www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

I've a feeling this is going to be a good one....

i went to Bedford Purlieus from 11am to 2pm.
several million ringlets, two white admirals, one hummingbird hawkmoth, at least 30 silver washed fritillaries, 1 marbled white + usual suspects.

then Phil B and Nick B appeared, looking for White Letter Hairstreaks. We spotted several high up but none were nectaring on the marjoram etc.

pics:

https://www.flickr.com/groups/2692977@N23/

Purple Emperor today at Borde Hill Gardens, nr Hawywards Heath, Sussex. No idea if this is a known site, but it sure surprised the heck out of me.

James

Thanks to a post on Bird forum by John F, I hot footed it down to Holt Country park this morning, & found the Valesina SWF female in the brambles by the pool. Had to wait about 30mins for it to turn up. Plenty of normal SWF's to view. Also some Commas, White & Red Admiral lots of Meadow Browns, bonus was a Slow worm on way back to car park. Eric

Monday 30.6.14. FERMYN WOODS/LADY WOOD.
Arrived around 10am, plenty of vehicles parked at the entrance to the main track, we made our way down the track and spoke to a couple of guys(from Sheffield) watching a Purple Emperor, it was flying in and out of the tops of the trees on the first bend. It started checking us out at lower level and then landed on our friend's hat, then my back but only for a very short time, no pics.
The weather was very overcast and the sun was only coming out for about a minute or two, so we moved on to Lady Wood taking the left hand fork and saw plenty of Ringlets, Meadow Browns, Large Skippers, Small Torts but few P/Emp. we missed a couple of short visits to the track by them(wrong place, wrong time). It was now completely overcast(1pm.) and so we made our way back to the car park for lunch, about 250 metres from the entrance we saw two Purple Emperors on the track,it was feeding and we managed to get some pics. after all. (see attached)

Russ

I have been doing all those things in life that take up time and stop me getting out butterflying too much, so even though I have taken some pictures I have not had time to post them, I do get the odd moment to read some posts and love the wonderful pictures

Today I did manage to have ten minutes at lunch time and I was rewarded with:

Small heaths
Ringlets
Meadow Browns
T' Shells
Small Skipper
and Burnet Moth,

a couple of pictures attached taken with the SX50.

Debbie

Today at Aston Rowant Bold Hill, lots of small skippers and marbled white. Dark green fritillary counted aprox. 25-27. First time I have seen so many at this site. Cheers Sezar

Visited Pakenham Wood in Suffolk this afternoon. In a sunny clearing the following was seen.

10+ Silver Washed Fritillary
10+ White Admiral
100+Ringlet / Meadow Brown
50+ Large Skipper
4 Comma
1 Red Admiral

Regards Kev Ling

No time to post details in my Diary just yet, but I've just returned from two days in Fermyn. The Purple Emperor season is in full swing there with a huge number of individuals seen over the large areas covered on my 'bicycle'. 35 - 40 grounded males yesterday over several miles of forest track. First females out but fresh males still emerging in quantity. Saw a very good mint condition ab. lugenda but unfortunately it crept up behind me and fluttered between my legs while I 'reactivated' a bait, so I rather blew the opportunity of an image! More news on my PD soon.
BWs, Neil

Fermyn Woods, Northamptonshire yesterday produced plenty of Purple Emperor activity. I spent most of the day there in the company of fellow UK Butterflies members PhilB and Rosalyn who have a pretty good 'local' knowledge of this 'Purple Citadel'. Instead of expending unnecessary energy searching we concentrated our efforts in one of Phil's 'hot-spots' and were rewarded with plenty of time to enjoy the freshly emerged butterflies that kept us (and others) absolutely entranced at least ten individuals were seen in this 'hot-spot' (and photographed) during a predominantly sunny morning

I'm including just a few images here on the sightings page and will do a more detailed review of our day in my Personal Diary later today...in the meanwhile my sincere thanks to Phil & Ros for their lovely company on a wonderful summer day spent with His Imperial Majesty and it was really nice to meet Mark (Essex Buzzard) and Esther

Bill

"When in doubt...venture out"

I saw about 15 Chalkhill Blues this morning at Lydden NR, Temple Ewell Happy Hunting,

Hoggers

https://www.flickr.com/groups/2648667@N24/

the first 41 pics are from today at Fermyn Woods, the rest from last Thursday.

Just the one Purple Emperor at Bookham Common on Tuesday and 4 today at Chiddingfold. Unfortunately no photos.

Surprised to see 2 fresh male Brimstones too. All the usual suspects seen. WAY behind on my diary....I keep going out!

Good to meet Paul and Margaret today too (I did see another, but in the canopy!) as well as a couple from Wales on a tour of UK sites. It was a pleasure to see them see their first Emperor.

Lee

Whilst in Weymouth this week I have managed to visit Lulworth Cove a couple of times, first with the family on Tuesday afternoon when I just had a quick look around the lower area by the path to Durdle Door, then yesterday afternoon on my own when I went up onto Bindon Hill.
Amongst all the usual suspects on Bindon Hill yesterday I was surprised to find 3 male Silver-studded Blues. I have reported the sightings to Dorset BC and apparently one was also seen on the transect recently.
Full reports and photos in my diary in dues course, looks like I have loads of catching up to do when I am back home.

Cheers,

Neil.

nfreem wrote:...on Bindon Hill yesterday I was surprised to find 3 male Silver-studded Blues. I have reported the sightings to Dorset BC and apparently one was also seen on the transect recently.

Wow. That's certainly surprised me, Neil.

I wasn't aware that this species was to be found in this locality.

Having seen no gatekeepers this year I ventured across the road from my house to the fields this morning and was met by at least 25 of them! How wonderful.
(Still no painted lady, clouded yellow or small copper seen by me though.)
Ian

I was fortunate enough yesterday to visit Shalcombe Down Isle of Wight before the rain came. Hundreds of pyramidal orchids and between 20 and 30 dark green fritillaries all in very good condition. Ian

Park Wood Ruislip today, just before rain came down. Lots of Ringlet, half a dozen small skippers. Cheers sezar

Here's a few from yesterday. I walked my transects at Mabie Forest in the morning. Good numbers of Dark-green Fritillaries about, mostly a little worn but a few fresh ones. Saw an incredibly dark individual but it was starting to warm up by this time and there was no stopping him. This one was quite happy to have his photo taken though. Lots of fresh Meadow Browns around too. In the afternoon I walked the dogs at Lauriston Forest where there is a good colony of Common Blues. I was not disappointed and counted 30 to 40 - all males except one. The males here are incredibly vivid while the females are beautiful too with a lot of blue on them. The pictures I took last year didn't do them justice so I hope to get back there in a few days time. Owen

I was compelled to go back to Fermyn as I missed out on a fungi I wanted to photograph. It was a bit overcast so we headed off to Corby to get a coffee and on the way back found a woodland area (still Fermyn according to the signs) 12 Purple Emperor grounded and not a single 'butterflyer' in sight just a couple of dog walkers. I have no idea where we were though my sense of direction is notoriously bad