David M

[David M]

A look back at 2019

Summer….

The weather conditions during the first ten days or so in June were reasonable, and I managed to spot my first Meadow Brown on 6th and my first Large Skippers on 9th:

However, due to my visit to the Italian Alps on 15th June, I didn’t venture out in the UK again until 27th, where an extremely early start allowed me to find a small number of High Brown Fritillaries at their only Welsh site:

Present that day were my first Ringlets of the year:

I did manage to see White Letter Hairstreak too at Loughor, but the several individuals observed were constantly flying around the tree canopy.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Dave a nice look back to Summer and things to come Goldie

[David M]

Thanks, Goldie.

Yes, only a few weeks to go now. If we don't get any real cold weather I reckon my bulbs will be out before the end of the month!

A look back at 2019

Summer cont….

My annual fortnight in France coincides with what I consider to be peak butterfly period in the UK, i.e. the first two weeks of July.
As ever, when I returned I had plenty of catching up to do.

First up were Marbled Whites at Whiteford Burrows on the north Gower coast on 14 July:

Also present were Small Skippers:

Highlight of the day was undoubtedly this beautiful female Dark Green Fritillary who I spent about 20 minutes with as she pottered about the dunes:

It wasn’t until the following weekend that I caught up with Hedge Browns. There were a few in the orchard at the top of Castle Meadows:

Essex Skippers were about too:

On the meadows themselves I saw this lustrous summer brood Peacock

The highlight though was the first Marbled White I’ve ever seen in this part of Wales, although it was nearing the end of its flight period:

[trevor]

You are very lucky to have High Brown Fritillaries close to home, David.
Apparently they were found on Ashdown Forest some years ago, about 15 miles from home.
Now your local population is probably one of the closest to me.

Have a great new season ( when it arrives ),
Trevor.

[David M]

Thanks, Trevor. Yes, whilst I miss out on the chalk downland species here in south Wales, compensation is provided by way of Marsh, Small Pearl Bordered and especially High Brown Fritillaries.

Pleased to share that they had a good year in 2019.

A look back at 2019

Summer cont….

Late July gave me a chance to catch up with Graylings on the Gower coast prior to decamping to Spain for 9 days:

When I came back, I was struck by how things had an end of season look to them, something which seems to be increasingly common these last few years. My first major outing in August was on 15th, a trip to Pembrokeshire in the hope of seeing Brown Hairstreaks.

This time of year is now usually when I see my first home-grown Silver Washed Fritillaries:

It was nice to see a few vanessids on the wing, with encouragingly decent numbers of Small Tortoiseshells and Painted Ladies:

This ridiculously blue female icarus was also a welcome sight:

I only got to see one female betulae on this visit, but she was mint fresh:

Like at many other UK locations, this species was scarce in 2019, and a further visit to the site on August Bank Holiday Monday returned a blank; the first time this has happened in my visits at this peak period for the females.

[Goldie M]

Some cracking shots David Love the Hair Streak , what a beauty Goldie

[essexbuzzard]

Seconded. That’s a fantastic Brown Hairstreak!

[David M]

Thanks, Both. Yes, she was immaculate, but sadly one of only 4 I saw in 2019. It was a dismal year for them everywhere seemingly.

[Neil Freeman]

Some nice reminders of summer days in your recent reports David and something to look forward to

Cheers,

Neil.

[David M]

Some nice reminders of summer days in your recent reports David and something to look forward to

Thank you, Neil. Yes, plenty to look forward to now February has dawned. I can feel a real spring in my step!

[David M]

A look back at 2019

Autumn….

Autumn 2019 will be mainly remembered for a feast of Painted Ladies and precious few Brown Hairstreaks.

I have been visiting the main Welsh site for betulae in Pembrokeshire since 2010, and this year was the worst ever in terms of adult sightings. Having only seen one during August, I suppose I should have been grateful for the three I encountered on 8th September, even though all were showing signs of wear:

Yet strangely, I managed to find 40 eggs which is a decent return in early September, so goodness knows why the adults were so difficult to find.
September is also a month where certain species bow out, such as Hedge Browns, Small Skippers & Common Blues, and are replaced by late emerging vanessids & migrants.

