www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Astonishing! You can see how, given such numbers, they could eat themselves into starvation. There has to be a huge amount of scabious to support that little lot - maybe 50,000 to 100,000 caterpillars?

Dave

Hi Dave,

If there are 400 webs in total, each with 50 larvae (conservative estimate), then there are 20,000 larvae in total - still quite a few and there could be a lot more!

Yes, I think a shortage of food plant could be a serious problem, since it's confined to one particular area. This is certainly the root cause of a population collapse at a colony in Gloucestershire, where the offspring of a "boom" year resulted in all of the available food plant being eaten, the larvae switching to Honeysuckle in a few places, the larvae being found 500 metres from where they originated, and the population then collapsing.

Anyway, I intend to follow the larvae through to adulthood if at all possible ... will keep you posted!

Cheers,

- Pete

You are inspiring me to do a larva search here on Mull - if it ever stops raining. As I write this at 0800 hours, so far today I have recorded 25 mms (that's exactly 1 inch) of rain .

This year to date 610 mms and the official winter (from 1st December) 860 mms. Guy is suggesting that Marsh Fris thrive in the wet. On that basis, there will be a plague of adults this season.

Jack

Brilliant Photos Pete

Thanks all!

I had to fly up to Glasgow earlier this week and, with the sun shining, Cumbria look rather lovely - with the cloud-covered Isle of Man in the distance. There are Mountain Ringlets in the shot, but my iPhone camera resolution isn't quite up to the job
Cheers,

- Pete

I usually have a Robin or two following me around the garden but, today, I had a Small Tort to keep me company
Cheers,

- Pete

The Emperor Awakes!

With spring springing, and a work schedule that required me to travel from Swindon to Winchester, I decided to pop into the Wiltshire wood that is home to a number of Purple Emperor larvae. Most are now changing colour and "greening up" but, unfortunately, many have been predated with over 50% of the larvae I've been following now "missing in action". I'm sure some will simply have wandered off but many more will have become food for the abundant tit population. I just hope I'm able to follow some through to adulthood. Of the 15 that I tried to relocate, I only managed to find 5 and all are shown below.
Cheers,

- Pete

Hi Pete,
All are great, but the first shot is outstanding. I must try and squeeze in a visit for adults there. I love the forest avenues but have never managed a July visit yet.
BWs, Neil

Thanks Neil - yes, I can't wait to visit the wood in summer! I also took a wider shot of that particular individual but decided to crop out the more significant bud! Although it does put the size of the 'pillar in context.
Cheers,

- Pete

Highs and Lows

I managed to get out for a couple of hours at the local gravel pits near Aldermaston, which is a great place for butterflies coming out of hibernation with plenty of sallow and other nectar sources. Unfortunately, the site was inaccessible, with most entrances still underwater from the recent flooding. Here's a typical sight:
I moved to a part of the site I don't normally visit, which looked really very good and I'll definitely be coming to this part of the site again. One particular field margin was absolutely chock-a-block full of butterflies - I counted 8 Peacock, 5 Brimstone (including 1 female), 3 Comma, 1 Small White (my first of the year) and an incredible 34 Small Tortoiseshell - I've never seen a species bounce back so well! Males were found guarding a territory every 30 feet or so.
The "low" is finding a female Small Tortoiseshell ab. pallida, but failing to get any photo at all, despite chasing after it for over half a mile! It was very very skittish and was "spooked" even when I was 10 feet away! It looked pretty fresh and had no colour whatsoever - a black-and-white Small Tortoiseshell, like the one shown here:

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/ ... scientific

Cheers,

- Pete

Hi Pete,
Bad luck with the ab. You must go back for her!
BWs, Neil

Home Projects

I've had a few White-letter Hairstreak and Silver-studded Blue larvae emerge over the last couple of weeks and they're feeding up nicely. Some photos below. The White-letter Hairstreak larvae always amaze me with their perfect camouflage! And looking at the Silver Studs in closeup, grazing the epidermis of a Bird's-foot Trefoil leaf, is also wonderful to observe.
Yesterday was also the conclusion of a 9-month project - with the birth of my first grandchild, and future Lepidopterist, Edward Thomas Eeles

Cheers,

- Pete

Pete Eeles wrote:Home Projects



Yesterday was also the conclusion of a 9-month project - with the birth of my first grandchild, and future Lepidopterist, Edward Thomas Eeles

e

Congratulations! I know how that feels - Daniel arrived almost two years ago, on Friday 13th of April, and yes, it was as traumatic as that suggests but he is fine now. Your life has changed forever - again,

Rob

Many congratulations on the new elver Pete!
I'm sure Edward couldn't have a better guide to all things lepidopteran than you... Good to know another generation of nature-lovers is just emerging.

Trev

Very nice photos Pete, the White-letter Hairstreak larva certainly has amazing camouflage on the Elm. Congratulations also on the birth of your grandson

Mike

Eddie Eeles! Excellent name congratulations Pete

Congrats on the emergence of the cats - great shots But more importantly by far congrats on the next generation of Eeles Are you Grandad, Grandfather or Pops?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Congratulations Pete! It'll be a while before I catch you up.
BWs, Neil

Many congratulations Pete!

Best wishes,

Vince

Thanks for the kind words everyone.

Cheers,

- (Grandad) Pete