www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Week 13.

Here is the opportunity to post your favourite photo(s) of a particular species taken in 2013 (or the last time you saw one!).

This is part of a series of topics which will grow over 20 weeks throughout the winter, eventually covering all 59 species which are regularly found in the British Isles. The intention is to showcase three species per week (in alphabetical order), so please wait until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos. Our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants.

Details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome and please feel free to contribute observations of behaviour, stories of personal encounters, anecdotes or other interesting points.

Vince

Pearl Bordered Fritillary

This shot reminds me of what is becoming an annual meet up with Philzoid at Bentley Wood in early May. As per last year things weren’t looking good; grey skies, mist in the air and “collars of coats turned up” temperatures. We amused ourselves in the morning with Tree Pipits, Oil Beetles and a single Speckled Wood. A year previously I’d seen exactly these things and no more, so worried that history would repeat itself we made our way back to the Eastern Clearing. As we did the sun finally broke through, the ground started t steam slightly and almost immediately an orange butterfly appeared, followed by another and then another. Eventually we found four all told. This was the first one that sat wings closed. Once it had settled into this posture it stayed there for the next 45 minutes or so allowing us to circle it completely like Paps around a megastar. Have a goodun

Wurzel

I didn't see very many Pearl Bordered Fritillaries in 2013. I made just the one visit to Haugh Wood, in Herefordshire, on 25th May and saw low double-figure numbers:

This is my only photo of a Pearl-bordered Fritillary, from the Alpes de Haute Provence this summer.
Chris

I remember back in the 80s when Pearl Bordered Fritillaries were in most of the local woodlands. A mystery why they have gone from so many over such a short time. It's a wonderful sight in the spring to see them flying down the woodland rides. This one is from Abbotts Wood, a re-introduced site where numbers were enormous in 2011 but dropped back in the wet 2012. A small improvement in 2013 but will hopefully see more improvement this year if the weather allows!!
https://bobsbutterflies.blogspot.com

My photo was taken at Gaits Barrow on the 25th May, too much going on in the Back ground but it was the best I could do at the time as there were loads taking photo's so I'd to be quick just to get one. Goldie

Beautiful shot, badgerbob!

Unfortunately there are no sites near me for PBFs, so I've yet to see them in this country.

Chris,

Yours looks like Titania's to me. I can't be quite 100%, but if Guy picks up this thread and he agrees I think you can be confident.

Roger

Roger Gibbons wrote:Chris,

Yours looks like Titania's to me.

I agree. It is slightly atypical but I can only really see it as tit frit - and not at all as pearl-bordered.

Guy

Hi Roger and Guy,
Wow, thanks for your input. I will study this more closely tomorrow and will no doubt have to modify my records - all part of the learning process I guess.
Chris

A couple of trips to the Wyre Forest at the beginning of June produced good numbers of Pearl-bordered Fritillaries. I found them in the meadows along Dowles Brook, at the top of the track leading uphill by Coopers Mill and in the meadow a little way along the old railway track from the Forestry Commission car park at the end of Dry Mill Lane.

I took loads of photos and as usual have quite a few favourites including these from my first trip on the 1st June...
...and a couple from a return visit the following weekend,
Cheers,

Neil.

I saw these a couple of times at Bentley Wood in 2013. As with everything in the spring, my timing was out somewhat, and the first trip on 16th May drew a complete blank. However, 31st May was more successful, though they were starting to wear a bit. Another visit (on 9th June) mainly looking for SPBF, threw up a few even more worn individuals. It was on this later trip that I somehow missed Philzoid and Wurzel by about a minute!

Dave

Pearls from Rewell Wood 2013.