Bugboys mission

[Wurzel]

A great sequence of comparative shots Buggy Looking forward to seeing the next installment. Nice to know I'm not the only one still posting about May in June

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Only Just Wurzel, only just anyway, here's the next instalment

29th May part 2

It was gone 1 by the time I got to the Duke site and still no sun. My phone app was suggesting I may catch a glimpse of it at 2 but it had given up all hope of clear blue skies now.
I wandered around the car park area at Ivinghoe Beacon but found nothing so I moved on to the gully. I’d all but given up when a battered male fluttered past and basked under the grey sky.

I did a quick search on the cowslips and discovered 3 eggs and then a female appeared as well.

Remarkably the cloud seemed to be thinning at this point and a further two, both fresher, made appearances and posed nicely for me.

It was now 2.30 and at last I had a few small patches of blue sky which had the desired effect. I moved on to the next patch of scrub where Dukes hang out and was finally getting the experience I had left the flat for. Double figures were now flitting around as well as a few other species and I spent about an hour and half chasing and watching these characterful little butterflies go about their business. For the second year I also found a fresh female taking in mineral salts.

The only static Green Hairstreak I saw helpfully landed in the middle of a bramble thicket!

Mud-puddling female

Only the walk back to the train station to go now…

[millerd]

It's quite a trek from Tring station to Ivinghoe if that's what you did, Buggy - but it really seems to have been worth it for the variety you saw. There's much more about than when I was there a few weeks ago.

Dave

[Padfield]

It's quite a trek from Tring station to Ivinghoe if that's what you did, Buggy -

A walk I did many times, back in the 80s and 90s. Well, once a year, anyway, to enjoy the Dukes and little blues. But I'm pretty sure I didn't see grizzled skippers there in those days. I went to Aston Rowant and Whitecross Green for those - and came across them occasionally in bits of Bernwood Forest. Either the grizzlies have spread or I wasn't so good at spotting them back then.

I used to see a few sporadic Dukes on the walk itself, between Ivinghoe Beacon and Tring.

Guy

[bugboy]

It's quite a trek from Tring station to Ivinghoe if that's what you did, Buggy - but it really seems to have been worth it for the variety you saw. There's much more about than when I was there a few weeks ago.

Dave

It is indeed Dave, a trek I've done many times now. at a stiff hiking pace it's about an hour but I do tend to dawdle and wander so anything from 2 to 4 hours but it's always worth it. If nothing else you get some great views

[bugboy]

It's quite a trek from Tring station to Ivinghoe if that's what you did, Buggy -

A walk I did many times, back in the 80s and 90s. Well, once a year, anyway, to enjoy the Dukes and little blues. But I'm pretty sure I didn't see grizzled skippers there in those days. I went to Aston Rowant and Whitecross Green for those - and came across them occasionally in bits of Bernwood Forest. Either the grizzlies have spread or I wasn't so good at spotting them back then.

I used to see a few sporadic Dukes on the walk itself, between Ivinghoe Beacon and Tring.

Guy

There are a few sheltered pockets of what to my eye's look like good Duke habitat along the route, riddled with Cowslip and well sheltered from the wind but despite much searching I've seen no sign of them, Grizzlies on the other hand are present in these spots, if in very small numbers. Dukes used to occur at Aldbury Nowers Nature Reserve as well (10 minute walk from Tring station) but sadly not anymore.

[bugboy]

29th May part 3

So after getting a good dose of Duke (and Duchess) action it was time to make a move. Now that the sun was out I was hoping I’d find some active Blues on my return although it was getting a bit late. En-route I did find a single Brown Argus and I watched a male Common Blue work his magic on a female (it took about 10 seconds for her to fall under his spell) but arriving at the spot where I’d found the 3 Lycids that morning there wasn't a sniff of anything resembling a butterfly. The only invertebrate to catch my eye was a Snail-eating Beetle casually wandering along.

On my back to the station I stopped off to check on the Orange-tip caterpillar that was poised to moult that morning (see part 1) and found him now sitting happily in his new skin.

As I walked along Orange-tip eggs and caterpillars were popping out before my eyes, at least twenty of each before I stopped counting. All the caterpillars were either 1st or 2nd instar.

Adults are still active here, this male was looking for a roosting spot but the sun kept waking him up when it peeked out from behind a cloud and whilst getting some shots of him I found myself another 6 legged lifer, a very handsome Wasp Beetle.

Despite the weathers best attempt at ruining my trip, it turned out to be rather a good day in the end

[Wurzel]

It looks like you had a cracking day Bugboy with some beautifully marked Dukes - especially in the penultimate Duke shot That's what I'll remember most about the spring of 2016 - having to cram as much as possible in when you can!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Yes it does to have been a very condensed spring doesn't it

6/6/16 Bentley Wood

An almost painfully early start (leaving the flat at 6am and I’m not a morning person) saw me heading deep into Wurzel country in search of the season’s first lifer, the Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary. The weather was again on my side with the lead up to this week off being a bit pants and then suddenly hot and sunny again.

