www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Does anyone know if there is any positive news of the south Dorset over-wintering (breeding) Clouded Yellows. UKB member Misha used to keep us up to speed on the Boscombe undercliff yellows, but have heard little from her this season. I myself saw teen figure individuals at Abbotsbury last year, but none so far this season. Maybe last winter killed all the Boscombe stock????

Love some answers on this local issue.

Hi Zonda,
Clouded Yellows can only successfully over-winter on the very warmest stretches of our South Coast - and in mild winters. Given the hardest winter since mammoths roamed the planet, the chance of the species getting through the 2009/2010 period in the UK would have plummeted to zero. We are now reliant upon either 'new' migrants, or the progeny of any females that might have reached the area earlier this summer. There is still plenty of time for some to come across (they often arrive in September), but from what I hear, numbers are not particularly high at the moment just over The Channel.
Neil

Thanks Neil,,,, still time then.

Zonda.

There were a few Clouded Yellows on the Bournemouth cliffs in April and May in the usual breeding locations, and it looks as though there may have been successful overwintering in spite of the cold winter. In the Kaiserstuhl area of Germany caterpillars have been reported to survive temperatures as low as -15°. There never has been a continuous succession of broods on the cliffs because it's not in the nature of the beast to form permanent colonies. In the spring most of the females emigrate from the cliffs immediately after mating. `Occasionally one may stay for a day or two and lay a few eggs, but there is seldom a second generation in June/July. The fascinating thing is that in the spring many males remain extraordinarily faithful to their place of birth and continue to patrol the same restricted area for the rest of their lives. I have noticed that when migrants arrive, females are usually in the majority and they set about egg-laying straight away. As I saw only patrolling males this spring I think it more likely that they were locally bred. I have seen no Clouded Yellows in this country since May. Oh, by the way Misha is male!

Misha

Zonda wrote:Thanks Neil,,,, still time then.

Hi Zonda

We found Clouded Yellows last year around Charmouth beach during the last week of October ... so we still hope to see one ... haven't seen any this year so far ...

Clive

Thanks for all that info Misha. Sorry about the gender gaff.... Still in with a chance of seeing one soon then Clive.

Zonda wrote:Thanks for all that info Misha. Sorry about the gender gaff....

Misha is an abbreviation of 'Mikhail', Zonda.

It also means little bear or a teddy bear. "Misha the Bear" was the official mascot of the 1980 Moscow olympics. Every time our Misha posts here I think of the Moscow olympic bear. For which I apologise.

Felix (as in Operation Felix - the German plan to capture Gibraltar in 1941, or if you'd prefer, the dashing feline)

or if you'd prefer, the dashing feline

You mean the rude cat.

Well whats in a name Zonda is a warm dry wind, or a noisy car.