www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

We're all experiencing a dreadful spell of wet, cloudy and windy weather right now.

Let's hope it clears up soon so we can enjoy a last hurrah!

It could hardly have started better here - a female Silver-washed Fritillary in the garden this morning, along with Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Large and Small White.

Matsukaze wrote:It could hardly have started better here - a female Silver-washed Fritillary in the garden this morning, along with Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Large and Small White.

Excellent start to the month. Just having the sun out here in south Wales would be welcome at the moment!

While the West was praying for the sun to come out , I took advantage of that sunshine yesterday to get my weekly transect done at High Elms LNR near Bromley , with the following results .
1 Small Skipper
1 Clouded Yellow ( a pleasant surprise ) 4 Brimstone
1 Large White
1 Green-veined White
2 White-letter Hairstreak ( not having a good year , max.5 on transect )
2 Small Copper ( likewise , only one previously recorded )
26 Brown Argus 61 Common Blue
1 Holly Blue
4 Peacock
4 Comma
27 Silver-washed Fritillary ( like this female showing their age now , first was recorded 20th.June ) 100+ Gatekeeper
350+ Meadow Brown
1 Small Heath
On my way home , I stopped off at two site below Biggin Hill airport , the first produced 2 second brood Small Blue ( absolutely tiny and already damaged ) On the other site , 181 Chalkhill Blue , including a mating pair and two other females
1 Marbled White ( probably ' the last man standing , but they had a good year )
and a Painted Lady , amongst 13 species recorded

[quote from David M " Excellent start to the month. Just having the sun out here in south Wales would be welcome at the moment!" ]

I would welcome that too ! Mike from Oxford replied a couple of days ago to a posting which referred to autumnal weather by stating that it was still only 31 July. True, but yesterday whilst in the South Wales valleys I noticed the Rowan trees on the hillside were covered in berries. My Collins guide states " the fruits are bright scarlet berries and ripen in September...". And it was dark by 9 p.m ! With the seasons changing so early, in 10 years time we`ll be moving Christmas to October and Easter to January.

Jenks.

David M wrote:

Matsukaze wrote:It could hardly have started better here - a female Silver-washed Fritillary in the garden this morning, along with Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Large and Small White.

Excellent start to the month. Just having the sun out here in south Wales would be welcome at the moment!

Well, it's the only sun we've had so far!

jenks wrote:[quote from David M " Excellent start to the month. Just having the sun out here in south Wales would be welcome at the moment!" ]

I would welcome that too ! Mike from Oxford replied a couple of days ago to a posting which referred to autumnal weather by stating that it was still only 31 July. True, but yesterday whilst in the South Wales valleys I noticed the Rowan trees on the hillside were covered in berries. My Collins guide states " the fruits are bright scarlet berries and ripen in September...". And it was dark by 9 p.m ! With the seasons changing so early, in 10 years time we`ll be moving Christmas to October and Easter to January.

Jenks.

I had a couple of Brick moths emerge last week from larvae I'd been rearing. The usual emergence time is mid-September.

2nd August Findhorn (Moray)

Still no Graylings but plenty of common Blues (single brooded in this area).

This DG Fritillary was investigating violets but I didn't actually observe any egg laying.

The colour is quite accurately reproduced: female DG Fs are quite dull here.

Habitat on/near the dunes.


Back home, I nearly sat on this on a garden chair.


Jack

Silver-washed Fritillary in a small copse near Bath today, apparently ovipositing on the lower trunk of beech, the first two times in sunlight and the third hidden behind an ivy leaf. Lots of freshly-emerged Red Admirals about as well.

jenks wrote:[quote from David M " Excellent start to the month. Just having the sun out here in south Wales would be welcome at the moment!" ]

I would welcome that too ! Mike from Oxford replied a couple of days ago to a posting which referred to autumnal weather by stating that it was still only 31 July. True, but yesterday whilst in the South Wales valleys I noticed the Rowan trees on the hillside were covered in berries. My Collins guide states " the fruits are bright scarlet berries and ripen in September...". And it was dark by 9 p.m ! With the seasons changing so early, in 10 years time we`ll be moving Christmas to October and Easter to January.

Jenks.

Over in Norfolk, the weather recently has been pretty mild, while the rain has been confined to overnight deluges and the occasional heavy shower during the day. There has probably been a little more sun than not.

However, the strong (but mildish) breeze, which seems to have been going on for an age, is making sightings difficult. There are places I would normally see a lot more butterflies than I have, but the wind is just too strong at the moment for them to fly.

After an appointment ,this morning in Canterbury ,I had a look at one of the sites I visit for Adonis Blues,but before I reached the site ,decided to stop at a Field edge which is left undisturbed by the farmer ,and is six-seven metres wide all around the field ,whether this is for the abundant Pheasants ,or hunting area for various birds of prey I,m not sure ? but what I do know is that it is a great Plant and Butterfly site !
Today ,although it was quite bright ,it was still very windy ,but I was pleased to find 6 Wall Browns on the wing (including the pair ),about a dozen Common Blues, a Holly Blue ,and various other commoner species ,a great little site!. At the Adonis site about a mile and a half away, I found another 6 Wall Browns ,+ good numbers of Chalkhills and around a Dozen Male Adonis ,looks like they,ve been out for a few days now ,no females as far as I could see ,poss; exception being the one posted ,although I think its a Chalkhill . Also posted a rare arable plant which I,ve been visiting near home,for about 5 weeks ,and finally found some in flower !! Small flowered Catchfly. (Silene Gallica) Regards Allan.W.

Went to Bookham Commons today with Bob. The sun was more in than out but fortunately we managed to find our target species on a flowery patch just off the northern boundary of Banks Common. We found two Brown Hairstreaks within yards of each other, one feeding on Hogweed and the other on Creeping Thistle. Can anyone 'sex' these 2 individuals shown below? No upperside shots I am afraid .

ATB

Peter

I think the top Brown Hairstreak is Female and the bottom on a male, males rarely decend at bookham so its a good shot.

MrSp0ck wrote:I think the top Brown Hairstreak is Female and the bottom on a male, males rarely decend at bookham so its a good shot.

Quite a few this year, I've had 4 already!

MrSp0ck wrote:I think the top Brown Hairstreak is Female and the bottom on a male, males rarely decend at bookham so its a good shot.

Thank you, MrSp0ck. I had a hunch they were female and male. Interesting to know that males rarely descend to lower levels here which makes the sighting extra special.

ATB

Peter

A couple of Female Meadow Browns ,from Orlestone , still good numbers on the wing ,but Large Skippers ,Ringlets ,Marbled Whites ,White Ads all seem to have gone ,1 single Small Skipper ,4 Silver-Wash (getting tatty now ),some glorious Peacocks and Brimstones ,and another 80+ Common Blue count. Still lots of Gatekeepers. regards Allan.W.

A Male Adonis Blue today along the cutting at Hutchinsons Bank, 8 Small Blues, a female Silver-Washed Fritillary, and surprisingly a male beautiful demoiselle just below the cutting.

What a beautiful specimen, Sp0ck. Positively gleaming!

Good numbers of butterflies seen at the nature reserve at the northern tip of the Isle of Man on Saturday:

Common Blue 150-200
Meadow Brown 40-60
Grayling 30-40
Peacock 30-40
Red Admiral 30-40
Small White 10-15
Small Heath 10-15
Speckled Wood 6
Large White 4
Painted Lady 3
Wall Brown 2
Small Tortoiseshell 2
Small Copper 2
Several Choughs were seen near to the coastline, whilst dozens of gannets were active over the sea:

A female Brown Hairstreak at Hutchinsons Bank today, the first photographed one of the year.