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Pauline wrote: I think I shall HAVE to get out my tripod if I am going to get any photos of these tiny critters but for now these are only hand held images:

I recommend trying out a monopod to steady your photos. These are much more 'flexible' than a tripod, as they are easily moved about, and can be tilted and twisted to get the right viewpoint. Of course, they are not rigid, like a tripod, but I find they give sufficient steadying effect to frame and focus my own macro shots.

Glad to know you coped with the adversities of the Winter and are looking forward to the new season

Mike

Thank you Mike - looking forward to some cracking shots of your OT emerging soon

Thank you too Mike. I might have mentioned that I have both monopod and tripod so guess I shall have to experiment to see which one feels best.

Like many folk today I took advantage of the gorgeous weather to try to repair some of the winter damage and neglect in the garden and I was delighted to see 3 Brimstones, 2 Male and 1 Female. I had hoped the female at least would settle long enough for a photo but although they reappeared throughout the day they were much too active.

Likewise a Red Admiral which was clearly just passing through but this Peacock stopped high up to enjoy the sun for quite some time:
Whilst looking for something in the garage I lifted down a box from a high shelf by a window and was gutted to find this:
Such a beautiful butterfly and one which I have spent a great deal of time in the past trying to track down. How did I never see it? Why did it not fly out (the garage door is open for some time each day)? So sad

Hi Pauline, hope you are well.

Shame about the Small Tortoiseshell, I have found a number of deceased individuals of both these and Peacocks in my garage over the years. Never known what has killed them, just the way of things unfortunately, still sad when you find them though.

Looking forward to see what you find this year.

Neil.

Glad you got to see some butterflies today Pauline, last year we found a deceased Peacock in our shed, these things just happen

Mike

Welcome back Pauline - good to see you're off the mark for the year Sorry the Small Tort didn't make it

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi Pauline

Good to see you back I look forward to reading your diary during 2014

Great to hear from you Neil and thank you for your comments. I know you will remember from my diary 2 years ago how hard I worked to find and photograph a ST so it was quite distressing to come across one like this.

I am pleased to hear that your Blackthorn is doing so well Mike - my plants seem way behind although I have taken Vince's advice and used fish, blood and bone so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Thank you Wurzel. Your diary has kept me entertained during the bleak months - don't know how you do it!

Hi Paul, glad to hear from you - it will be good to compare notes as many of us are doing this hand-rearing thing for the first time. I shall start with my very first photo below of my 'nursery' which is surprisingly roomy and wasn't too expensive. I need to be careful as my hens are free range and I know from bitter experience with my Large White larva from last year that the hens can see and kill the caterpillars through the netting.

I'd forgotten how magical it is just to stand in the midst of a mass of butterflies with the sun on my back. I have never seen so many Commas in such a small area and found it difficult to drag myself away. Several of the butterflies persisted in landing on my hair - whether the colour attracted them or whether it just needs a good wash I'm not sure . A few photos from today:

I have to agree with you there Pauline, I saw around 30 on the Isle of Wight, they are also visiting the garden as well almost daily. It is great to think they have survived the wet winter weather in good numbers and in this spell of good weather should have time to produce a good egg lay. I have however not seen a Red Admiral for weeks now, I wonder if the rain hit any that stayed over the winter quite hard. Should be good for getting out if you can over the next few days.

Regards
Mike

Great start back Pauline - great shots - you haven't lost your touch over the winter months, I especially like the last shot, lush

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Great to hear from you Mike. 30 Commas certainly sounds impressive - my total was probably nearer half that but I didn't need to move an inch to watch them all. 8-9 in the air at any one time with many others visible on bracken and bramble, just enjoying the sun and landing on me . I've been reading your diary with interest. I reckon that with your experience the butterfly with the unconfirmed identity was almost certainly a LT - just wish I knew exactly where you were at that time as I have never seen one (great Red Squirrel pic too).

Thank you for the compliment Wurzel. I have to agree that the last shot is my favourite too. Today I took a walk in the sun over Noar Hill - not butterfly hunting as such, just enjoying the sunshine and the presence of the 5 usual suspects. I was pleased to see many ST, all very much alive but this is the 4th time this month I have failed to get a shot of a Red Admiral. A few snapshots from today - everything was too active to get close up.

