www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Yesterday (Saturday) i spent the day at Eynsford in Kent, the target species being DGF and MW's.
I arrived at approx 11.00am...but didnt leave until just past 8.00pm...so, 9 hours, out in the field!
Wall to wall sunshine, didnt really help in trying to get close to the DGF's, so i had to wait until late evening, before they started to come in to roost.
No cloud around 7.00pm, so the DGF's still carried on basking, whilst most of the other species were all at roost.
I would say, there could have been 20+ males in the area, but they were definitely the last ones to bed!

I shot 100's of images (2 cameras) so need to go through them all later, an pick out the "good ones", but heres a few to start with.
Cheers Paul. No images are cropped.

When the DGF's are not on the Knapweed, they like the Red Clover. Quite hard to find the DGF's in the long grasses, this one shares a roosting spot with a probable Small Skipper. This one is still basking beyond 7.30pm!! Both male and female MW's were quite active, an probably 100+ in numbers.

Testudo Man wrote:...Quite hard to find the DGF's in the long grasses, this one shares a roosting spot with a probable Small Skipper.

Nice set of images, TM.

From what I can see, I think your skipper is most likely an Essex.

Jack Harrison wrote:..There has been a major influx of Painted Ladies to north east Scotland.1...Not all are as fresh as this one!

That one probably went the long way round, Jack!

There were hundreds of PLs about in NW Italy last week, so with easterly winds for much of this week, I expect many, many more will arrive on our shores.

Little doubt that 2019 will become a bumper "Painted Lady" year. August/Spetember should be vintage.

Jack

Jack Harrison wrote:Little doubt that 2019 will become a bumper "Painted Lady" year...

Jack

I saw 16 on my local patch near Heathrow this morning, despite sunless muggy overcast conditions with spots of rain. I think this could well be more than I've seen here in all the years since 2009 combined: It looks like a major influx is underway.

Dave

I have just been outside at work in Basingstoke for 5 minutes and watched 3 Painted Ladies fly past in a west northwesterly direction. They are still on their way!

Yesterday at Widewater Lagoon, Lancing on the Sussex coast I counted 6 Painted Lady during the day. Then, while out for a walk along the seafront in the evening I saw two more butterflies spiraling in the air at 21.13. This happened a couple of times, with the victor returning to his perch high on a fence. He continued to take flight even though it was cloudy and just a few minutes before sunset.
The temperature at the time was 20C with hardly any wind.

The previous day I also found an ancient male Peacock still holding territory.
Vince

In the last great PL year, 2016, I had one come to light in the moth trap!

Jack

40 ,Painted Ladies reported at Dungeness Bird Observatory yesterday (23rd),and apparently ,numbers rising by the day !
Regards Allan.W.

As an add on to the above post ,about 2 hours ago the Romney marsh countryside project leader counted 120 Painted Ladies,on a short cycle jaunt on Romney Marsh (Kent )……………………………. They,re coming !!
Allan.W.

Plenty of Painted Lady’s in Essex too, despite dull muggy conditions. But they are mostly worn, tired adults. Anyone else noticed this? Compare with Clouded Yellows, which often arrive in mint condition.

This looks like a very promising season we are on, given the numbers of Painted ladies and the various fritts Really happy to follow the thread and its amazing content. Congrats to all.
At the moment, I see some tired blues, a bit more Marbled whites and also some fresh Meadow browns. Probably some skippers this week with the sun back in bristol. Photos are Sunday 23rd, Eastwood Farm local Nature Reserve, Bristol.
nice week to all !

Jack Harrison wrote:Little doubt that 2019 will become a bumper "Painted Lady" year. August/Spetember should be vintage.

Let's hope so, Jack. From what I saw in NW Italy, there are thousands heading north right now.

Painted Lady probably third most common butterfly at Ranscombe reserve in North Kent (after Meadow Brown and Marbled White). The PLs are having a good year around here, in keeping with everywhere else it seems. They seem very pale and this fits in with the likelihood of them being rather tired cross-Channel migrants.

Also seems a very good year around here for Peacock larvae: every nettle patch is festooned with colonies of them. Never seen so many. Not so good for the Small Tortoiseshell, have seen hardly any until today (saw three adults, looking newly emerged). Numbers of Common Blues and Large/Small Whites also down after last year’s bonanza. Ringlets and Small Heaths about in good numbers, also have seen a couple of DGFs. Yet to see any White Admirals, SWFs or Gatekeepers, may still be too early around here.

Mating pair of Silver-washed Fritillary (female form valezina) seen 25/6/19 near Hailsham, East Sussex. Downland boy.



http://eastsussexwanderer.blogspot.co.uk

downland boy wrote:Mating pair of Silver-washed Fritillary (female form valezina) seen 25/6/19 near Hailsham, East Sussex. Downland boy.



http://eastsussexwanderer.blogspot.co.uk

Fantastic downland boy. Not many Silver-washed around yet from what I have read.

ATB
Peter

On my local patch in the Norton Green area today I came across a Ringlet with no ocelli on both pairs of wings. I don't know how unusual this is. Has anyone else come across this variation?

ATB
Peter

downland boy wrote:Mating pair of Silver-washed Fritillary (female form valezina) seen 25/6/19 near Hailsham, East Sussex.

Fantastic shot, DB. Never seen that before.

That mating pair of SWF is superb! Certainly none out on my walk today in Belfairs Nature Reserve, likewise White Admirals. Shouldn't be long now...

Aside from the first few Ringlets of the year, I can only contribute this wonderful female Meadow Brown from today:
Next stop Dartmoor on Sunday!

Tom

Bookham today, 4 new species for the year, here's a sneak peek, full details coming to a PD near you sometime in the future! (Millerd might get there before me )