www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Large Skipper i/d guide

Female - no sex brand on forewing


Male - noticeable sex brand (line) on forewing


Female often appears slightly darker in flight but this could be an illusion. Females emerge later so by that time, males are tending to be a little faded.

Jack

Lovely pictures Jack and informative

Debbie

Nice Skippers, Jack!

As forecast seemed as good as it is going to be this week I decided today was the day for a trip down coast as far as Cley. Stopped at Wells for a photo as tide was in & flat calm no wind at all. Called at Warham camp around 8.30 but cool & damp so no bf's about. I have never seen it so lush, masses of growth & lots of wildflowers i/c the dreaded ragwort, should be a butterfly heaven. I assume it has not been grazed last winter.
Moving on to Cley, I found no butterflys by the beach where Essex skip were last year, a few whites, meadow browns etc at Walsey hills. Back to Warham camp & the wind had become quite strong (Wells sailors would be pleased!), now the Chalkhill blues were up & about but low down. I could get the camera very close but still difficult with the wind. Saw at least 50 all males & probably same number of meadow brown but nothing else except six spot Burnet. Ended with a quick look round Titchwell but only saw 1 Rad Ad & a couple of whites. The new west sea defense has 1000's of thistles in flower but hardly an insect an any description to be seen. Eric

Is this a ringlet? It was taken on a very small compact camera. I cannot see the spots ?

Thanks Debbie

Yes. If you look at the selection of Ringlet photos on the species pages of this website http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species. ... hyperantus you'll see that the spots are often difficult to see on the upperside.

Mike

Thank you Mike, Debbie

Another key for distinguishing male Ringlets and male Meadow Browns is that the Ringlet has a distinct white border to the wings even when old (as per Debbie's example).
Meadow Browns can have a greyish border but this seems to disappear with age. Here is a very worn male Meadow Brown from the Isle of Mull (supposedly a different race in the Inner Hebrides) without a trace of a white fringe.


Jack

Thursday 2nd August - Holme NNR in north Norfolk.

Usual browns, skippers and whites. But of note, 2 Graylings and 2 very worn Dark Green Fritillaries.

Jack

Out to see some local Chalk-hills....before the rain. The wind made photography difficult and meant that the males were down in the grass and the females just hunkered-down for most of the time....
Also lots of 6-spot Burnets and Dusky Sallow moths... N

Not seeing any Speckled Woods in my locality - hoping August brings some out.

Some fresh Speckled Wood have appeared in my garden during the past week

Cheers,

Neil F.

Yes - started to see some in the last few days - not many tho'

Very fresh Specklies on Mull last week but of course the sequence/timing of broods there might be a little different from the south. Here is a male (subspecies oblita presumably)

Jack

A Specklie from my garden yesterday evening.
And a Red Admiral from the same time.
Cheers,

Neil F.

My Garden seems to have come back into favour with butterflies with a Comma and whites 2 days ago, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown and whites yesterday and today Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, male Holly Blue and three species of whites.

Garson Wood held Ringlet, Meadow Browns, Hedge Browns, Green Veined and Large Whites and a pair of Silver Washed Fritillaries.

God shill this evening had 3 Meadow Brown, a Small Heath, a Hedge Brown and a single Grayling.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Dawney's Ridge Brookwood, Woking 06:50 - 08:00 before work, Grayling the quest:- Love seeing this butterfly, love hunting it down.

Cracking shots Philzoid

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks for you comments Wurzel. Morning seems a good time for photgraphing this species.

Wurzel wrote:today Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, male Holly Blue

You wouldn't be expected to say great sightings for these three species, but so far this year I've seen one fly-by Small tortoiseshel in March, 3 faded peacocks (none over our way) and a smattering of Holly Blue first generation, again none over our way ... so Great Sightings

I shall keep my peepers peeled for any of those three at Denbies today (they've all been there in the past) as well as for the usual suspects.

On the 2nd August Nigel Kemp and myself headed north to Arnside Knott in search of the Scotch Argus, a butterfly that was new to me. During the morning there was plenty of sun and good numbers showed well. Later on cloud cover came over and the butterflies slowed down allowing easier photography. Several fresh specimens seen as well as a single Northern Brown Argus and a couple of late High Brown Fritillaries. Grayling were also in reasonable numbers. It was also good to see Iain Leach again who was also having a good day. Well worth the 700 plus mile round trip!!