www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

What a transformation from one May Bank Holiday to the other!!

More of the same that we've had these last few days, please........

Back up the hill for me today. Dare I say it was almost too hot!!

Good numbers of Adonis Blue, Marsh Frits, Dingy Skippers and Small Heath. Also saw my first Large Skipper of the year. Beacon Hill, Wiltshire
And always nice to see these guys fly over having had a close association with 'Fat Alberts' for nearly 30 years.

Ah, I used to fly those. (Hercules)

Northern Scotland 1st June
Ardersier common at NW end.10 (approx) Small Blues, 8 Dingy Skippers (count by another observer - I saw just two). 
Elsewhere in the common, many Orange Tips and three Small Whites.

Fort George (Army) is nearby and soldiers were on the rifle range.  I guess it's budgetary constraints but the 'bangs' were so feeble that I wouldn't be surprised if they were using pop guns.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Toy_popgun.jpg

Jack

A Marsh Fritillary gazes out over the Buckinghamshire countryside today and wonders how it came to be there... Dave

millerd wrote: ↑Tue Jun 01, 2021 8:50 pm A Marsh Fritillary gazes out over the Buckinghamshire countryside today and wonders how it came to be there... MFview 010621.JPG
Dave

The Marshie Dumper of 2020!

More from Pegsdon in the Bedfordshire Chilterns

is this a Common Blue ?
not sure what this plant is... any suggestions ?

the weather looks perfect for another expedition tomorrow

Charles Nicol wrote: ↑Tue Jun 01, 2021 10:59 pm More from Pegsdon in the Bedfordshire Chilterns

is this a Common Blue ?

51218175457_8de9f00490_b.jpg

not sure what this plant is... any suggestions ?

51219652449_8333de195d_b.jpg


the weather looks perfect for another expedition tomorrow

Yes that is a male Common Blue and the plant is Comfrey.

Stevieb wrote: ↑Tue Jun 01, 2021 2:05 pmBack up the hill for me today. Dare I say it was almost too hot!!

Lol! We Brits are never satisfied, are we?

Large Skipper is a surprising sighting. I fancied they wouldn't be around till next week.

My Small Blue (near Inverness) date here, 1st June, is two weeks earlier than last year (but in 2020 I probably missed the first emergencies).  Old literature suggests Small Blues fly in July.  Certainly the flight season is now very much earlier.  I will be checking to see if Small Blue up here is  becoming double-brooded as is now routinely the case in south England.

Jack

I decided, on the back of Bugboys comments, to check out Cotley Hill, Wiltshire. I'm delighted to say that there are indeed a good representation of butterfly species and assorted moths on the hill.
In two hours I recorded the following:

Dingy Skipper 8
Grizzled Skipper 5
Large White 1
Orange-tip 2
Green Hairstreak 2
Small Copper 1
Small Blue 8
Brown Argus 5
Adonis Blue 7
Marsh Fritillary 13
Small Heath 28

North Scotland again - Kinloss Moray 2nd June

Very fresh Tortoiseshell (just a small nick out of one wing). Could this be new brood and not a hibernator? Torties now do seem regularly to be double brooded here now but this seems a little early.

But a define ex-hibernator. Jack

bugboy wrote: ↑Wed Jun 02, 2021 5:15 am

Charles Nicol wrote: ↑Tue Jun 01, 2021 10:59 pm More from Pegsdon in the Bedfordshire Chilterns

is this a Common Blue ?

51218175457_8de9f00490_b.jpg

not sure what this plant is... any suggestions ?

51219652449_8333de195d_b.jpg


the weather looks perfect for another expedition tomorrow

Yes that is a male Common Blue and the plant is Comfrey.

thanks again for your expert help bugboy !

i went out there again today... there was lurve in the air ( or on the ground )
are they Common Blues ?

plenty of skippers too...

Charles ,
Your plant is Houndstongue. Regards Allan.W.

Hi Charles - they look like Common Blues to me. Though the outer fringes are a bit worn, there is no chequering to indicate Adonis (which is the possible alternative).

Nice Dingy by the way!

Cheers,

Dave

Allan.W. wrote: ↑Wed Jun 02, 2021 5:22 pm Charles ,
Your plant is Houndstongue. Regards Allan.W.

thanks for that. i think that comfrey looks similar to Houndstongue ?

millerd wrote: ↑Wed Jun 02, 2021 5:55 pm Hi Charles - they look like Common Blues to me. Though the outer fringes are a bit worn, there is no chequering to indicate Adonis (which is the possible alternative).

Nice Dingy by the way!

Cheers,

Dave

thanks for your help millerd ! this Dingy was quite cooperative, unlike most of the others

Jack Harrison wrote: ↑Wed Jun 02, 2021 4:26 pmVery fresh Tortoiseshell (just a small nick out of one wing)....could this be new brood and not a hibernator? Torties now do seem regularly to be double brooded here now but this seems a little early.

Would be quite a record, Jack, given your location.

I haven't seen any of the summer brood yet round my way, but I've noted that others on here have been posting recent sightings of this species, with some seemingly being in very good condition.

bugboy wrote: ↑Wed Jun 02, 2021 5:15 am

Charles Nicol wrote: ↑Tue Jun 01, 2021 10:59 pm More from Pegsdon in the Bedfordshire Chilterns

is this a Common Blue ?

51218175457_8de9f00490_b.jpg

not sure what this plant is... any suggestions ?

51219652449_8333de195d_b.jpg


the weather looks perfect for another expedition tomorrow

Yes that is a male Common Blue and the plant is Comfrey.

The plant isn't Comfrey but in the same family- Common Houndstongue.

aeshna5 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 03, 2021 5:29 am

bugboy wrote: ↑Wed Jun 02, 2021 5:15 am

Charles Nicol wrote: ↑Tue Jun 01, 2021 10:59 pm More from Pegsdon in the Bedfordshire Chilterns

is this a Common Blue ?

51218175457_8de9f00490_b.jpg

not sure what this plant is... any suggestions ?

51219652449_8333de195d_b.jpg


the weather looks perfect for another expedition tomorrow

Yes that is a male Common Blue and the plant is Comfrey.

The plant isn't Comfrey but in the same family- Common Houndstongue.

That'll teach me to try and id stuff on my phone without zooming in on the image

Monday was very warm and it brought out the Painted Ladies, a female Swallowtail egg-laying on my fennel, a Map, a Red Admiral, a particularly beautiful Small Tortoiseshell and several Small Heaths - as well as the Orange Tips, Brimstones, Whites, Holly Blues, an Speckled Woods. That’s not a bad list!