After a poorish year, Red Admiral numbers suddenly increased significantly:

Painted Ladies were everywhere; I estimated on one occasion at Port Eynon dunes I saw well into 3 figures:

Even more pleasing was seeing a handful of Clouded Yellows:

I kept looking for Long Tailed Blues, especially after hearing that one had been spotted at Kenfig dunes about 20 miles down the coast, but sadly didn’t find any, although there were late Common Blues and even Brown Argus around:

The season wound down pretty quickly during October, with butterfly numbers withering on the vine by mid-month. I saw my final Speckled Wood on 6th October in Abergavenny:

My last butterfly of 2019 was a Red Admiral flying out to sea on 10th November at Port Eynon.

[David M]

Thursday 13th February - On the cusp....

This wet and stormy spell of weather is in direct contrast to the benign, mild and sunny conditions we had in 2019 in mid-February.

A brief lull in the winds and rain saw me nip out to Oystermouth Cemetery on the Gower and it felt pleasantly mild in the sunshine, with plenty of spring plants emerging:

No butterflies, unfortunately, although a quick visit to Limeslade Bay on the coast saw quite a few insects nectaring on the hebe, including three bumblebees:

The appearance of bumblebees is usually a pre-cursor to butterflies. When I see them in early spring, I can generally be confident that butterflies are likely to be around. However, I personally did not manage to find any, although all it will take is just one calm, sunny day with temperatures 8c or above to coax them out...

[MrSp0ck]

A look back at 2019

Autumn….

Autumn 2019 will be mainly remembered for a feast of Painted Ladies and precious few Brown Hairstreaks.

I have been visiting the main Welsh site for betulae in Pembrokeshire since 2010, and this year was the worst ever in terms of adult sightings. Having only seen one during August, I suppose I should have been grateful for the three I encountered on 8th September, even though all were showing signs of wear:

It seems to have been a bad year for sightings everywhere in 2019, all our egg counts are down on the previous year, but it seems where they are spreading its not as bad as on existing colonies. We did have 6 females in view at once on Featherbed Lane Verge, which is quite good for last year, there was also a good showing at Spring Park although nobody saw them, from the number of eggs on this new site. I found a cut piece of Blackthorn at Hutchinsons Bank yesterday it had 20 eggs on it.

[Matsukaze]

A look back at 2019

Autumn….

Autumn 2019 will be mainly remembered for a feast of Painted Ladies and precious few Brown Hairstreaks.

I have been visiting the main Welsh site for betulae in Pembrokeshire since 2010, and this year was the worst ever in terms of adult sightings. Having only seen one during August, I suppose I should have been grateful for the three I encountered on 8th September, even though all were showing signs of wear:

It seems to have been a bad year for sightings everywhere in 2019, all our egg counts are down on the previous year, but it seems where they are spreading its not as bad as on existing colonies. We did have 6 females in view at once on Featherbed Lane Verge, which is quite good for last year, there was also a good showing at Spring Park although nobody saw them, from the number of eggs on this new site. I found a cut piece of Blackthorn at Hutchinsons Bank yesterday it had 20 eggs on it.

Brown Hairstreaks in New Addington! I had not realised where this reserve was until now. I lived a few miles away at one point but had not discovered butterflies at the time. On my only return since I found a WLH egg on Selsdon Park golf course - 1 in 10 minutes compared with 1 in 10 years here in Somerset...

[MrSp0ck]

There are a few Mature Elms at Selsdon Park Golf Course, and dotted around the area so the White-Letter Hairstreaks are around these, we are lucky to have 4 of the 5 hairstreaks in good numbers now.

New Addington if you include Hutchinsons Bank as part of it has 40 species of butterfly, so not bad for Little Siberia or the Big A some of its other names.

We find WLH larvae every year on the ELm at the entrance to Chapel Bank NR.

[David M]

It seems to have been a bad year for sightings everywhere in 2019, all our egg counts are down on the previous year, but it seems where they are spreading its not as bad as on existing colonies...

