www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hi Pauline
Sorry to hear about your experience at Butser - I was there on Monday but parked on the top and walked down to count Dukes in another area. Seems nowhere is immune from anti social behaviour
I have packed my dustpan and brush to clear up the glass next time
Kind regards
Mark

Sorry to read of your bad experience Pauline, I think you did the right thing to err on the side of caution. I feel a lot happier when out now I've got the dog with me as he alerts me to anything that is about which I might not be aware of. Perhaps you should take a butterflying companion with you, being a lone female in the field can be difficult.

Just catching up on your posts Pauline, your photo's are great has usual, love the Hair Streaks emerging. I've yet to see Brown Hair streaks or Purple but hope to do so in early July.

I know what you must have felt like when those youths walked towards you, a similar thing happened to me but this guy was abit more exposed (you know what I mean) lucky for me I'd my dog with me at the time, she was running about in the field and this guy mustn't have seen her, I called her, she came running and off went to man running in the opposite direction:lol: She was part German Shepard Take Care Goldie

They say things happen in three's Mark and you have already had your 3 break-ins so I sincerely hope you won't be needing that dustpan and brush!

You are absolutely right Susie - that would certainly be the sensible thing to do but the practicalities get in the way. Most days I don't know what I am doing from one hour to the next so it is hard to make arrangements. I do on occasions drag non-butterfly friends with me but to be honest they get bored to tears and don't understand how I can spend 40 mins looking at a single butterfly

That must have been a shocking and scary experience for you Goldie - good job you had your dog with you . Thank you so much for your lovely comment.

Today I have had a lovely female PH emerge ('bout time too after 5 males!!!). I have yet to manage an open-winged shot but a few early shots below:

Lovely shots of your female Pauline, I'm glad you have one at last

Thank you for your comment Mike - hope you're having a great time on the island. Lots more PH images to follow (only 1 left to emerge now):
Still struggling to get a decent open-winged shot.

Some more lovely PH photos Pauline
Whatever your feelings about raising these, there is no doubt that it has given you an opportunity to make some fascinating observations and take some beautiful photos.

All the best,

Neil.

Thank you for that comment Neil - it is good to know that you appreciate how I feel about the situation. Truth is, I just have too many other things to care for just now but you are absolutely right. So, this will be my last PH post. My female was released this morning and I hope she managed to find a mate. The last of the males were released yesterday and although she spent 24 hours with them (due to inclement weather) if any mating took place I did not witness it. It is now time to move on to other things:

It was with a sense of relief that I packed away the large cage that had housed the PH. The plants it held were looking worse for wear and the large cage had dominated room. My youngest cat had been banned from the room as the butterflies were irresistible to her and more than once she had almost pulled the cage over. In addition, they were taking up a certain amount of my time daily - the butterflies refused the nectar sources I supplied which resulted in me 'hand-feeding' them by coaxing them onto branches sprayed with a sugar solution. At last the weather seemed more suitable and the butterflies were free. Interestingly, most flew up into the ivy growing over the top of the house which is opposite my Oak trees. My existing colony regularly fly between this ivy and the Oaks.

I returned indoors and put the kettle on for a cup of coffee, checked my old cat and then went on to have a quick look at the Black Hairstreak pupa. I couldn't believe my eyes - a butterfly!!! Back out to retrieve the other cage and set it up again . By the time I had finished there was another butterfly Clearly it had only recently emerged as its wings were still 'pleated' so naturally I had to take a few early shots. I'm afraid I don't know how to tell the difference between male and female:

The subject of my diary today is, of course, Black Hairstreaks. I have been trying to experiment with composition - different backgrounds, positions, plants etc so some of the shots are quite similar. I believe that these butterflies have a fairly short life span but there are still quite a few to emerge. If anyone would like to call in to see/photograph them you would be very welcome. If you don't already have my phone no. just send a pm and we can sort out times.

Absolutley fantastic BH's Pauline I'm sure that I've read this already but as I'm at work and the end of break is fast apporaching...how did you get the eggs and what next for teh BH's imagos?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Pauline,

Quality Photo's again not sure i should have spent all the money on the DSLR and should of carried on using my Panasonic , if i am in your neck of the woods friday i may give you a call as i have a few places i want to visit i.e. Wrecclsham just in case and the straits again for the WA larvae but also Bentley again. To many places and not enough time

Thanks

Andy

Glorious images, Pauline. The fresh upperwing colours on a female Purple Hairstreak are only rarely seen in the wild.

As for you Black Hairstreak, the comparatively short tails makes it look like a male to me (though I could be wrong).

Thank you for the compliment Wurzel. I think you will find all the details you need on page 47

Looking forward to it Andy

Thank you so much David. I am sure you are right about them being males and if my experience with the PH was anything to go by .... then they definitely are!

Trying to enjoy the BH (which was the objective of the gift) but my Tortoise has gone AWOL so much time has been spent looking and photography quite rushed - a few taken today:

That last shot on the buttercup is lovely Pauline, the Hairstreak looks upright and ready for action, very majestic

You have done so well with all these Hairstreaks Pauline, you must be so pleased with your efforts! That last one of the Black Hairstreak is fantastic...I must make a trip up to Oxon this year to try and find them.

All the best,

Alex

Lovely photos of the Black Hairstreaks Pauline, your house certainly seems to be 'Hairstreak Heaven' at the moment

Hope you find your Tortoise.

All the best,

Neil.

Great News Neil - the tortoise has just been found after 3 nights out. Hope he is OK but I am just so pleased Thank you for asking.

The offer still stands Alex - I could always pick you up from Liphook station until you can get to see them in the wild.

Thank you William - that Hairstreak was certainly ready for action and I am afraid he took off without warning to the top of a 60' hedge

This afternoon I had an enjoyable and interesting outing with Andy who kindly showed me 'his' White Admiral larva as the one I had previously found had gone AWOL (along with its branch!!!).
We ended up at mine to photograph the remaining Black Hairstreak, the last remaining cat and several pupa. As Andy was taking a few shots of the pupa he suddenly shouted 'one has just emerged'. We took turns getting a few quick shots of the emergence but the whole process was incredibly quick and the wings were 'pumped up' in hardly any time at all:

I always regard Black Hairstreaks as a local speciality, so it is extraordinary to see your collection of photos.

In the wild, they very rarely visit flowers, so I wonder what the one in your last photo is thinking of the experience

Mike

I totally get where you are coming from Mike but I have been put in a difficult position. I am committed to looking after these creatures as best I can having been advised that it would be irresponsible to release them. I am also finding it difficult to find a nectar source that is acceptable to them so I am trying everything I have to hand - I can't find bramble flowers or flowering privet and buttercups are not always acceptable either. I am really doing my best in a situation I would rather not be in but along the way I hope these butts can give some pleasure to those who have never seen them (like myself). I admit I am also using them to practice my photography and I hope folk can understand this.