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Today I planned to stay at home (apart from shopping trips) and make preparations for a family get together tomorrow but slaving over a hot stove on such a cracking day didn't hold much appeal as I watched painted ladies fly over the garden. Finally in mid-afternoon I could stand it no more and headed for Southwater for a quick walk around. There were good numbers of speckled wood and meadow brown around but the white admirals and silver washed fritillary (and dare I hope for His Imperial Purpleness) seemed too much to hope for. I put it down to bad timing on my part and headed for home, happy at least that I had my first large skippers and ringlet of the season. On the last part of my walk back I saw a flash of orange sparring with something briefly. It was flying in my direction and my hopes were confirmed, it wasn't a comma or a red admiral, it was a freshly emerged silver washed fritillary. He sat on the ground several times but only for split seconds and I didn't get close enough for a photo but he raised my spirits immensely. Definitely my butterfly of the day



1. Red Admiral
2. Brimstone
3. Peacock
4. Small Tortoiseshell
5. Small White
6. Orange Tip
7. Comma
8. Holly blue
9. Large white
10. Green veined white
11. Green hairstreak
12. Speckled wood
13. Pearl Bordered Fritillary
14. Duke of Burgundy
15. Dingy Skipper
16. Small Heath
17. Small Blue
18. Common Blue
19. Small Copper
20. Grizzled Skipper
21. Adonis Blue
22. Silver Studded Blue
23. Meadow Brown
24. Painted Lady
25. Large Skipper
26. Ringley
27. Silver Washed Fritillary

Yesterday morning I went back to iping to have a last look this year at the silver studs. With a hot wind blowing across the heath, the constant crack of the gorse pods popping, and warm sand under my feet I could have been abroad. It certainly didn't feel like England. The silver studded blues are still around in good numbers and I saw about a dozen mating pairs so hope for a good showing next year too. In the afternoon I went to southwater with the dog and husband. There were about three silver washed fritillary and my first two white admiral of the year.

Another painted lady flew over the garden too.

A quick walk around Southwater Woods this morning with daughter and dog turned up all the usual suspects. Silver washed fritillary and white admiral numbers continue to grow. I didn't see any purple hairstreaks but did see one purple emperor coming down to a damp patch on the path and then gliding around low. Didn't get close enough for a photo though. Still great to see!

1. Red Admiral
2. Brimstone
3. Peacock
4. Small Tortoiseshell
5. Small White
6. Orange Tip
7. Comma
8. Holly blue
9. Large white
10. Green veined white
11. Green hairstreak
12. Speckled wood
13. Pearl Bordered Fritillary
14. Duke of Burgundy
15. Dingy Skipper
16. Small Heath
17. Small Blue
18. Common Blue
19. Small Copper
20. Grizzled Skipper
21. Adonis Blue
22. Silver Studded Blue
23. Meadow Brown
24. Painted Lady
25. Large Skipper
26. Ringlet
27. Silver Washed Fritillary
28. White Admiral
29. Purple Emperor

Mid afternoon I had a couple of hours to go butterflying. What a dilemma over where to go though! Botany Bay nearly won but in the end I decided to go to my old favourite haunt, Denbies. I am glad I did.

It was scorching and to be honest I am now a bit red and crispy around the edges but the butterflies were loving the heat. I saw great numbers of marbled whites, meadow browns, large and small skippers. Also seen were small heath, large white, small white, small tortoiseshell, about eight or more dark green fritillary, 20+ chalkhill blues and my surprise of the day, a white admiral feeding on privet along the edge of the wood. As far as I can remember I haven't seen a white admiral here before.


1. Red Admiral
2. Brimstone
3. Peacock
4. Small Tortoiseshell
5. Small White
6. Orange Tip
7. Comma
8. Holly blue
9. Large white
10. Green veined white
11. Green hairstreak
12. Speckled wood
13. Pearl Bordered Fritillary
14. Duke of Burgundy
15. Dingy Skipper
16. Small Heath
17. Small Blue
18. Common Blue
19. Small Copper
20. Grizzled Skipper
21. Adonis Blue
22. Silver Studded Blue
23. Meadow Brown
24. Painted Lady
25. Large Skipper
26. Ringlet
27. Silver Washed Fritillary
28. White Admiral
29. Purple Emperor
30. Small Skipper
31. Marbled White
32. Dark Green Fritillary
33. Chalkhill Blue

Great to see you are getting out and about again Susie, lovely photos, especially the Chalkhill Blue, brilliant. I will have to get myself up there soon.

All the best, Nick.

Thanks Nick, it is good to get out even if for only the odd hour here and there

Cracking shot of the Chalkhill Blue Is it that time of year already?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

This morning I was walking the pup and I saw an orange something flying around the top of the ash trees. Now I know that it is a) too early in the year for bh and b) it was too early in the day to be typical behavior but I am certainly going to be keeping my eyes peeled from now on.

Hi Susie,

Just been catching up on your diary, you are doing well with your challenge.