Yes, MrSp0ck, betulae remained pretty aloof everywhere in the UK last year, seemingly.

The year before, they also behaved strangely, sticking rigidly to their normal flight period when just about every other species emerged early due to the abnormally hot summer.

I found a decent number of eggs however, so hopefully things will recover.

[MrSp0ck]

The year before we were finding eggs laid in weird positions on mature Blackthorn, in the shady north facing hedgerows and on Hawthorn. This winter every egg has been on the top join of a bud off the main stem of Blackthorn in a sunny location.

[David M]

Dates of first sightings 2020:

1. Comma - 16 March, Swansea Vale
2. Small Tortoiseshell - 16 March, Swansea Vale
3. Brimstone - 22 March, Cwm Ivy, nr. Llanmadoc, Gower
4. Peacock - 22 March, Cwm Ivy, nr. Llanmadoc, Gower
5. Holly Blue - 22 March, Cwm Ivy, nr. Llanmadoc, Gower
6. Small White - 25 March, Cwm Ivy, nr. Llanmadoc, Gower
7. Orange Tip - 25 March, Cwm Ivy, nr. Llanmadoc, Gower
8. Speckled Wood - 4 April, Lower Kilvey Hill, Swansea
9. Large White - 4 April, Lower Kilvey Hill, Swansea
10. Red Admiral - 8 April, Gelli-Hir Wood, Gower
11. Green-Veined White - 11 April, Welshmoor, Gower
12. Green Hairstreak - 21 April, Fairwood Common, Gower
13. Wall Brown - 22 April, Kilvey Hill, Swansea
14. Small Copper - 23 April, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
15. Dingy Skipper - 26 April, Swansea Vale
16. Small Heath - 26 April, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
17. Small Blue - 2 May, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
18. Brown Argus - 6 May, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
19. Common Blue - 9 May, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
20. Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary - 9 May, Fairwood Common, Gower
21. Marsh Fritillary - 10 May, Fairwood Common, Gower
22. Pearl Bordered Fritillary - 15 May, Ewyas Harold Common, Herefordshire
23. Wood White - 15 May, Haugh Wood, nr. Fownhope, Herefordshire
24. Duke of Burgundy - 15 May, Rodborough Common, nr. Stroud, Glos
25. Adonis Blue - 15 May, Rodborough Common, nr. Stroud, Glos
26. Meadow Brown - 25 May, Prior's Meadow, Gower, Swansea
27. Large Skipper - 28 May, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
28. Dark Green Fritillary - 31 May, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
29. High Brown Fritillary - 2 June, Alun Valley, nr. Ewenny, Glamorgan
30. Painted Lady - 2 June, Alun Valley, nr. Ewenny, Glamorgan
31. Small Skipper - 13 June, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
32. Silver Studded Blue - 15 June, Prees Heath, Shropshire
33. Large Heath - 15 June, Whixhall Moss, Shropshire
34. Marbled White - 19 June, Bernwood Meadows, Buckinghamshire
35. Black Hairstreak - 19 June, Bernwood Meadows, Buckinghamshire
36. Ringlet - 20 June, Bernwood Forest, Buckinghamshire
37. Silver Washed Fritillary - 20 June, Bernwood Forest, Buckinghamshire
38. White Admiral - 20 June, Bernwood Forest, Buckinghamshire
39. Large Blue - 24 June, Daneway Banks, nr. Sapperton, Glos
40. Purple Emperor- 25 June, Fermyn Woods, nr. Corby, Northants
41. Essex Skipper - 26 June, Mill Lane Orchard, Abergavenny
42. White Letter Hairstreak - 12 July, Glanymor Park, Loughor
43. Hedge Brown - 19 July, Alun Valley, nr. Ewenny, Glamorgan
44. Purple Hairstreak - 19 July, Alun Valley, nr. Ewenny, Glamorgan
45. Large Tortoiseshell - 22 July, Portland, Dorset
46. Chalkhill Blue - 22 July, Portland, Dorset
47. Lulworth Skipper - 22 July, Portland, Dorset
48. Brown Hairstreak - 22 July, Alner's Gorse, Dorset
49. Grayling - 29 July, Bracelet Bay, Gower, Swansea

