www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

This is what the Met Office are saying about the month ahead:

UK Outlook for Friday 5 Jul 2013 to Sunday 14 Jul 2013:

There is reasonable confidence that high pressure will build, giving fine and dry weather across most parts of the UK from Friday onwards, with a mixture of variable cloud and sunshine. Some glancing blows from Atlantic weather fronts are still possible across far northwestern parts at times, these fronts bringing some cloud and rain with cooler and breezier conditions, mainly western Scotland and perhaps Northern Ireland. Lighter winds elsewhere with temperatures around or just above normal at first, but a good chance of increasingly warm temperatures during the course of the following week, especially inland, becoming locally very warm in sunny conditions. There is a chance that isolated late afternoon showers may develop inland with this warmth. These drier and warmer conditions should continue into the following weekend.

UK Outlook for Monday 15 Jul 2013 to Monday 29 Jul 2013:

There are signals that the dry and settled weather from the first half of the month should continue across most parts of the UK during at least the first half of this period. This means rainfall should be below average, with above-average temperatures and above-average sunshine amounts.

(Issued at: 1600 on Sun 30 Jun 2013)

Dare we believe it?

Dave

This sounds like another "barbeque summer" that we are promised every year - right before having the "wettest summer on record" I thought that anything over 5 days was unpredictable? I've found that the only truly reliable way to forecast the weather is to look out of the window

Have a goodun

Wurzel

A one hour amble (testing the improved knee) in open forestry land near Tobermory produced 2 x Small Heath, 1 only GV White and the one that got away – over the adjacent bog perhaps a Marsh Fritillary (they are known to occur in this area).



Fill-in flash used to avoid wind induced shake.

Jack

I was delighted to see a single Clouded Yellow as my train pulled into Ashford (Kent) this afternoon.

Today at Langley Park a number of Large Skippers. Also two Meadow Brown. Cheers Sezar

Female Black Hairstreak ovipositing at Bernwood Forest over the weekend. HD video here......... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhhHRi_6 ... R3UCMvDcbA

John Chapple wrote:Female Black Hairstreak ovipositing at Bernwood Forest over the weekend. HD video here......... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhhHRi_6 ... R3UCMvDcbA

Superb footage that, John.

Looks like the female only part-discharged the egg!

Interesting too to see the male drinking fluids from the blackthorn leaf.

Admirable effort and thanks for sharing.

Excellent film John. It caught the atmosphere beautifully. Really enjoyed. More please of other butterflies.

Jack

Hi, Gang
Could I please ask a favour?
When posting sightings, at the end of your (often entertaining) accounts, could you please follow with a summary of the species encountered and totals of each? Also, details of the sites visited would be very useful. A county in which 'my local patch' or a 'nearby wood' stands would be a huge help. Don't worry, though, 'sucky-bug' hunters, some dragonfly 'bitey-bug' recorders actually refer to my pond. Could this be Loch Ness? If so, I rest my case.
Adrian Riley http://www.bugalert.net

Old Castle Down, Glamorgan, South Wales. Spent a few hours yesterday searching out High Brown Fritillary and Dark Green Fritillary at this rather unusual location, unusual in that we have lots of valleys in South Wales but very few downs. Late morning and I located the first of the latter named species resting on bracken during a cloudy spell, but several 'fly-pasts' used the strong breeze to hinder any positive identification. I was reasonably sure that during my visit at least a dozen DGF were seen and definately two Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary. I managed to find a mating pair of Dark Green Fritillary and unless the seeker of this butterfly is offered a clue by a flash of orangey wing - once their down in the old bracken litter it can be a hard task to find them

As regards High Brown Fritillary perhaps as many as 15 were seen, mainly stopping for the occasional nectar snack before hurrying off to seek emerging or hidden females. One individual was kind enough to pose for some record shots, both open and closed wing, the latter pose is one I consider very pleasing and I gleefully thanked my winged friend before it flew away on more pressing business. Much habitat work has been done on the downs (by BC volunteers) over the winter and its already paying dividends because the gorse and bramble is under control and allows for a far less scratched search Three species of Fritillary in a few hours is a good return, but the challenge is still to see enough details to differentiate between DGF and HBF and I'm still learning...but boy can they can lead a merry dance

Pleased to also see a fair amount (circa 20+) fresh Small Tortoiseshell out and about, I also encountered 6 Large Skipper and 14 Speckled Wood. Old Castle Downs is a pleasant location near the village of St Brides Major, it can be accessed within 20 minutes or so from the M4 motorway.

I hope this report is at least a little bit more like Adrian (Riley) suggested

Bill

Pleasing return is that, Bill, given today's weather.

I think I'll have a good look around myself this weekend. Who knows, there may be a White Letter or two on the wing!

Willrow wrote:As regards High Brown Fritillary perhaps as many as 15 were seen

You are clearly trying to tempt me back over to South Wales now that you know my weakness.
Excellent report, again, Bill.
The fritillaries certainly seem to be doing well in your part of the world this year.
All the best. Phil.

David, weather looks set fair for a pretty good weekend hope you succeed with WLH.

Phil, thanks for those kind words, perhaps your like me...'Lead me not into temptation, I can find the way myself'

Best Wishes,
Bill

I'm still holidaying in the Shropshire Hills. The scenery is beautiful and the weather hasn't been too bad, if a little windy.

Lots of Small Copper everywhere, they seem to be doing well in this area. Similarly lots of Small Heath, by far the most common butterfly at the moment in this area. Given the sometimes cold conditions, many have been in a torpid state, so have managed to get some good photo's of this usually very skittish species

Today at Colne valley a single first for the year Ringlet, light very poor. Cheers Sezar

I watched a Red Admiral larvae making it's protective tent in my garden today, made a short film of it's efforts......... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy910n_YF5E

Here is a caterpillar that I saw on reeds at Stumpshaw, but it does not look colourful enough for the Swallowtail, Does anybody know what it is please (apologies for poor quality picture - very windy)

Many thanks,

Debbie

Debbie wrote:Here is a caterpillar that I saw on reeds at Stumpshaw, but it does not look colourful enough for the Swallowtail, Does anybody know what it is please (apologies for poor quality picture - very windy)

Many thanks,

Debbie

Hi Debbie - this is a Drinker moth larva.

Cheers,

- Pete

It's not over just yet but it soon will be.
The numbers of Black Hairstreaks are on the wane in Monks Wood, although I did come across 2 egg laying females within a few yards of each other this morning. About 6 males were also seen.
As is often the case, there was not another soul to be seen in the wood.

Meadow browns.
Much to my joy the Meadow Browns in my meadow have appeared over the last three or four days and the numbers look as if they will be up on last year, however assuming these to be the offspring of last year's bog standard Maniola jurtina this year's early males are dark enough to be chocolate with a white fringe, the upper eyes only being discernible through binoculars. I would happily allocate them to a sub-species but I think it unlikely and would prefer to blame the temperature during their development. Has anyone else noticed darker than usual MBs ?