September 2013

[David M]

I've a feeling this could be quite an interesting month, particularly if the weather stays reasonable towards the end.

Fairly routine beginning for me down in s.Wales. However, 11 species in barely an hour's walk is not to be sniffed at.

Lots of Small Tortoiseshells on the buddleias (I saw at least 3 dozen). Several Red Admirals spotted, along with 2 Peacocks, 1 Painted Lady and 1 Comma.

This Red Admiral looks like the ab.fructa, with the black mark bisecting the red forewing stripe:

All three Whites were seen, as was a male Brimstone:

A handful of Speckled Woods appeared, whilst the other two species seen were Common Blue and Small Copper. I photographed these two because it's not often you see a Small Copper so close to another butterfly:

Finally, a pleasant view of the river Tawe looking north towards the Black Mountains (with Grey Heron in the foreground):

[Wurzel]

Second strangest sighting if the year for me today. A Small Tortoiseshell in Salisbury A and E this afternoon, I couldn't work out why it was there as if looked in very good health

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Padfield]

A Small Tortoiseshell in Salisbury A and E this afternoon, I couldn't work out why it was there as if looked in very good health

That would be 'Accident and Emergence', I presume...

Guy

[MikeOxon]

in Salisbury A and E this afternoon

I hope that you weren't facing an emergency and, if so, that all is now well.

Mike

[Wurzel]

Cheers for your concern Mike - we were there as my older daughter fell off a swing and luckily she didn't have a broken arm

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Matsukaze]

I don't often see Meadow Browns in September, but there was one in our garden today, pretending to be a Grayling, landing on the gravel path with its wings folded up, pretending to take a peek with the eye-spot on the forewing and then tucking the forewing in below the hindwing.

[CJB]

Hi All UK B'ers,
Just back from a stint in Cornwall and there was a lot of activity.
Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Large White, Small White, GV White, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Small Copper, Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Clouded Yellow, Holly Blue, Wall Brown, Speckled Wood, Painted Lady.
I also saw a large fritillary which I had not seen before and was surprised to see one this late. The distinguishing features were both its size and that it was more dusky brown than the usual orange. It was seen on Saturday 31/08. Sadly I failed to get a shot. Any suggestions on this slim amount of info would be gratefully received.
Flutter on!
CJB

[Padfield]

Hi CJB. The most likely candidate for your fritillary is a female silver-washed fritillary. Some of these can be quite heavily suffused with a dusky colour and they obviously fit the bill for size. Female dark green can be quite dusky too (in fact, most female fritillaries have a tendency to be duskier than the males) so that must be another candidate, though in my experience silver-washed flies later in the season. The two are quite different in flight. Silver-washed has a distinctly more bouncy, buoyant flight than the direct flight of dark green. I have spent a lot of time in recent weeks just standing around watching dark green, high brown and silver-washed fritillaries in flight while I've been looking for cardinals and the silver-washed is definitely the bounciest of the lot.

Guy

[Ian Pratt]

Some photos from yesterday and Sunday. The clouded yellows and chalkhill blue were at Brading Down IOW, and the silver-spotted skipper at Malling Down near Lewes.

[CJB]

Thank you Guy for your response. It did have a bouncy flight and my first instinct was a SWF, certainly in terms of size.
The only bit that puzzles me is that it isn't a particularly SWF-friendly area as it is mainly low scrub, sand dunes and occasional heather.
However it does tally. Thank you for your response.
Flutter on!
CJB

[selbypaul]

Spent the day on the Great Orme in North Wales.

Commonest butterfly was, surprisingly, the Wall. Some quite fresh, some battered. Also lots of Small Tortoishell near St Tud's cemetery and Meadow Brown at Halfre Gardens. Also at Halfre were a couple of Brown Argus, and a single Grayling near to the West Shore. Later in the day were lots of Whites, mainly Small White.

[Matsukaze]

Hi All UK B'ers,
Just back from a stint in Cornwall and there was a lot of activity.
Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Large White, Small White, GV White, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Small Copper, Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Clouded Yellow, Holly Blue, Wall Brown, Speckled Wood, Painted Lady.
I also saw a large fritillary which I had not seen before and was surprised to see one this late. The distinguishing features were both its size and that it was more dusky brown than the usual orange. It was seen on Saturday 31/08. Sadly I failed to get a shot. Any suggestions on this slim amount of info would be gratefully received.
Flutter on!
CJB

Could Cardinal be a possibility? I know it is extremely unlikely but it does fit the description well, and populations do exist up the west coast of France and it has been recorded in Cornwall before.

[dave brown]

Clouded Yellows continue at Dungeness
Speaking to the Observatory warden yesterday he commented that it was a Clouded Yellow day. His final total was 27 including 3 of the form Helice. Numbers have increased over the last few days and Small Tortoiseshells are still in good numbers.

[David M]

Commonest butterfly was, surprisingly, the Wall.

Not really that surprising in a coastal location.

The cemetery opposite my home in Swansea is a playground for them right now, and I daresay they'll be around for another week or so at least.

[Jack Harrison]

Isle of Mull 3rd September

Scotch Argus still hanging on so they made it into September.

Also single Speckled Wood, and now much reduced numbers of Peacock, Tortoisesehell and GV White.

Jack

[Debbie]

On Sunday I joined other family members on a trip to Dudmaston Hall near Bridgnorth. and this little fellow (that I only just got a picture of) was the biggest small copper I have seen. I have not seen one with the markings on the lower wing before.

Debbie

[Jack Harrison]

Tobermory Harbour (yes, by harbour wall. 4th September

One of my first attempts at video. Just a small back-up camera. (I was waiting for the bus to the ferry and then the dentist in Oban). I will get better organised with tripod or at least a monopod to reduce shake.

The Speckled Wood seems to be feeding from some secretion on that leaf.

http://youtu.be/Deh3tCHxiDY

Jack

[David M]

I have not seen one with the markings on the lower wing before

They're not that uncommon, Debbie. I reckon 1 in 30 have the blue hindwing spots. I've only seen two this year (but then again I've probably only seen 50 or so Small Coppers)

[MikeOxon]

I'm just back from a short break in South West Wales, which included a visit to the National Garden of Wales, near Carmarthen. I was interested to see that several Small Whites and Small Tortoiseshells had made themselves at home inside the rather spectacular Great Glasshouse, where they were enjoying the exotic sources of nectar available to them.

National Garden of Wales - 1st September 2013
Panasonic Lumix TZ25 - 1/200s@f/5.5 ISO 100 (fl=200mm equiv)

National Garden of Wales - 1st September 2013
Panasonic Lumix TZ25 - 1/500s@f/4 ISO 100 (fl=24mm equiv)

The garden was looking very splendid, with plenty of late-season colour, especially in the double-walled garden. There were plenty of Small Tortoiseshells there, too, but not in the same condition as their indoor relatives!

Mike

[CJB]

Hi Matsukaze,

Could Cardinal be a possibility? I know it is extremely unlikely but it does fit the description well, and populations do exist up the west coast of France and it has been recorded in Cornwall before.

I have just looked at the images of the Cardinal on the UKB sight and I know they often get mistaken and I hate to stick my neck miles out, but having looked at the pictures, I think there is a distinct possibility. Why, oh why, did I not get the photo!?!?!

In the notes it says that there was a sighting at Tintagel (along time ago!!) and it is literally down the coast from there.

In my reply to Guy, I did state that there is no real SWF habitat in the vicinity so who knows..................

Flutter on!

CJB