Last UK butterfly sighting: Red Admiral - 11 Dec, Swansea Vale

UK butterflies seen on the continent in 2020 but NOT seen in the UK:

50. (Southern) Grizzled Skipper
51. Silver Spotted Skipper
52. Swallowtail
53. Mountain (Northern Brown) Argus
54. Heath Fritillary
55. Glanville Fritillary
56. Mountain Ringlet
57. Clouded Yellow

UK species not seen: Cryptic Wood White, Scotch Argus & Chequered Skipper

NON UK species seen in 2020:

French Alps:

58. Tufted Marbled Skipper
59. Large Grizzled Skipper
60. Safflower Skipper
61. Olive Skipper
62. Dusky Grizzled skipper
63. Red-underwing Skipper
64. Geranium Argus
65. Silvery Argus
66. Mazarine Blue
67. Glandon Blue
68. Idas Blue
69. Alpine Blue
70. Amanda's Blue
71. Damon Blue
72. Turquoise Blue
73. Eros Blue
74. Escher's Blue
75. Chapman's Blue
76. Cranberry Blue
77. Long tailed Blue
78. Ripart's Anomalous Blue
79. Purple-edged Copper
80. Sooty Copper
81. Scarce Copper
82. Sloe Hairstreak
83. Mountain Fritillary
84. Shepherd's Fritillary
85. Titania's Fritillary
86. Marbled Fritillary
87. Lesser Marbled Fritillary
88. Cynthia's Fritillary
89. Queen of Spain Fritillary
90. False Heath Fritillary
91. Spotted Fritillary
92. Knapweed Fritillary
93. Grisons Fritillary
94. Poplar admiral
95. Map
96. Great Banded Grayling
97. Pearly Heath
98. Dusky Heath
99. Chestnut Heath
100. Alpine Heath
101. False Mnestra Ringlet
102. Almond-eyed Ringlet
103. Common Brassy Ringlet
104. Large Ringlet
105. Blind ringlet
106. Dewy ringlet
107. Marbled Ringlet
108. Sooty Ringlet
109. Large Wall
110. Great Sooty Satyr
111. Scarce Swallowtail
112. Apollo
113. Small Apollo
114. Black-veined White
115. Berger's Clouded Yellow
116. Mountain Clouded Yellow
117. Moorland clouded yellow
118. Mountain Dappled White
119. Mountain Green-veined White
120. Peak White

Montes Universales, Spain:

121. Mediterranean Skipper
122. Mallow Skipper
123. Southern Marbled Skipper
124. Sage Skipper
125. Cinquefoil Skipper
126. Iberian Scarce Swallowtail
127. Purple-shot Copper
128. Iberian Sooty Copper
129. Spanish Purple Hairstreak
130. Blue-spot Hairstreak
131. Ilex Hairstreak
132. Lang's Short-tailed Blue
133. Southern Brown Argus
134. Spanish Argus
135. Mother-of-Pearl Blue
136. Azure Chalkhill Blue
137. Spanish Chalkhill Blue
138. Oberthur's Anomalous Blue
139. African Grass Blue
140. Cardinal
141. Twin-spot Fritillary
142. Lesser Spotted Fritillary
143. Provençal Fritillary
144. Southern White Admiral
145. Southern Gatekeeper
146. Spanish Gatekeeper
147. Dusky Meadow Brown
148. Oriental Meadow Brown
149. Zapater's Ringlet
150. Esper's Marbled White
151. Iberian Marbled White
152. Black Satyr
153. Rock Grayling
154. Tree Grayling
155. Striped Grayling
156. False Grayling
157. The Hermit
158. Southern Hermit
159. Bath White
160. Cleopatra

Total species seen in 2020 - 160

[Andrew555]

Well done on your first sighting David. And what a great 2019 roundup! Love your Fritillaries and Brown Hairstreak.

[Old Wolf]

Hello David, Snap! I too saw a Comma on 16th. In fact I saw two

Great to looking back at your 2019. I have never seen a HBF or BHS so enjoy looking at your pictures.