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Re: Maximus
Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 10:16 pm
by David M
Whilst not an out and out Painted Lady 'year', this species seems to be fairly widespread in 2015. I shall keep a sharp eye out for it over the coming weeks.
Re: Maximus
Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2015 5:47 pm
by Pauline
Some really lovely shots there Mike of Painted Lady. I must try to pay that site another visit as it seems to be delivering quite regularly
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
Re: Maximus
Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2015 7:21 pm
by Neil Freeman
Hi Mike,,
A lovely selection of Painted Ladies, I particularly like the first one with the dark markings. Also the beautiful Peacock in the previous post
Cheers,
Neil
Re: Maximus
Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 8:31 pm
by Maximus
Thanks Dave, the first Painted Lady was beautifully marked, which you spotted straight away
Glad you liked the last one Wurzel, it was great against the sky
Definitely not the Painted Lady year that was forecast, David, but there a quite a few about none the less
As you've shown with your photos, Pauline, MHD is a great site to visit at any time
Thanks Neil, the first Painted Lady had very dark markings and was a real stunner
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
so was the Peacock
In addition to the Painted Ladies, we also saw the following species during our recent visit to Magdalen Hill Down.
![P1200810.jpgA.Resize.JPG (936.76 KiB) Viewed 609 times Male Small Blue](./files/thumb_11970_a38c9501dec447a25c763ee55aa407a8)
- Male Small Blue
![P1200843.Resize.JPG (1.03 MiB) Viewed 609 times Female Small Blue on Kidney Vetch](./files/thumb_11970_22f3b53f4b54099ca0e5cc77a79ee637)
- Female Small Blue on Kidney Vetch
![P1210396.Resize.JPG (784.94 KiB) Viewed 609 times Second brood Small Blues, including two mating pairs](./files/thumb_11970_08b78e9717efcffc45563ece9ca4c074)
- Second brood Small Blues, including two mating pairs
![P1200885.Resize.JPG (884.04 KiB) Viewed 609 times Plenty of second brood Holly Blue - but hard to get any shots](./files/thumb_11970_69b0f3a0d0c327007cd08aeaa5e0620e)
- Plenty of second brood Holly Blue - but hard to get any shots
![P1210370.Resize.JPG (912.6 KiB) Viewed 609 times Mating Gatekeepers](./files/thumb_11970_3fa6d9aa3d8f360459edafcee6d95962)
- Mating Gatekeepers
![P1200853.Resize.JPG (970.95 KiB) Viewed 609 times Red Admiral - var. bialbata](./files/thumb_11970_93909518c878a301339bdf558a3606de)
- Red Admiral - var. bialbata
Re: Maximus
Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 11:47 pm
by Maximus
Returning from a short break, (non butterfly), we discovered that our garden was host to some second generation Holly Blues. I don't find it particularly easy to get good photos of them as they're always so active, but did manage a few shots. There were both male and female present, but they were not keen to open their wings as the weather was never quite right. They were nectaring on both bramble and another small shrub which has just begun flowering in our garden, not sure what it is!
Re: Maximus
Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2015 2:24 pm
by Goldie M
Lovely Holly Blues Max and your Small Blues are great too, I don't think I've seen mating Gate Keepers before at least since I've been home they've put in an appearance so I'll look more closely.Goldie
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: Maximus
Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2015 5:54 am
by Pauline
Fabulous Holly Blue shots Mike. I love the one on the blackberry - very autumnal. Your shots are always so well composed with backgrounds which complement
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: Maximus
Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 7:55 pm
by Maximus
Re: Maximus
Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 9:27 pm
by Wurzel
Just catching up Mike - great Blues - Small, Holly and he last one the Common looks like it's almost crying in the rain
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: Maximus
Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 2:43 pm
by Goldie M
Love the colour of the Common Blue Mike Goldie
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: Maximus
Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 8:19 pm
by Butterflysaurus rex
Some great Small and Holly Blue photos there Mike!
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
I liked your sequence of Painted Ladies too.
