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I'm highly envious, James. I'm desperate to see Speckled Woods and Large Whites would be an additional bonus!

Only a couple of days before cooler weather sets in, so time is at a premium.

Wurzel wrote:Cracking shot Rex I'm itching to get out this weekend now, especially as I'm back to 97%mobility

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I hope you manage to get out and about this weekend Wurzel. I’m stuck indoors myself and with the weather cooling off next week it could be a while until my next post. Hopefully you’ll find some Orange Tips, I’ve yet to see my first one of the year.

David M wrote:I'm highly envious, James. I'm desperate to see Speckled Woods and Large Whites would be an additional bonus!

Only a couple of days before cooler weather sets in, so time is at a premium.

Your time came soon enough David! Looks like you had a great day today, even if you didn’t find a Speckled Wood I’m sure the Orange Tips more than made up for it.

Thank you both for your comments

Cheers Rex - indeed I did and managed to get two firsts for the year - although some twinging reminding me not to go chasing the OT'S

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Wurzel wrote:Cheers Rex - indeed I did and managed to get two firsts for the year - although some twinging reminding me not to go chasing the OT'S

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Glad you managed a couple of firsts Wurzel. I hope you're now completely pain free and ready for those OT's.

East not West.

With a bit of spare time after an appointment last Monday morning I decided to try my luck and look for some Orange Tips. This butterfly is much less abundant in East Sussex - compared to West Sussex, so I knew I'd need a bit of good luck on my side. A quick tour of some patches of Cuckoo Flower along the damp and boggy lanes was unsuccessful. The weather was cool and overcast with occasional spells of sunshine, usually ideal conditions for OT hunting. Moving on elsewhere I finally came across two obliging males that were happy to sit for a few photos. After about half an hour the sun really started to break through, the temperature shot up and both males suddenly resumed their never ending search for females.

Thanks for looking,

James

Lovely shots of the roosting OTs Rex especially the last one with the sun just highlighting the orange tips - lush I'm about 99% recovered and still chasing OTs

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Ah! The very essence of spring, James. We should all bag our images now whilst it's cool and cloudy. Apparently, next week will see temperatures rise a fair bit so no doubt the OTs will revert to their default mode - flying all day!

Wurzel wrote:Lovely shots of the roosting OTs Rex especially the last one with the sun just highlighting the orange tips - lush I'm about 99% recovered and still chasing OTs

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Many thanks Wurzel, I'm glad that you're nearly back to 100% health.

David M wrote:Ah! The very essence of spring, James. We should all bag our images now whilst it's cool and cloudy. Apparently, next week will see temperatures rise a fair bit so no doubt the OTs will revert to their default mode - flying all day!

Well they were right about the rise in temperatures David! it was hot out there today and very windy over my way. It's supposed to cool down a bit next week so maybe a few more chances will present themselves.


Spring Greens

A couple of local excursions yeilded some delights in the form of some glittering Green Hairstreaks.

And a gorgeous male Emperor moth!

Thanks for looking,

James

Those Greenstreaks had me going green myself Rex and then you throw in that otherworldly Emperor Moth at the end

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Wow! I mean really WOW. Love that Emperor moth shot. I've never seen that species before and your pic is a stunner. Its "eyes" really do seem to be looking straight at you.

Trying to keep up with everyone's diaries this year is proving an impossible task but then again it's good to binge several posts to wile away a boring train ride. That Emperor is a stunner, it's been many a year since I've seen an adult

James, I know you always post good images (and those Green Hairstreaks are proof of that), but you really have surpassed yourself with that quite glorious Emperor Moth.

Seriously, that deserves front cover of a book status. I'd copyright it if I were you!

I don't often use the word 'stunning' James, a much overused word these days I feel, but that male Emperor Moth is fully deserving of that description
I have to ask, was that found naturally, i.e. without using a pheromone lure which seem to be very popular these days. If so, all the more credit to you.

Cheers,

Neil.

I agree with the others James - that Emperor shot is indeed exceptional. I have reared them in the past but still never managed such a stunning image

The Green Streaks are lovely James, but that Emperor moth is something else, absolutely magnificent!!!