I managed to get to the famous eastern clearing just after 10, after getting somewhat lost with various footpaths determined to lead me the wrong way but once I was on the main track through the centre of the wood it was easy. A couple of butterfliers were already there but nothing had been seen despite it already being very warm. I wandered around for a little while, seeing the occasional orangey butterfly flitting off in the distance (I suspected they were Pearls as they looked rather washed out) and was pleased to see, for the first time this year, what I would say were usual numbers of Speckled Woods rather than the odd one here and there.

I finally managed to catch up on one of those orangey butterflies I’d seen and indeed it was an aged PBF. It was engrossed in feeding so I took advantage whilst waiting for its smaller cousins to appear.

A little while later I heard a shout and was waved over as I approached the two butterfliers. They had found a freshly emerged female who was being very well behaved so here's my very first SPBF.

When she did fly it was obvious her wings hadn’t fully hardened, she was very floppy.

After getting my fill of my first SPBF I wandered off again and found a surprisingly well behaved Speckled Yellow and another PBF

I found a wasp doing something with a blob (it didn't seem to be trying to harm it and I wondered whether it was moving it's larvae for some reason, seems unlikely but I couldn't come up with any other theory) and a Mullein Moth Caterpillar.

SPBF were now quite active with perhaps half a dozen flitting around, all looking very fresh when I noticed a female sat quietly, whofting pheromones around. She looked very fresh again and was probably now older than a few hours. I filled my boots with her from all angles and as I was allowing another photographer a go, out of the bushes popped none other than Neil ‘the butterfly whisperer’ Hulme. I waved him over and (this probably doesn’t happen very often) pointed out a Fritillary to him.

As we chatted a couple of males flitted by, oblivious to the female’s presence but with the Butterfly Whisperer standing next to me I had high hopes we would get some action very soon. We did, the third fly by saw the male zone in immediately on the female, and with virtually no courtship, baby SPBF were being made before us.

The place was now filling up with butterfliers and word soon spread that a mating pair were displaying well. It was rather amusing how an orderly queue began to form for their attention, only in Britain!

If anything, by the afternoon it was probably too hot for them and any that were flying were supercharged so I decided it was time to make a move. I did find a rather lovely Carpet Moth, not sure what species it is but I’m leaning towards the Wood Carpet Epirrhoe rivata?.

A great day, well worth the stupid O’clock early start and not even ruined by tripping over on the walk back to the station into a bed of nettles!

[millerd]

That kind of early start isn't quite so painful when the sun is shining - and when you get to see Small Pearls for the first time. Lovely shots, especially the pair. Things like that do seem to happen with Neil around.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Great shots Bugboy - sorry the other bit of info didn't pay off - Alan Thornbury mentions it on his Blog
I read a report from the same day at Bentley on the Hampshire sightings page and it seems that the 'organised' queuing didn't last long and someone even tried to move it to get a better shot

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Great shots Bugboy - sorry the other bit of info didn't pay off - Alan Thornbury mentions it on his Blog
I read a report from the same day at Bentley on the Hampshire sightings page and it seems that the 'organised' queuing didn't last long and someone even tried to move it to get a better shot

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I just looked it up and had a read. That's really p****** me off, they caused the pair to split up just to get a better picture, morons

[bugboy]

7/6/16 Walthamstow Marshes

After yesterday’s long day I took a well-earned lay in and went for an afternoon stroll on my much neglected local patch, hoping to notch up a few of the commoner species for the year, top of the list was the Large Skipper. Things started of quietly with just a Small White lazily fluttering around. I did find a nest of caterpillars on some nettles, given the time of year I’m guessing they’re Peacock but I can confirm what Aglais they are in a week or two.

Not long after this a pale orangey butterfly caught my eye feeding in some Dogwood and once I got a clear view I found I was looking at my first Painted Lady of the year. It never came down but I managed a few decent record shots.

I found a Specklie holding a territory in a usual spot and a few Holly Blues were flitting along the hedgerows.

Next I found another (or perhaps the same) Painted Lady, this time obsessed with feeding up on Bramble blossom nectar. She was a little flighty but never flew too far away although she did insist on staying near the centre of the thicket for most the time. I could tell it was a female by the almost spherical abdomen!

At least 3 Holly Blues were active here, things seemed to be looking up after a very slow start for this species on my local patch. This was further proved when I came across half a dozen or so flitting not far away. 2 of them were actively oviposting females on an unknown legume. I’m pretty sure I’ve identified it in the past but can’t for the life of me remember, although Goat’s-rue Galega officinalis does ring a bell. I’m sure I can work it out when it flowers.

Every now and again a male would stumble on one of the females but he was quickly sent packing.

It was starting to cloud over but it stayed very warm and muggy and I was pleased to find a few male Common Blues active with a Latticed Heath nearby.

