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Hi I've spoken to a few people recently who combined a trip to see Heat Fritillary and Large Blue in Somerset/Devon in recent years. Would I be right in thinking that this is likely to have been the end of the HF and start of the LB flight times?

I know the HF's on the east of England are later, but I guess I was expecting the flight times for the two target species to be the same from what people have said.

HF is already on the wing in Devon. I suspect the LB's will be earlier, but even if you were to say first week in June, it does sound late for the HF then.

Could it be that the north Devon HF's are later than those in South Devon/Cornwall, or is it as I'm thinking - i.e. you catch a late HF and an early LB?

Thoughts?

Thanks.

Hi
The west Devon and Cornish Heat Frits are considerably earlier than the Exmoor ones.
This is probably an altitude effect.
The peak at Haddon is usually 2nd week June - at Lydford it is 3rd week of May.
I called in yesterday at the most easterly colony that I know of, and found nothing on the wing.
However - the conditions were not perfect with a cold wind and only occasional bright spells, not long enough to get anything stirring I reckon.
If I had seen them it would have been really early - but this is an odd season.
I have seen HF and LB on the same day twice. Once last year, and once 3 years ago. The HFs were well past thier best, and the LBs were only just emerging.
What will be the effect of this the extraordinary season is anyones guess.
The three well publicised sites for HF on Exmoor are Haddon Hill, Bin and Hanny Combe, and Alcombe.
These colonies are very mobile (especially the Haddon Hill one), and to find them can involve a lot of searching.
Last years "Hot Spot" is seldom this years.

Being that the season seems very early this year we called in at East Blean woods yesterday to check for any Heath Fritillary sightings. During the time we were there in fairly decent weather there was no sightings. Things seemed very quiet with just a few Splecked Yellow moths present.

Dave

I visited both Collard Hill for Large Blue and Dunkery Hill on Exmoor for Heath Fritillary during the second week in June in 2009. This was early in the season for Large Blue with a few very fresh individuals being seen.

The Heath Fritillary at Dunkery Hill were difficult to find late in the day but we found three in excellent condition appearing to be fairly fresh. Pictures and reports can be found on my website http://www.ibirds.co.uk. Look at the report for Southern Counties accessed from my home page. I found none at Haddon Hill but weather conditions were poor whilst there.

Heath Fritillary on the wing today at East Blean Woods. 21 about 10 yards West of the Car Park near the area of the Cow Wheat and along the footpath leading away from it.

Heath Fritillary at East Blean.

I have not been there myself this weekend but I am told that there has been a large emergence with an estimate of over 500 present in the wood. There are good numbers commencing just by the car park and along the main trail. Sounds like a good year for them here in Kent.

Dave