I like the image of the silver-studded blue pair, that is one species that I think I am going to miss out on this year, so little time and so much to see....

Regarding your orangy something, Vapourer Moths should be out from about now through September and males can be very similar to BH when in flight, especially as they have a habit of flying high around many deciduous trees. Just a thought but a possibility given the timing

All the best,

Neil F.

Hi Neil,

I think you are absolutely right, that is definitely the most likely critter.

However, the hemp agrimony is just about starting to flower in my garden so it is a good indicator to look for BH very soon

I hope you have all been enjoying the heat. I haven't done much butterflying over the past week but it's not all been work and boring family stuff. I did have some fun too! Last weekend I took part in a belly dancing festival in Worthing. I'm in there somewhere! lol But this morning I booked time off from all my various commitments and went out with my camera. Firstly I would like to express my thanks to Nick aka Hideandseek for his help today. Nick was fabulous and without his help my morning wouldn't have been nearly half as good as it was as he found a smashing Purple Emperor on the ground at Chiddingfold and was kind enough to give me a shout so I could see it too. Also thanks to Mark Colvin. I also saw gatekeepers so another butterfly for my list.

1. Red Admiral
2. Brimstone
3. Peacock
4. Small Tortoiseshell
5. Small White
6. Orange Tip
7. Comma
8. Holly blue
9. Large white
10. Green veined white
11. Green hairstreak
12. Speckled wood
13. Pearl Bordered Fritillary
14. Duke of Burgundy
15. Dingy Skipper
16. Small Heath
17. Small Blue
18. Common Blue
19. Small Copper
20. Grizzled Skipper
21. Adonis Blue
22. Silver Studded Blue
23. Meadow Brown
24. Painted Lady
25. Large Skipper
26. Ringlet
27. Silver Washed Fritillary
28. White Admiral
29. Purple Emperor
30. Small Skipper
31. Marbled White
32. Dark Green Fritillary
33. Chalkhill Blue
34. Gatekeeper

Lovely shots of His Nibbs The soft focus around the edge of the photo really draws you into the image, nice

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Excellent.

I'm really pleased for you. I thought you'd be successful ...

Kindest regards. Mark

You had more faith than me then! I thought I might have left it too late.

Don't think I am going to make the 43 species of butterfly this year though.

Hi Susie, lovely photos of the Purple Emperor.

Regards,

Mike

Thank you

Well I got a surprise this afternoon. I went to Steyning to see if I could find a wall butterfly for my challenge list . On reaching the far end of the path past the allotments something caught my eye flying in the canopy. It looked like a purple emperor but I thought it couldn't be and as it settled before I got a good look I dismissed it and carried on my walk. BUT when I came back it was there again and although it stayed up high it was unmistakable

Also seen: Marbled, large and small whites, small and Essex skippers, meadow brown, gatekeepers, peacock and red admiral


1. Red Admiral
2. Brimstone
3. Peacock
4. Small Tortoiseshell
5. Small White
6. Orange Tip
7. Comma
8. Holly blue
9. Large white
10. Green veined white
11. Green hairstreak
12. Speckled wood
13. Pearl Bordered Fritillary
14. Duke of Burgundy
15. Dingy Skipper
16. Small Heath
17. Small Blue
18. Common Blue
19. Small Copper
20. Grizzled Skipper
21. Adonis Blue
22. Silver Studded Blue
23. Meadow Brown
24. Painted Lady
25. Large Skipper
26. Ringlet
27. Silver Washed Fritillary
28. White Admiral
29. Purple Emperor
30. Small Skipper
31. Marbled White
32. Dark Green Fritillary
33. Chalkhill Blue
34. Gatekeeper
35. Essex Skipper

(after being told not to be defeatist by someone regarding my butterfly challenge I have calculated that I can just do it if I am lucky. I still need to get White letter hairstreak, brown hairstreak, purple hairstreak, wood white, brown argus, grayling (still never seen a grayling), wall, and/or silver spotted skipper & clouded yellow - that's easy then )

Just had my first purple hairstreak of the year over at the Fort.


1. Red Admiral
2. Brimstone
3. Peacock
4. Small Tortoiseshell
5. Small White
6. Orange Tip
7. Comma
8. Holly blue
9. Large white
10. Green veined white
11. Green hairstreak
12. Speckled wood
13. Pearl Bordered Fritillary
14. Duke of Burgundy
15. Dingy Skipper
16. Small Heath
17. Small Blue
18. Common Blue
19. Small Copper
20. Grizzled Skipper
21. Adonis Blue
22. Silver Studded Blue
23. Meadow Brown
24. Painted Lady
25. Large Skipper
26. Ringlet
27. Silver Washed Fritillary
28. White Admiral
29. Purple Emperor
30. Small Skipper
31. Marbled White
32. Dark Green Fritillary
33. Chalkhill Blue
34. Gatekeeper
35. Essex Skipper
36. Purple hairstreak