www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Getting the ball rolling.

Jack

Numerous small whites so far on my travels and a few small whites and one painted lady. Good day so far. Got to go hunting for common blues soon.

1st June Brown Argus in unusual habitat. Wide lane (Babraham, Cambridgeshire) arable one side, woodland other. This Brown Argus feeding on Hogweed. It certainly looked like Brown Argus and the diagnostic pointers suggest not female Common Blue.Jack

8+ pristine looking Small Torts @ Tickenham Moor this afternoon. It was quite warm with brilliant sunshine & the instant they landed they shut their wings. I also observed this behavior in similar conditions with some small Blue's over the weekend. Anyone know why or care to speculate on this. Just curious.

Butterflies thermoregulate to a great extent by using their wings - they have little capacity for the internal generation of heat energy (though they can use muscle contractions to raise their thorax temperature above that of the surroundings) and are largely dependent upon their environment. Thus, in the mornings and in weaker sun they will bask, to heat up, while on blazing hot afternoons many species will avoid opening their wings at all. Frequently, you will see them turn so their wings are not only closed but actually edge on to the sun's rays. It does depend on the species, of course. Some actively seek shade, others do it more with posture.

I recently posted this photo in my 'photoshop challenge' post:



It was a very hot day and these fritillaries (Mellicta aurelia) simply would not settle with their wings open. But if I cast the shadow of my head or body over them they immedately opened up. I could make them open or close at will!

Guy

We are invaded by Silver-Y moths, loads here, I counted over 10 in a few yards of walking, there was more. It seems the days have the painted lady and nights have silver y moths now.

I mentioned this on Sunday in this post about Speckled Woods.

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/phpBB2/v ... 488#p22526

Jack

Thanks for the explanation Guy.

One female Orange Tip in my garden.
Shirley

first large skipper of the year on Cockway Lane near Spaldwick, Cambs:

Charles

Did not see any Painted ladies today yet, but saw lots of Speckled woods (about 10) and a few small whites and one large white. A small white feeding on a buttercup earlier:
Also saw a Male Silver Ground Carpet which I must have woken up when I was walking through some grass in a forest near my house: (I orignally thought this to ne female, but females don't have feathery antennae like males)

Torr Works is an extremely large limestone quarry in the East Mendips, off the Frome to Shepton Mallet road. On the southern fringes of the quarry there is a bund to hide the quarry, and a bridleway below the bund. Patches of calcareous grassland still exist at the bottom of the slope, and yesterday I found Small Blue, Dingy Skipper, Green Hairstreak, Small Heath, Common Blue and Wall Brown, amongst others, here.

The quarry itself is off-limits but said to contain a sizeable Grizzled Skipper colony. Adjacent to it, the butterflies sometimes disappear in clouds of limestone dust thrown up by the giant quarry vehicles being driven at speed, and butterfly-watching is conducted to the thump of the drivers' stereos occasionally interspersed with engine roars. The expanses of kidney vetch and wild strawberry however are well worth a look.

2nd June
Strumpshw Fen and Upton Fen Norfolk, one Swallowtail each locality.At Upton, two fresh Small Tortoiseshells, four Brown Argus. One late female Orange Tip.

Jack

Really pleased with the work done at Ningwood Common Reserve on the Isle of Wight by the Hants and IOW Wildlife Trust. A very large area of scrub has been cleared and the small PBFs are now moving out on to the newer parts which have grown over the past couple of years. I saw 6 there this evening plus 3 grizzled skippers, 2 small heaths and 3 emperor dragonflies.

Strumpshw Fen and Upton Fen Norfolk, one Swallowtail each locality.

Thanks for that Jack.
I have a "Weekend Pass" so may well be at Strumpshaw first thing Saturday .
Any other takers?
Roger

Good numbers of Wood Whites at Salcey Forest this week .johnb

Norfolk – impressive Zeiss lens seen. Details (and request for info) on the photo thread:

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/phpBB2/v ... f=7&t=3210

Jack

jackharr wrote:2nd June
Strumpshw Fen and Upton Fen Norfolk, one Swallowtail each locality
Jack

He keeps that picture on his box-brownie just to p**s-off us DSLR users.....
(I'm sure he rolls-it out each season....
As in when I arrived yesterday;
I was just a few minutes too late..."but look what I managed to get...."

Strumpshaw is a good place; watched the Harriers soar, get mobbed, display and pass food in the afternoon with my twitcher sister
Usually do see more Swallowtails tho' - surprisingly not a huge amount of nectar sources out around the Fen. Some of the flowers like Red Campion were looking as though they had suffered in the early heat and drought and were not as prolific as usual.

Rogerdodge wrote:

Strumpshw Fen and Upton Fen Norfolk, one Swallowtail each I have a "Weekend Pass" so may well be at Strumpshaw first thing Saturday .
Any other takers?
Roger

Another Pass You must be stacking-up those Brownie points somehow, Roger...
Given my abject failure yesterday, I may well be there - but early this time, (eh Jack?)
N

Possibly got my Swallowtail "fix" for this year. Three seen in three different places.

I might be trying for SS Blue at the weekend if I can be sure they are flying, eg in Surrey.

Jack