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Brown Argus - Favourite Photo of 2021

Week 2

Well where did that week go? There are still some butterflies holding on so don’t put your cameras away just yet, although it might be a good idea to have a think about your overall favourite now so you don’t inadvertently use it in the ‘Favourite (insert name of species here)’ post.

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 got then!

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Brown Argus are usually hit or miss around my local patch and this year was unfortunately a miss. I believe that both broods here were hit by the weather (along with Common Blue and small Copper) which was particularly poor both in the spring and again in the summer just when they should have been emerging.
On the other hand I saw good numbers in Dorset in June and quite a few later in early September when we visited out daughter in her new home not far from Portsmouth.
My favourite shot is probably this one taken on Thorney Island on a rather cloudy and breezy afternoon.
Cheers,

Neil.

Compared to most years these were rather thin on the ground for me. Just a couple of sunny days during Duke season in the Chiltons provided days when I saw them in double figures. This fresh male stands out for me.

There didn't seem to be so many Brown Argus around anywhere this year, and though they popped up regularly on my local patch from a late start in mid-May, they were not as numerous as they have been. The first one I saw (on 13th May) was actually at my other local site, Staines Moor, where there is only a very small population and as such it does stick in the mind.The other one I've chosen requires far less of a feat of memory - I only saw it yesterday! Out on my local patch on 27th October in some of what now must have been the last of the real warm sunshine of the year, I spotted this butterfly struggling in the wind and flopping to the ground.I'm pretty sure that this is the latest in the year I've seen the species.

Dave

That first individual is exceptionally well marked, Dave. Looks like the Southern Brown Argus I see in Spain.

Brown Argus

This was taken on one of those days when I had no expectations whatsoever. I had to travel down to Poole to get my windscreen replaced and while I waited I went for a wander around the Creekmoor area. It was pretty quiet but on the way out I’d noticed that the verge had been planted with wildflowers and when I stopped on my return there were a few Whites, some Common blues and this cracking little fella flying in the smallest wildflower meadow that I’ve seen and surrounded on various sides by a sewage works, industrial estate and a large retail estate. Hence why I chose this as my favourite for in amidst all the hustle and bustle and the fumes and noise there was this pristine little butterfly that looked even more attractive because of its situation.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

My findings were also similar to everybody elses ..................... Brown Argus ...........very few and far between !
my 3 shots were all taken within a "stones throw " of home ,on my old " lockdown " walk ,which was probably the best Brown Argus spot this season
amongst them was the minor AB; Suprecuneata ,showing a white streak on both hindwings ,in line with the triangular white streak on the underside.
the underside shot was also taken locally. ,as was the male open wing shot. Allan.W.

Lovely shots, Allan, particularly the middle one showing the underside so well.

Thanks for that David ! Regards Allan.W.

I too found these to be thin on the ground. Although in June I did see and photograph my first ab of this species, a cracking female of the form " impunctata " which was found by my partner Kasia on the south side of Aston Rowant NNR in the Chilterns. A couple of trips to Yoesden Bank in June also yielded a few individuals and a nice second brood male was photographed at Bishop's Hill in August.
Female ab "impunctata" - Aston Rowant NNR 08.06.2021.
Male - Yoesden Bank - 03.06.2021.
Male - Yoesden Bank - 02.06.2021.
Male - Bishop's Hill - 15.08.2021.

Nigel Kiteley wrote: ↑Wed Nov 10, 2021 5:40 pm..Female ab "impunctata" - Aston Rowant NNR 08.06.2021.

What a stunner she is, Nigel! Never seen anything like that in this species.

Whiteford Burrows is an early site for this species, and I managed to get to see my first handful on 25th April. When newly emerged they have a lovely, brassy sheen to them:

Rainham marsh sea wall in August

Similar experience to others in that not a great Brown Argus year. Photos are first generation individual (underside) from Butser Hill at beginning of June, and second generation one (upperside) from a local nature reserve in Surrey in late July.