October 2022

[David M]

Well, what a September that was!! I'm sure there'll still be a few migrants hanging on into October, and with any luck a few fine days will see reasonable numbers of other species too....

[millerd]

A warm start to October in my neck of the woods with some decent spells of sunshine after yesterday evening's wind and rain, and respectable temperatures too - getting close to 20 degrees. Not many butterflies though - nothing too surprising really and certainly no migrant excitement.

Several male Common Blues (including one newish one)...

...and one female which between basking sessions appeared to be egg-laying on tiny medick plants despite there being an abundance of trefoil around.

The Peacock required a bit of a double-take - I didn't expect to see one. I imagine it had been roused from hibernation by the warmer temperatures rather than being newly hatched.

Only one new Red Admiral at the start of October is a bit of a disappointment as they are often in double figures here at this time of year (though it was a handsome individual)...

...and a handful of male Small Whites completed the picture, including this one.

Cheers,

Dave

[bugboy]

When you're trying to get a shot of a helice and the male keeps getting in the way!

[millerd]

Very good bit of gif crafting, Paul! Was the fact that the male was showing so much interest the reason why she was sitting with her wings open like that for a longer fraction of a second than usual? What's the total length of that burst of shots?

Such an attractive upperside, so rarely seen...

Dave

[millerd]

The burst of calm warm sunshine after lunchtime today (and a cloudy dampish morning) fooled a number of my local butterflies into pausing their hibernation. I saw three Brimstones (two male and a female), two sleepy Commas and a Peacock that came into this category - along with Red Admirals, Common Blues, Large and Small Whites, a Holly Blue and a Speckled Wood. Nectaring not far apart on the buddleia, the two sexes completely ignored each other. Come next spring, that will all change dramatically!

male

female

I rarely see Brimstones here pre-hibernation, so this was a bit of a bonus!

Cheers,

Dave

[bugboy]

Very good bit of gif crafting, Paul! Was the fact that the male was showing so much interest the reason why she was sitting with her wings open like that for a longer fraction of a second than usual? What's the total length of that burst of shots?

Such an attractive upperside, so rarely seen...

Dave

Yes, she was giving him the classic pierid bugger off pose! I think that burst of shots covers around 5 seconds. The whole encounter before she decided to take flight was about a minute. I actually witnessed her being harassed like this 3 times but this was the only time I was close enough to get some shots off. I also have some similar shots of a standard model being harassed too, a pretty good afternoon!

[David M]

When you're trying to get a shot of a helice and the male keeps getting in the way!

Nice work, Paul.

[Allan.W.]

Ditto ! Excellent work .......................I struggle to get any open winged shots (well, in focus )...............Amazing !
Allan.W.

[Stevieb]

A few from this lunchtime despite the overcast conditions. Beacon Hill, Wiltshire

Clouded Yellow x 1
Small White x 2
Small Copper x 2
Common Blue x 1
Red Admiral x 1
Speckled Wood x 7
Wall Brown x 1

3rd October

3rd October

3rd October

3rd October

3rd October

[PhilBJohnson]

"Butterfly Window"

At the beginning of October "Butterfly Window (of on the wing, photographic Opportunity)" was from about 11:30am to about 3:30pm on the warmest days, locally in Lincolnshire.
October 2nd where I saw, was micro-climatically warm (or relatively hot)
Butterfly Window" being above 17ºC, peaking at about 19ºC in local, sheltered direct sunlight.
That disturbed both Brimstone & Peacock, that will now hibernate in different location (if at all).

October 2nd 2022 12:47pm, Lincolnshire. peacock emerged from roost, from or near dead hedge.

“Butterfly Conservation “Light”, might be, to provide them with a relatively cooler, dark, hibernating space.

I thought that the best orientation for a Peacock hibernator entrance (or overnight roost), as chosen by most Peacock butterflies, might have been east facing.
Peacocks found a dark entrance, away from evening sunshine, using their last daylight energy to get there, when average general air temperatures were decreasing relatively fast.
In the morning, they then got off to an earlier start, when general morning temperatures had risen, suitable for flight.
Requirements for a Peacock butterfly hibernator might also be:

1. Never warmed up in direct sunlight.

2. Of dark internal colour, camouflaging a Peacock’s closed wings

3. To have no bird perch.

Kind regards

[Stevieb]

Still Blues, Coppers and Yellows on the hill this lunchtime. Beacon Hill, Wiltshire

Clouded Yellow x 1
Small Copper x 2
Common Blue x 3
Speckled Wood x 3

6th October

6th October

6th October

[Jack Harrison]

Mauve is the colour

Michaelmas daisies and a late flowering Buddleia "Buzz Lavender". The normal buddleias have long since finished but I got this one last week in a garden centre. It works!

Jack (butterflying since 1945)

[millerd]

More third brood Holly Blues on my local patch near Heathrow today. Five seen altogether: two males, two females and one too far off to tell. Also seen were five Red Admirals, six Small Whites, one Large White and three Common Blues. The Hollies must have been quick off the mark after emergence as one of the females was already egg-laying on the ivy (or going through the motions at least). Luckily there are still unopened flower buds.

It was another lovely day here, and though the trees look a bit tired after the rigours of an unusual summer, there isn't much autumn colour as yet.

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

Still Blues, Coppers and Yellows on the hill this lunchtime. Beacon Hill, Wiltshire

Good to see things holding up round your way, Steve. Common Blues & Clouded Yellows seem to have disappeared in my neck of the woods.

[Stevieb]

Good to see things holding up round your way, Steve. Common Blues & Clouded Yellows seem to have disappeared in my neck of the woods.

I think it's only a matter of days before they are gone from the hill too David. It's where I walk my dog so I'm always checking, so we'll see.

[Stevieb]

A very obliging Clouded Yellow this lunchtime. Beacon Hill, Wiltshire

7th October

7th October

7th October

7th October

7th October

7th October

7th October

7th October

7th October

7th October

7th October

[millerd]

Excellent shots of your resident Cloudie, Steve. He'll no doubt hang around hopefully waiting for a female to turn up until the weather turns properly dull wet and chilly. They seem to be tough old butterflies!

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

Fabulous open wing images, Steve. This species has put on a real show this last couple of months.

[Stevieb]

Slim pickings this lunchtime. Beacon Hill, Wiltshire

Red Admiral x 1
Small Copper x 2
Small White x 3
Speckled Wood x 4

8th October

8th October

8th October

8th October

Although a fine male Southern Hawker was nice to see

Male Southern Hawker

[Jack Harrison]

Comma North Scotland
I had been a little concerned that the colonisation might have ground to a halt. Until today, in 2022 I had seen just one ex-hibernate in the spring. (I saw my first here in 2021)

But two fresh individuals today at Logie Steading near Forres, Moray boosted my spirits

Jack