think is a Comma caterpillar.

Absolutely right . It's just preparing to moult into the final instar. I have some in my garden which are at exactly the same stage.

Vince

July has seen a bit more activity in the back garden with Red Admiral, Comma, Holly Blue, Meadow Brown and Large/Small Whites all visiting including this mating pair:
Kevin

Male Brown Hairstreaks are coming down at Bookham now as well, 2 today . Dave (Millerd) will not be surprised one iota that this one plopped down in front of me a short distance from where we bumped into each other on Sunday. Also found were 3rd instar White Admiral larvae, almost certainly gearing up for a partial second gen!

I had a very enjoyable day with my eldest son today looking for butterflies on the Isle of Wight. I set a target of 20 species and we visited four sites. We managed 23 species.
Silver-washed fritillary 8
Dark green fritillary 4
Large white 2
Small white 1
Green-veined white 5
Comma 1
Small copper 1
Small heath 1
Small blue 4
Large skipper 2
Small skipper 3
Chalk hill blue 50 +
Common blue 5
Speckled wood 2
Meadow brown 25+
Wall brown 1
Gatekeeper 10
Peacock 5
Red admiral 3
Brimstone 5
Ringlet 1
Brown argus 4
Marbled white 4

I was most surprised by the small blues which were very fresh.

I saw this small copper in Norfolk a fortnight ago. Is it an aberration or normal colouring?

Found a slightly different Peacock this afternoon ,didn,t notice it was different till I looked through my images later on,
this particular peacock shows an extra Blue spot ,below the Blue "eye" on the Hindwings,found a similar description on the ABS; section and called AB;Diopthalmica.
Regards Allan.W.

Well 'spotted' Allen (sorry, couldn't resist). Seriously, great find - I shall be checking more carefully now and looking at old shots. Thanks for sharing

Had a few trips out over the weekend ,and totted up 29 species ,didn,t see a Comma,could possibly have tried for a 2nd brood Adonis ,
although I was half hoping to find one on my early morning jaunt to Lydden ?Temple Ewell (near Dover),on Sunday morning,i arrived at around seven
and after a little drizzle ,it cleared up and the Blues started waking ,what a site must have been 3-400 Chalkhills maybe more,a real joy !
They were kept company by numerous Common Blues ,Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns ,was very surprised to see a Marbled White ,and in pretty good nick ! A nice Wall ,a fly-bye Clouded Yellow ,hassled by 4-5 Male Chalkies,and 7 Fresh Silver -Spotted Skippers,all I think ,males .
A wrench ,to come away ,but had planned a visit to Whitstable ,so by 9.15 am ,I was on my way,
the "blue " field I,ve posted was near Faversham ,couldn,t make out what it was on the way there so stopped for a look on the way back ,and was amazed to see that it was "Vipers Bugloss "(Echium Vulgare ), any one know for what use............ Green manure ,livestock feed ?? I do Know that I,ve not seen it grown like this before . Regards Allan.W.