Crossing the river Lea onto Hackney Marshes I wandered through a few patches of set aside grassland, thick with Oxe-eye Daisies and Birds-foot Trefoil. Here several very fresh Common Blues were active as well as a couple of older Brown Argus.

One of the Common Blues had unfortunately come a cropper but it was interesting to note how it’s presence attracted the attention of the others, several times they would come over and feed after getting no reaction from the now deceased Blue.

A few Damselflies were about, this one being of the Blue-tailed variety Ishnura elegans

But the most exciting moment came shortly before I decided to make a move at the distant rumble of thunder. This is the first Small Heath I’ve seen here in the 7 years it's been my local patch, let’s hope it’s the first of many!

A pleasant and relaxing afternoon although rather surprising not to have seen any Large Skippers.

[millerd]

Your trip out was not unlike mine, Buggy - no Large Skippers here either! Good to see those Holly Blues active still as well, and laying on all sorts of things. I like those action shots, and you managed to track down the egg as well.

Dave

[bugboy]

Your trip out was not unlike mine, Buggy - no Large Skippers here either! Good to see those Holly Blues active still as well, and laying on all sorts of things. I like those action shots, and you managed to track down the egg as well.

Dave

It wasn't too hard to track down Dave, it was the egg being laid in the previous picture

[bugboy]

8/6/16 one site too many

Today was another attempt at getting a few more of the commoner species on my yearly tally so I went off to Surrey. My first stop was Bookham. It was quite cloudy but in the occasional sunny interval Speckled Woods were active.

The Blackthorn sucker my Brown Hairstreaks spent the winter on is now swamped in grass but I did find the Winter-cress which was laden in Orange-tip eggs on my last visit, today it was laden in Orange-tip caterpillars, 6 easily found

On my way to White Admiral Towers I found a nice Hoverfly

Leucozona lucorum

But my quest to find a post hibernation WA cat still draws a blank. I’m sure they are there laughing at me, there was still lots of freshly nibbled leaves but I couldn’t find a single culprit, Admiral or otherwise.

To prove that my eye’s do work though, on my way back I saw this little fella, approx. 2mm in length, perched on top of some Nettle flowers.

Micropterix aruncella

Next stop was Box Hill, only my second visit this year. Common Blues were living up to their name, being rather common (and being all males, rather blue). Sadly they weren’t stopping for man nor beast, the sun had come out and it had gone from very pleasant to very sweaty in a matter of seconds. I was taking a few orchid snaps to pass the time when a target species flopped by. It’s not often I see my first Meadow Brown before my first Large Skipper.

Small Heaths were as uncooperative as the blues and the one snap I did get was about to be binned when I noticed it was an ab. a partial double eyespot, shame I didn’t notice earlier or I would have been a bit more persistent!

A holly Blue and a few more Speckled Woods later and I come down to Zigzag Road where the Silver-spotted Skippers hang out. I was hoping to find some Small Blues here since I’ve only seen 3 or 4 so far this year but the first thing to catch my eye was a tiny golden orange missile. My first Large Skipper gave me the run-around and I only managed a handful of record shots.

Next I found myself the centre of attention and made myself a new BFF. The mud from Bookham seemed especially tasty

As did my sweat

And even my camera, I just couldn’t get rid of him and he even sat on my hand when I went off after another Large Skipper. I finally left him in the sun

And found myself a remarkable well behaved Small Heath

Some slightly less active Common Blues (he didn't get anywhere)

An aged Brown Argus

And Twyblades being pollinated.

Final stop of the day was Denbies and I was glad of the shade as I walked along the North Downs Way. I was also pleased to see Speckled woods in numbers, I’ve missed seeing sparring males swirling up into the canopy

A few more Meadow Browns were learning how to fly in the sun

And then I arrived at Denbies at almost exactly the same time as a huge thunder cloud. The sun disappeared, rumbles were heard, I weighed up the possibilities of it passing against the risk of me wandering across a hillside with a metallic thing draped around my neck, I put on my rain coat and arrived at Box Hill train station an hour later somewhat wet, oh well .

[Wurzel]

That Small Heath is remarkably well behaved all the ones I'm finding are gone soon as look at them, they're working their way back to 'most annoying butterfly' status in my book!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Some excellent images there, Bugboy. I like the different 'slant' you incorporate - a little more context, a little less butterfly!

[Pauline]

Great accounts of your findings in your recent posts Buggy (as usual ). Your diary is always such an interesting and informative read. Re WA cats, I suspect many are (or are preparing to be) pupa by now. I have found many WA cats in the wild over the last few years but I have never found a WA pupa. It was thought at one time that they pupate only on Honeysuckle but I am not so sure about that now. I have started to search a little more widely, including on the Hawthorn which is so often entangled with the Honeysuckle.

[Sonam Dorji]

Hi Bugboy,

The speckled Wood butterfly seems similar to Small Tawny Wall from Bhutan. The color looks different but the shape and maybe the size is same as well. Anyways, great info and am going through your past posts. Get to learn a lot.

rgds,
Sonam