All the best
James
Re: Maximus
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2015 11:13 pm
by Maximus
Thanks Wurzel, the Common Blue was crying in the rain, so was I
Common Blues are underrated Goldie, they're beautiful butterflies
Thanks James
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
a couple more painted Ladies to follow
On a recent visit to Noar Hill, our first for a while, we bumped into Pauline at the top of the track. After a quick chat and catch up we headed into the reserve looking for Brown Hairstreaks. It wasn't long before we saw one in flight but that was it, however another enthusiast showed us a photo of a male taken on his mobile, which we had just missed
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
Fortunately Noar Hill supports a fabulous variety of butterfly species so we relaxed and just enjoyed some of these
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Brown Hairstreaks seem to be emerging later this year, so we'll make a return visit very soon, weather permitting?
![P1210604.jpgA.Resize.JPG (886.89 KiB) Viewed 494 times Very few Brimstones compared to last year](./files/thumb_11970_ca981a1243562f23ee94a81eaa3b885c)
- Very few Brimstones compared to last year
![P1210643.Resize.JPG (940.98 KiB) Viewed 494 times Obliging Small Heath - up off the ground for once!](./files/thumb_11970_b198e7629c3143d8adfe0b7688da4bde)
- Obliging Small Heath - up off the ground for once!
![P1210622.Resize.JPG (933.34 KiB) Viewed 494 times Meadow Brown, chilled for a change](./files/thumb_11970_079c9b187a0f6ed6e6a64ac56e265512)
- Meadow Brown, chilled for a change
![P1210693.Resize.JPG (1.22 MiB) Viewed 494 times Red Admirals seen in low numbers this year](./files/thumb_11970_44e1569ca9820c5cc31b2caa6df157db)
- Red Admirals seen in low numbers this year
![P1210625.Resize.JPG (921.46 KiB) Viewed 494 times Common Blue mating pair](./files/thumb_11970_7a52e3a8933c06778900b9a850f66950)
- Common Blue mating pair
![P1210050.Resize.JPG (1.04 MiB) Viewed 494 times The first Small Blue I've ever seen at Noar Hill!](./files/thumb_11970_e6ac1e54d139e4523c3cd9c7889e465a)
- The first Small Blue I've ever seen at Noar Hill!
![P1210054.Resize.JPG (1.07 MiB) Viewed 494 times Fresh Essex Skipper](./files/thumb_11970_e50fadc6d51d0e1655f8c9fcc7efd76a)
- Fresh Essex Skipper
![P1210655.Resize.JPG (1.39 MiB) Viewed 494 times Two lovely Painted Ladies, the second one really fresh, however the promised 'invasion' has yet to happen!](./files/thumb_11970_b9aea694ba10427817d6e3d55d8e510b)
- Two lovely Painted Ladies, the second one really fresh, however the promised 'invasion' has yet to happen!
Re: Maximus
Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 5:12 am
by trevor
HI Mike,
Lovely selection of summer species, and images to match. BHS. has avoided me this year too.
For me Red Admiral sightings have been average, but Small Tortoiseshell only seen in low numbers.
Good BHS.hunting
TREVOR.
Re: Maximus
Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2015 8:39 pm
by Maximus
Re: Maximus
Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2015 2:02 pm
by Goldie M
Fantastic photos especially the mating pair Mike Goldie
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: Maximus
Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2015 9:23 pm
by Wurzel
Carcking shots Mike
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
Silver-washed do seem to be holding on this year whereas the Small Tortoiseshells seem to have disappeared
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: Maximus
Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 8:02 pm
by Maximus
Thanks Goldie, we were surprised by the mating pair, as it was quite late in the season
Thanks Wurzel, SW Frits are doing ok this year, but Small Torts are very thin on the ground
Especially for Jamie Burston, I finally found the record shot of our only reared Purple Hairstreak of 2015, a female, in the rearing cage just before release.
Re: Maximus
Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 8:20 pm
by David M
Beautiful specimen.
Re: Maximus
Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 10:54 pm
by Jamie Burston
Maximus wrote:Especially for Jamie Burston, I finally found the record shot of our only reared Purple Hairstreak of 2015, a female, in the rearing cage just before release.
Thank you so much Mike! That just made my day
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
What a beauty, really stunning with the glossy sheen, great job!
To answer your question about the flowering plant in the garden with the Holly Blue, it is a Snowberry bush. I found out from Susie that females will also lay their eggs on it, with it being a great year for them it might be worth checking for emerging larva.
Many thanks, Jamie
Re: Maximus
Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 7:45 pm
by Goldie M
Fantastic Purple Hair Streak Max , love it Goldie
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)