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Visited one of our local Adonis sites late Afternoon,near Wye (Kent ) Still good numbers of female Adonis on the wing,but the males are very battleworn now, a few new Common Blues about ,lots of Small Heath ,a few Meadow Browns a single Small Copper. Amongst the Adonis I came across this . Regards Allan.W.

Nairnshire 2nd September. Scotch Argus still in reasonable numbers; just short of 4 weeks since first sighting this year.

Jack

White Sheet Hill, Wiltshire, 2 September. Plenty of Meadow Brown and Small Heath; also freshly-emerged Small Tortoiseshells and Small White, Adonis Blue, Common Blue and Brown Argus. Also this female blue, which I believe is Chalkhill - is this correct?

At least one of the Queen of Spain Fritillaries showing very well all morning at least by Halcombe Farm, north of Peacehaven. I arrived at 10 + was showing as I got there + had been since at least 9 am despite a chilly night.

Clouded Yellows also showing well plus Small Heath, Small Copper, all 3 common whites, Red Admiral, Common Blue + Meadow Brown.

Brown Hairstreak still active at Bookham. Also fresh Common Blue and Small Copper but overall butterfly activity depressingly low for such a warm sunny day.

Allan.W. wrote:....Amongst the Adonis I came across this

Beautiful specimen, Allan. Is it me or are there quite a few Adonis aberrants this (late)summer/autumn?

Thanks for comments David,pleased to find this individual this particular site doe,s tend to have some odd ones from time to time.
Last year at the same site,i found three in one visit(posted in sightings last year) including two a foot apart in the same roost,and as you say several have been reported this season ,including Butterfly Rexs ,superb mixed Gynandromorph.
Regards Allan.W.

Latest transect from yesterday:

8 Red Admiral
5 Speckled Wood
3 Gatekeeper
1 Green Veined White

Still not a single Peacock or Small Tortoiseshell in this area. Anyone from the Pennines regions or NW experiencing the same thing?

3 September Nairnshire
Peacocks and Tortoiseshells have moved north. Torties were in decent numbers but now presumably hibernating. Peacocks still in large numbers but tailing of slightly. But a week or two ago Peacocks in abundance that matched anything I had seen anywhere in UK. (except a newly emerged brood when numbers can - used to be - staggering before they disperse)

Also Red Admirals in very impressive numbers in these parts. But no Painted Ladies after a very good 2016

Jack

Jack Harrison wrote:3 September Nairnshire
Peacocks and Tortoiseshells have moved north. Torties were in decent numbers but now presumably hibernating. Peacocks still in large numbers but tailing of slightly. But a week or two ago Peacocks in abundance that matched anything I had seen anywhere in UK. (except a newly emerged brood when numbers can - used to be - staggering before they disperse)

Also Red Admirals in very impressive numbers in these parts. But no Painted Ladies after a very good 2016

Jack

Rather dissapointing, we haven't had a single one since spring! :/

4th September Nairnshire
A few elderly female Scotch Argus in my usual locality.

Jack

Jack Harrison wrote:4th September Nairnshire
A few elderly female Scotch Argus in my usual locality.

I often wondered whether they made it to September at your latitude, Jack. Now I know!

David

often wondered whether they made it to September at your latitude, Jack. Now I know!

This area where I am monitoring has a relatively warm climate. There is (used to be) colonies of Scotch Argus near Braemar, a much colder locality. So maybe they last to mid-September there.

Just to south side of Invercauld Bridge NO186908 was good but haven't been there for 30 years to check on the Scotch Argus! However, when driving past out-of-season earlier in 2017, the habitat appeared unchanged

Jack

There have been a couple a second brood White Admirals here in Essex over the weekend

Essex Bertie wrote:There have been a couple a second brood White Admirals here in Essex over the weekend

Thanks for letting us know, Essex!

Cheers,

- Pete

Pete Eeles wrote:

Essex Bertie wrote:There have been a couple a second brood White Admirals here in Essex over the weekend

Thanks for letting us know, Essex!

Cheers,

- Pete

Still holding out hope we get some at Bookham as well although this weather may mean it just becomes a few individuals rather than a fully fledged brood. On my last visit I found a third instar preparing to moult.

Dungerness Wednesday 6th.

Small Heath 50, Small Copper 40, Large White 10-20, Small White 10, Clouded Yellows 2, Common Blue 15-20, Brown Argus 5, Painted Lady 5, Peacock 5, Red Admiral 1, Meadow Brown 5-10. Then onto Folkestone downs, several Adonis blues, then onto Temple Ewell downs, still good numbers of Adonis Blues and some fresh Common Blues and Small Coppers.

Had a mid afternoon visit to Dungeness,today glorious sunshine ,with a bit of wind ,which kept a lot of butterflies down ,that said we still managed to find 36 Small Coppers,and around the same of Small Heath,pleased to see 6 Clouded Yellows (mostly females ) around a dozen Painted Ladys ,some glorious beautiful Common Blues,good numbers of Large Whites , the Coppers were a proper mixed bag ,with some very fresh individuals right through to real "ghosts " a few Brown Args,Small White ,Red Ad ,Comma and a couple of Hummingbird Hawks .
Regards Allan.W.

9th September

Still one or two Scotch Argus (females only now) in Nairnshire.

Jack

First day of our holiday today,not too much planned so thought I,d take a look in the local wood for a couple of hours,
lots of forestry activity going on ,they're cropping the Pines at present and improving ( surfacing ) some of the rides ,in between showers I managed to find a few butterflies ,about a dozen each of Peacock and Red Admiral ,including the AB;Bialbata I've posted ,a single Brimstone ,Large White
and a female Green vein. When it started to rain I got in amongst the trees and looked at the Fungi ,and there were lots to look at ! Off to West Sussex tomorrow for a break. Regards Allan.W.