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Brimstone - Favourite Photo of 2023

Week 1

Well then let’s get started and before we know it we’ll be into the 2024 season!

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!

Have a goodun

Wurzel
P.S. Just a suggestion but you might want to select your Favourite first so you can save it for the grand finale in 20 weeks time…

Brimstone

If it hadn’t have been for this particular butterfly I might have written the entire day off and not bothered writing up a report. It was taken at the end of April, a time when Grizzlies and Small Coppers might be thinking about making an appearance. However that wasn’t the case this year and I spent wheat felt like hours hiking around all the usually productive spots and finding very little butterfly wise. I was considering giving up when I spotted a line of Brimstones trawling along a hedge. Two of them broke off and fluttered down to the deck. One was a male and was trying to force himself onto the female but she was having none of it. By the time I’d got close enough to get any shots the male had got the message and nipped off to try and find a more receptive female. Luckily for me a cloud passed over the sun and so the female remained, grounded and feeding but with her wings wide open. I’ve only ever seen this outside of courtship once before and that was a male at Shipton Bellinger so due to unusualness it was the obvious choice for my Fave of the year shot.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Splendid photo, Wurzel!

My choice has to be one of a male and a female nectaring close together in August at Allerthorpe Common in Yorkshire. My sister and I gave up counting Brimstones at the 50 mark that afternoon - they made quite a sight. Dave

A rather strange year for Brimstones for me. I did not see that many in the spring around my local patch although I saw more down south when we went to visit my daughter in Emsworth in May.

The female below was seen at Old Winchester Hill where she spent some time fluttering between a number of buckthorn shrubs where she would occcasionally stop to lay an egg.
For the most part I didn't see that many in the summer either, apart from when I went to Grafton Wood on 10th August and found where they were all hiding.
There must have been hundreds all through the wood with the greatest numbers seen along the sides of the main ride where they were nectaring on the many flowers there. Easily the most Brimstones that I have ever seen in one place, quite a memorable spectacle.
Curiously, according to John Tilt the reserve manager, there is not much buckthorn within the wood and he reckoned they came into the wood to feed up and overwinter and would then disperse around the surrounding countryside next spring.

Cheers,

Neil

I saw and photographed plenty of Brimstone doing usual Brimstone stuff this year, one encounter stands out as being a bit different. The Pasqueflowers were putting on a fine show and several Brimstone were feeding from them, something I have not previously observed and I have chosen this image as my favourite.

Only saw one Brimstone this year and that was at Tankerton, I went to the woods loads of time to look for them as well, even this one was slightly worn
At least I got one Goldie

Most of the Brimstones I managed to photograph this year were females, but this male was enjoying the non-native plants available in suburban Surrey in August ...
... whilst about a month earlier this female approved of another garden escape at the same site.
Brimstone is generally present in good numbers at Ashtead Common - I photographed this female there in late August.

No adults photographed this year, but I did get a load of eggs on my potted Alder Buckthorn, which produced approximately 45 larvae.
Unfortunately, the day after the photo was taken, a small group of Sparrows cleared the whole plant of caterpillars.

Vince

Spadgers !!.....................had the same problem Vince ,been watching about 6-7 Small White larvae (and some Large Whites ) on my Nasturtiums ,everything going well ...............and the Sparrows stripped the the lot !
Anyway a couple of Brimstones ,both late Summer individuals .They did particularly well locally this year in Orlestone .
Allan.W.

On 4th April I was following a female when she was suddenly accosted by a male at Lower Kilvey Hill in Swansea:
Male Brimstones are much more approachable in summer when they are feeding up prior to diapause. This one was imbibing on a thistle in Fermyn Wood on 17th July:

Male Brimstone nectaring along one of the woodland rides at Great Holland Pits Nature Reserve near Frinton-on-Sea in Essex

There was plenty of 'courtship' dancing in late spring and I took a slew of images but this particular one from Chantry hill is my favourite just for its comedic value, there's definitely a conversation being had here!