Cold, grey and drizzling here today so time to update my diary. First of all a massive thanks to Vince and Mike who have both been giving me timely and detailed advice to ensure the best outcome for my BH eggs. It would seem some eggs are emerging early and/or being predated so having been urged to take action today I have tied the eggs to Blackthorn. Unfortunately the plants I purchased earlier this year have not developed as well as I'd hoped. However, the plant that Vince kindly gave me at Christmas is most advanced so is now home to 3 eggs. One egg has each been attached to my best two plants; last year I bought and planted a couple of Blackthorn and despite being in total shade, one of them is fairly well developed so 2 eggs have been attached to this and covered with a sleeve. The remaining eggs have been attached to branches of Blackthorn collected this morning from the wild and stood in water - so hedging my bets is the best way to describe it. I don't know if I am doing the right things in the right way but all I can do now is monitor closely, keep my fingers crossed, hope and wait. I have tried to take some photos (either hand held or with a monopod - can't find the little bit that attaches my tripod to the camera, again!). They are nowhere near as good as some photos I have seen recently but are included for the record - and hopefully I can improve on this once the tripod is up and running.

Hi Pauline,

This early egg hatch has caught everybody out this year, so I'm pleased to see your timely intervention.

Are you certain that the sprigs in the bottles are Blackthorn?, because they look a bit like Hawthorn to me. Could you post a close-up?, or perhaps someone could supply a second opinion. Also, could I suggest that you trim off all side branches from the OLD egg-bearing twigs because this will save the hatching caterpillar from exploring potential dead ends when looking for a leaf bud on the living plant.

Please continue to keep us all updated on progress and don't be afraid to ask for advice.

Vince

Thank you Vince - I have never been very good with plants so I hope someone (anyone) can let me know one way or the other whether this is Hawthorn or Blackthorn as I might need to make another quick dash to Noar Hill. Close up below:

Hi Pauline, I am sure that this is Hawthorn, although a second opinion would be welcome from anyone out there. Keep an eye on those particular eggs in case they show signs of hatching before you get replacement plants.

Vince

Pauline/Vince, I think thats Hawthorn, the thorns have buds on them on Blackthorn.

Mike

Thanks Mike , but I think I have confused myself and everybody else. The image indeed shows what appears to be a Hawthorn stem, because, as you point out, Blackthorns have lateral buds on their thorns http://www.wildlifeinsight.com/Insight/?p=3563 . However looking again at the original wide image, there are buds on the thorns (and also on the new image that Pauline has just sent me), so these must be Blackthorns!**

Also, for information, the larger, rounder buds may be flowers while the pointy buds should be leaves. I'm not sure if Brown Hairstreak larvae will feed from a flower bud (but I know that other species do). The only way of avoiding flower buds is to take cuttings from a young plant which is not mature enough to produce flowers.

I think it's now just a question of waiting to see what happens.

Vince

**EDIT** After viewing both species in the wild the following day I have come to the conclusion that this is actually Hawthorn. It seems that the website link that I posted did not fully explain all the possible variations exhibited by Hawthorn and the similarities it sometimes shares with Blackthorn. The round buds are indeed flower buds, but they also contain developing leaves (Blackthorns have separate flower and leaf buds). The final confirmation was provided by Pauline when I asked her to dissect a round bud and describe the contents. Got there in the end

Hi Pauline,

I have no idea if it is Blackthorn or Hawthorn but good luck anyway, I am looking forward to see what happens.

All the best,

Neil.

Thank you so much guys for your help and input. If my photos had been clearer in the first instance I could have saved all of this debate and confusion. However, a dash back to Noar Hill for more Blackthorn resulted in splendid close up view of an owl (which I haven't seen for years in the wild) so all was not wasted. It's good to know you are looking out for me and the eggs and I only hope the rest of the process goes a bit more smoothly without too many traumas, disasters or panics

Needing a break from my poorly executed 'maternal' duties I decided to take a brief stroll in Stanstead forest in the hope that I might see a newly emerged OT or be lucky enough to spot an OT pupa. These were the only butterflies I saw in the short time I was there: