www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Morning all - was at Butser hill yesterday [Rake Bottom] and Dukes were the most numerous species - fantastic!!!
On reviewing my photos when I got back there was one Duke with a dark spot on the underside of the front and hind wings - it looks like it has has been colour marked? I have been to this sight most days over the past two weeks and not seen anyone else there with nets etc. The photo is poor but hopefully you can see the spots - any thoughts?

Tuts,

This may be the work of a masters student carrying out a mark and release scheme for Butterfly Conservation. She is based in Essex but I know she was heading for Hampshire to monitor a few Duke sites - I'll email her the link if that's OK and see if she needs any info. Many thanks for your post & photo.

Rob S

Thanks Rob
would be very interested to find out - no one else has suggested what it might be -
Mark T

Interestingly I saw a Duke at Gait Barrows in Lancashire on Thursday last week with a blue marking on the underside of one forewing.

Do people think the Dukes in North Yorkshire would be flying yet, or still a bit early - just wondering with Gait Barrows having some in flight?

Hi All

Went to Noar Hill on Saturday and there were quite a few about. A couple of pics belo.

Mike

Think I have solved the mystery - Ashley Whitlock has told me that an Msc student - Rachel Hoyes - has been carrying out mark and release studies in the hampshire area and at his nsite in particular so this would seem to explain the markings!
Mark T

I met two people from Butterfly Conservation late on Wednesday afternoon when visiting Prestbury Hill near Cheltenham,they were recording the numbers of Duke of Burgundys on the site. They marked each one they caught with a small blue spot on one wing, so it is highly likely that the ones you saw had been caught for study purposes and then released

Reports of Dukes seem to be coming in from everywhere,,, except on the 'so called' , 5 star site at Buckland Wood. Me and a friend covered this wood pretty extensively on Thurs 28th, and there was noticeably no real butterfly activity of any sort on the higher sunny clearings. Not even a Speckled Wood,,, ??? weird.... On investigating the lower slopes of this wood, we did see a few Orange-tips, Green-veined Whites, and Speckled Woods. Frankly,,, i'm baffled. Or are the Buckland Wood Dukes always behind the rest of the southern sites?

I was at Buckland Wood on the 29th at 12.30 and saw at least 4 individual Dukes at one spot. I went to the 2 other area where they are meant to be and may have seen one at one spot but cant confirm. Very lovely butterflies and very tame.

Andy