www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

With reports of an imminent heatwave, one can only hope that this thread gets off to a good start!

With reports of rain and blustery weather I didn't bother taking my camera to Kithurst Hill this morning when I popped to the meadow for a quick walk with my daughter and puppy dog. Fool! the meadow was sheltered from the worst of the wind and in five minutes I saw half a dozen perfectly posed male common blue, some small blue including one prettily sitting on a forgetmenot flower and a pristine duchess of burgundy. Isn't it always the way?!

Never mind, it is a good start to June anyway

Amazing that anyone saw butterflies today. It has been probably the worst June day I can ever remember - we have lashing rain, 50mph winds and 10c currently in Swansea!

While performing a butterfly survey over the Knepp Wildland project on Saturday 30 May, I watched more Painted Ladies flying north in a determined manner, these probably being the forerunners of something larger on the way. While photographing a particularly nice Common Spotted Orchid, I noticed a Cricket-bat Orb Weaver sitting on the flower-spike. An attractive arachnid, rather than a random sequence of words, this little beauty appears to represent the first record for this part of Sussex, which is better known from the northern heathlands.
Cricket-bat Orb Weaver on Common Spotted Orchid

On Monday 1 June I surveyed a beautiful stretch of farmed downland near Lancing. Traditional, rotational grazing of the slopes and associated leys over many decades has resulted in some of the best chalk grassland turf I’ve ever seen. The Common Blue was truly common and I found a sizeable, unmapped colony of Small Blue. The Wall was also seen in good numbers, despite the dodgy weather.

Hi! Neil, really enjoyed the video, I'm hoping the Pearl BF will be out when I get back home from my holiday, ( going this weekend)
there's been no reports of them being seen at Gait Barrow so far this year and they've done loads of coppicing up there.
The weather has been really bad this year a round here, they've been seen at Warton Craig though so fingers crossed their not lost to us.
Great shot of the Wall by the way, Goldie

David M wrote:With reports of an imminent heatwave, one can only hope that this thread gets off to a good start!

If the weather's a fright, go for a pint!
Ade

We are still getting Glanvilles hatching at Hutchinsons Bank, so they should be around for a week or so yet, 3 males on the bottom muddy track, one was worn the other fresh, and 2 males in or above the big scrape, and to cap it off a female, that had just emerged along the nature trail track where larvae were photographed at the end of April.
1st Male
2nd Male
Female Underside
Female upperside

Still Marsh Fritillaries out at Chambers Farm Wood...

3rd June visit to Iona in gorgeous weather. As this is likely to be last visit to Iona (moving house next month) main target was Corncrakes. Just one heard but that could be explained by the fact I had forgotten my deaf aids! (Or as NHS euphemistically calls them: “Hearing Instruments”).

Just two butterflies: male GV White and a tatty Peacock. More intriguingly, on the ferry back from Iona to Mull, my wife saw a GV White land on the bonnet of the mobile bank van returning with [no doubt] the millions spent by tourists visiting Iona; it hitched a ride for a few moments.

I missed this as at the time I was photographing another novelty - a summery sky.


Jack

MrSp0ck: Fascinated by the Glanvilles at Hutchinsons Bank - I can't make it there this weekend, but possibly may be able to on Monday afternoon. Weather looks - at the moment - sunny with patches of cloud, so hopefully okay.

Is there any chance you could advise on areas in the area where I may be able to park/where I should access the reserve and where I should be looking?

Thank you!

Does anybody know if Heath Fritillaries are flying in Essex yet - Hadleigh?

Mick Rock wrote:Does anybody know if Heath Fritillaries are flying in Essex yet - Hadleigh?

Nothing on the BC Cambs & Essex branch sightings page yet.

*Edit* two seen at Hockley Woods today, I guess give it a week or two

Mick Rock wrote:Does anybody know if Heath Fritillaries are flying in Essex yet - Hadleigh?

Can't speak for Essex but they are out at East Blean, Kent. 20 was seen around the wood at the weekend.

Dave

Good advice from Bugboy - there were no Heath Fritilaries at Hadleigh Great Wood yesterday and the cool spring lends itself to a slow build up so I would think the Essex peak might be around the end of the month.

I photographed this well worn specimen @ Lakenheath Fen Suffolk yesterday 4th almost as an afterthought. Could not get the light right as both side looked the same. Seems late for a hibernator to be about & the abdomen looks "funny" as do the legs. It never moved as I walked closely round it. anyone have thoughts on this specimen. Eric

Looks like a well past its best Peacock that is still clinging on from last year. Saw a couple about still last weekend myself.

I took the liberty to enhance the image in photoshop. Could be a large/scarce tortoiseshell too I suppose. Not sure if there is enough of it left for an ID?

EAST BLEAN WOODS.
This afternoon in a hot sunny spell between the thunder storms we saw a total of 16 Heath Fritillaries at East Blean Woods today. 2 were less than 20 metres from the car park in the freshly coppiced area. The other 14 were in a coppiced area accessed by walking through the gate in the car park, after 20 metres turn right along the track. After about 125 metres turn right again. On your left is a coppiced area with plenty of Cow Wheat present. They were in there. Also present in this coppiced area was a Hummingbird Hawkmoth and a Norfolk Hawker. That's the second year running that I have seen one here, presumably from the small breeding colony at nearby Westbere.

FISHiEE wrote:Looks like a well past its best Peacock that is still clinging on from last year. Saw a couple about still last weekend myself.

The above identification is spot on, its just an old peacock, there are many of them about still, the Cutting at Hutchinsons Bank has had one this week in similar condition. Not bad for a butterfly that is now 10 Months old.

Is anyone still seeing dingy skippers or are they gone over now?