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Brimstone - Favourite Photo of 2019

Week 1

So it’s that time of year again; the shops have Halloween AND Christmas displays, the weather is up and down and butterfly sightings are coming fewer further between. So it’s time to search through the hard drive and find your Favourite Photos of 2019.
Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos as then it will be easier to keep track of things? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As in previous years details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome as would any accompanying stories and anecdotes or other observations of behaviour and interesting other points.
Here we go then!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

My favourite Brimstone shot of the many taken in a wide variety of places comes from a visit to Arnside Knott on 8th August when I was trying to concentrate on finding Scotch Argus. This individual posed so well, I could hardly ignore it. Dave

I quite like this shot of a Brimstone I took in Blean Woods on the 16th May , it was one of those days when I'd hobbled a bit too far but it was worth it Goldie

A couple from Shipton Belllinger get my votes this year who kept Wurzel, Philzoid and I company whilst awaiting the appearance of the very elusive Hairstreaks:
A male and a female

Never seen so many of this species as this spring. The mild latter half of February got them off to a flier and they were around in numbers through to mid May.

Here's one from Cwm Ivy, on the Gower, on 24th March:

I did not manage to get many images of Brimstone adults in 2019, but on 16th and 21st May I had around 30 eggs in total laid a potted Alder Buckthorn in my Crawley garden.
This shows a fresh egg and two older ones.

I let the resulting larvae develop without interference and had 5 adults emerge between 20th and 27th July. Only two larvae pupated on the host plant.

Vince

The first image is my favourite Brimstone shot of the year but I couldn't resist taking a quick shot at the peek-a-boo pose. Downland boy.


http://eastsussexwanderer.blogspot.co.uk

Brimstones were plentiful enough locally this spring but as usual were most often seen whilst ceaselessly patrolling and seldom settling.

A cloudy day at Ryton Wood Meadows in late April slowed a female down enough so that I managed to get a few shots of her egg laying.
Later in the summer this species spends more time nectaring in preparation for hibernation and is easier to approach. I particularly like the colours in the shot below taken at Aston Rowant in late July.
Cheers,

Neil.

At last after a long time trying I managed an open wing shot of sorts, in my garden on 26th July 2019

Nice work, Eric. Well worth two images!

Can you remember that very hot August bank holiday weekend?
Historically, Brimstone butterflies might have entered hibernation, surprisingly quite early, as evolution had favoured individuals which avoided energy wasting interactions with other species needing to breed in late summer.
I watched this female in our garden for several days, nectaring on Red Valerian (which we had kept flowering from May to mid-October by dead heading finished flowers).
The female spent periods feeding (for Over-wintering and Spring breeding), being occasionally harassed by male Cabbage Whites looking for a mate, then spent some time hiding (during the day), under ivy leaves, or on this occasion, under a large buddleia leaf.
The Alder Buckthorn we bought from a Butterfly Conservation’s members day a few years back, appeared to be ignored, but hopefully not in the Spring!

Brimstone

There was only one set of Brimstone shots from one to choose my favourite this year. Back in June I was lucky enough to watch a failed courtship of this species at Martin Down. In the past I’ve been lucky enough to get shots of in-flight Brimstones, a grab shot with wings open and even a male that had been caught out by a sudden drop in temperature all of which revealed the topside of their wings. However with the courtship I was able to see the open wings for even longer and also see the second set of orange spots on the hind wings. As is the way like buses, having seen one failed courtship I was then privy to a further two. However hopefully next year I can witness a successful conclusion to the act and add this species to my ‘In Cop’ collection.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

From May 2nd, Lower Bush, Cuxton...



For some reason, these two females seemed to fixate on one particular sprig of Buckthorn rather than spreading their bounty over other nearby shoots...

I love the colours of Goldie's effort! My own came from a visit to Allerthorpe Common, East Yorks on 19th April, where several Brimstones were unusually approachable as they nectared on the spring flowers.

My photographic year got off to a bad start when I had a fall which, although leaving myself almost undamaged, managed to write off my Olympus E-M1 Mk.ii camera. Fortunately, it was covered by insurance but I had to start the butterfly year with my fall-back camera, an Olympus E-M5, which had been my introduction to 'micro-four-thirds' photography.

Although the E-M5 lacks the high-speed capabilities of the E-M1, it proved more than adequate on my first visit of the year to Dry Sandford Pit, in the village of Cothill, Oxon. At first, I thought 24th February was too early but then I spotted my first Brimstone - the new season was under way!
Mike