www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Is it possible to have a chance of seeing both in same week?. I am thinking last week in june might be a possibility from the flight charts here on UKB. Later in july/aug, school holidays & Olympic sailing events at Weymouth might mean getting reasonable accomodation is difficult. Eric

Hi there
I'm heading down that way myself in the first week of July. I'm hoping the Lulworth Skippers are around then.

As for the Clouded Yellow's I'm really no expert. But the breeding colony at Soutbourne undercliffs still seemed to be ok last September when I visited. Not sure of their flight times outside the Autumn, but worth a visit at any point, just in case
Paul

I don't like to speak of a breeding colony at Southbourne. Ever since I started observing Clouded Yellows there, there have been at least a few and sometimes many in the autumn, and usually some in the following spring. Unfortunately most of the spring females forsake the cliffs once mated, and, I presume, go in search of habitats inland for egg-laying. It really isn't in the nature of the beast to form permanent colonies anywhere. This means that we here on the periphery of its range need fresh immigrants in the late spring or early summer if you are to stand a good chance of seeing the species in the main summer months. So your chances of seeing Clouded Yellows while visiting Dorset for Lulworth Skippers depends primarily on immigration from overseas.


Misha

Misha has described it perfectly - this species doesn't have 'breeding colonies'. It is permanently resident only in the south of Europe and even in the Mediterranean climate of the Swiss Rhône Valley it suffers 100% loss many winters. There have been many years when I've seen my first Swiss clouded yellow in July or later and in all years there is a gradual crescendo until the autumn. If some larvae have managed to complete their life-cycle this winter/spring in sheltered, mild parts of the south coast of England and have been seen flying on the cliffs this March there is no reason to assume the same individuals or their offspring will be seen there as the year progresses - clouded yellows are born to fly!

The good news is that this winter, though harsh, was very short and it is likely the survival rate - and hence the early breeding rate - in much of central Europe was high. I have seen three clouded yellows in the Rhône Valley so far this year - compared with no Swiss individuals until September last year! If the wave starts further north there is more chance of it breaking on the English south coast by June...

Guy

I had the pleasure of seeing LS at Binden Hill,next to Lulworth Cove,last year in late May and early June-much earlier than in most text books. I almost didn't bother checking,as i thought i was too early! They seem to have quite a long flight period, i have seen them at Durlston Country Park as late as mid August.
CY,on the other hand,increases toward autumn,as others have said,so i think a visit in early august would give the best chance to connect with both species. But keep an eye on sightings forums on this site,to see if any come over,the last two or three years have been poor for this species,perhaps because of poor weather in august.