Cheers

Never seen that moth before Rex, you've captured a stunner Goldie

Wurzel wrote:Those Greenstreaks had me going green myself Rex and then you throw in that otherworldly Emperor Moth at the end

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I'm pleased you enjoyed the Moff Wurzel, they really do look out of this world don't they!

ernie f wrote:Wow! I mean really WOW. Love that Emperor moth shot. I've never seen that species before and your pic is a stunner. Its "eyes" really do seem to be looking straight at you.

Many thanks Ernie, the eye spots are terrific aren't they! Just perfect for scaring potential predators away

bugboy wrote:Trying to keep up with everyone's diaries this year is proving an impossible task but then again it's good to binge several posts to wile away a boring train ride. That Emperor is a stunner, it's been many a year since I've seen an adult

Hi Paul, Keep your eyes peeled because I have a feeling it's a good year for these moths. I've seen a few flying past me which is quite unusual. They look like a bit like a Peacock in flight but more frenetic and of course they rarely seem to land!

David M wrote:James, I know you always post good images (and those Green Hairstreaks are proof of that), but you really have surpassed yourself with that quite glorious Emperor Moth.

Seriously, that deserves front cover of a book status. I'd copyright it if I were you!

As ever you are extremely generous and kind David, I don't know how to go about copyrighting an image, but I get the feeling I wouldn't be able to afford it.

Neil Freeman wrote:I don't often use the word 'stunning' James, a much overused word these days I feel, but that male Emperor Moth is fully deserving of that description
I have to ask, was that found naturally, i.e. without using a pheromone lure which seem to be very popular these days. If so, all the more credit to you.

Cheers,

Neil.

Hello Neil, Yes indeed stunning is a most fitting word for this particular moth. I'm afraid I'm unable to answer your question. Whist walking on the downs I bumped into a friend who beckoned me over and asked if I'd like to photograph this pointing at the moth in question. I then tried to get a decent photo of it before it flew. I never thought to ask how he came across it

Pauline wrote:I agree with the others James - that Emperor shot is indeed exceptional. I have reared them in the past but still never managed such a stunning image

Hello Pauline, you've still done better than me, the only insects I've ever reared were some Painted ladies with my daughter and I still didn't manage to get a single photo!

Andrew555 wrote:The Green Streaks are lovely James, but that Emperor moth is something else, absolutely magnificent!!!

Cheers

Thanks Andrew, Emperor Moths must be one of the most magnificent insects we have in the British Isles, nature at her very best!

Goldie M wrote:Never seen that moth before Rex, you've captured a stunner Goldie

Thank you Goldie, hopefully you will one day they are rather beautiful.


Thanks all for your very kind and generous comments.


Before the showers

Having seen the weather forecast it became apparent that it could be a while before my next outing. So yesterday I managed to dash out hoping to make the best of the mild spell before it came to an end. Well, as usual I couldn't really trust the weather forecast as the promised sunshine never appeared, it remained overcast all day!!!

It was still mild and I hoped to add to my list of spring species and maybe even photograph a few. I had already seen (but not photographed) Holly Blues, Green Veined Whites, Dingy Skipper and Small Copper.

I'd yet to find any Wall Browns or Grizzled Skippers so they were at the top of my list. It may have been cloudy and quite cool when I arrived but I immediately saw my first Walls of 2019.

Then I searched for Grizzled Skippers, I found four individuals throughout my walk.

The rest of my time was spent enjoying some more Green Hairstreaks one of which was a bit different!

The only spell of sunshine lasted all of five minutes but enough to spurr the Speckled Woods into action.

And finally a pretty golden long-horned moth settled for a photo.

A really enjoyable walk despite the cloud.

Thanks for looking,

James

Some stunning fresh Walls and Grizzlies Rex and cracking Greenstreaks I don;t think I've seen whites dusting like that before. I wondered at first if it was just a messy eater and it had some pollen on it but a really close view shows that they're definitely scales, you can see a them following the line of one of the veins on the fore wing as well

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Amazing detail on that fresh Green Hairstreak James. And interesting white scales on that other one, great stuff all round.

OH! I'm so envious Rex, top of my list is your lovely shot of the Grizzled Skipper, I wouldn't mind the Green Hair Streaks either if I knew where to find them here Goldie

Superb, James. Green Hairstreaks & Grizzlies I've seen, but Wall Brown is next on my radar, and if I can get one in the kind of pose you captured in your first image I'll be more than happy!