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Bertl wrote: ↑Wed Jul 15, 2020 7:51 pm Painted lady in my garden

Looks like a fresh one too, Bertl. Not seen too many this year so hopefully this is a precursor to a new wave of them.

Headed to Portland to connect with Grayling. Happy to say they didn't disappoint.

Lovely large tortoiseshell, Stevie - that really lifts my spirits.

I was in woods on the sandlings today, enjoying the abundant purple hairstreaks, when one female chose to indulge herself and take some bramble nectar. I very rarely see this species nectaring. She was poorly placed for photos, but here is the proof:



Most of the others were high in the oaks and even worse placed for photos:



Guy

Love the way you nonchalantly slipped that Large Tortoiseshell in amongst your Graylings, Stevie. If I lived a little nearer I'm pretty sure I'd make the journey myself.

Chalkhill Blue, Lulworth Skipper, Large Tortoiseshell and Grayling - all butterflies I can never expect to see in the most southern tip of Derbyshire so I like to see the photos that are shared and imagine the excitement at them being seen.

I have had a fantastic couple of days with the appearance of the sun (and getting on top of my work affording me a little butterfly time). More common butterflies but nevertheless I was absolutely thrilled to see my first Gatekeeper of the year yesterday. Today I saw a Marbled White which I had yet to see in my area. You should have heard my exclamation of delight as it flew by at great speed!

Living in the north of Scotland I dream of getting some travel done next year to many habitats down south to add to my sightings list.

Padfield wrote: ↑Fri Jul 17, 2020 5:27 pm...She was poorly placed for photos, but here is the proof

Yep. No doubt about that one, Guy.

Interesting that the proboscis is a yellowish colour, like that of iris.

It Seems the Large Tortoiseshell is now a resident species, at least in Portland, and most probably elswhere.

Had 2 Clouded Yellows today at Hutchinsons Bank

Mrs w-album has been doing her work in our local meadow:



Guy

Two gatekeepers seen today.Is one an aberration or just worn?

The large whites are particularly impressive at the moment.

So envious of all your images of White Letter Hairstreaks. the nearest colony to where I live in south Wales sees them remain firmly wedded in the tree canopy.

Paid a visit last Sunday (12th) but the best I could do was this, even though there were at least half a dozen in the tree:

I spent a really enjoyable couple of hours this morning in amongst a northern Brown Argus colony in north of Scotland. I would really like to thank Jack H for sharing the location with me. Your directions were spot on Jack. Great to see this butterfly for first time. There were also a few Small Heaths flying around,

Surprised to find this White-letter Hairstreak just 5 minutes from my home (Melksham). Unfortunately I didn't have my camera so my phone had to suffice!!

A return trip to Darland Banks, Gillingham, Kent on Friday, in search of more Chalk Hill Blues, saw a steady increase in numbers, but not big numbers/clouds of them. 10+ females were sighted, an I guess the males had doubled from the previous visit, 5 days earlier. I didnt get on site until gone 3.30pm, an stayed until beyond 8.00pm. A pair of mating 2nd brood Small Blues were seen, Common Blue numbers were increasing too.

The highlight was sighting a very probable Gynandromorph dual sex Chalk Hill Blue it was flying eratic, 1st thoughts from a distance were- a mating pair?...then no, a male? then a female?...back to a mating pair?? As it got closer, it was clearly just the single butterfly, but it showed both signs/colouration of both sexs…I got the camera ready...but just as i was about to focus on this confusing butterfly, it took off, high over some tall trees, an was gone!
Some highlights of those beautiful female CHB's, an a couple of the males(from the previous visit). Cheers Paul.

Female CHB, images are not cropped.
Male CHB, images are cropped some.

There's a decent patch of wild mint quite close to the stream at the western border of our local field.

There's nothing quite like it on a warm summer's morning because not only can it be alive with butterflies but it also smells sooooo good.

In the space of 3 minutes, I saw the following species nectaring on the purple flowers that cover say an 8ft x 6 ft patch.

Common Blue (2), Brown Argus (3), Small Copper (1), Gatekeeper (4-5), Meadow Brown (2), Comma (1), Small Skipper (2), Large Skipper (3), Small White (2), Green Veined White (3), Ringlet (1). Behind this, in the nettles/brambles closer to the stream there was a Holly Blue, a Red Admiral and 2 Comma plus more Grekeeper, MB and Ringlet.

Extending my walk to Sayers Common, I saw a lot of Speckled Woods and good numbers of Red Admiral and Peacock. Marbled White numbers seem to be reduced a lot on the Weald (although I recall last year thinking this and then still seeing good numbers up on the Downs).

Haven't seen a Small Tortoiseshell for weeks now, since the very welcome mini-glut.

On Friday evening I saw quite a few Purple Hairstreaks on a much smaller oak tree in the hedgerow. Still not quite low enough to get decent snaps though unfortunately.

Plenty of Silver-washed Fritillaries at Llynclys Hill yesterday. And Commas!

renewed my Grafham Water car park permit for a year ( the lady let me have an extra month as well ) ... so had a wander round the lagoons area. teazles doing very well this season, and hosting large numbers of Peacocks ( and the odd Brimstone )

Gatekeepers also very abundant... a great year for them.

Small Coppers here and there as well...

Bertl:

northern Brown Argus colony in north of Scotland. I would really like to thank Jack H

I didn't find it. I was tipped off by another ukb contributor "K" altrhough it wasn't found quite where I had been told but nearby.

Jack

In Deep Dene today checking out the Grayling I came across a Small Copper ab. schmidtii. Not easy getting photos as it was continuously being disturbed by the countless Mecyna flavalis and Chalkhill Blues.