Thanks for the id Paul and I think you could be right but I have just seen Graeme Lyons blog about an male Early Moth in the door way of the local bookies:

http://networkedblogs.com/cxid4

Bit difficult for me to tell them apart, was my photo a Mottled Umber or an Early Moth?

Crispin

Together with 6+ Winter moths was this, I am not sure what it is: Crispin

Susie said: They could learn a thing or two from the Sussex BC AGM. I recently became a member of the Sussex Branch but couldn’t attend the most recent AGM/Members Day. I have looked online for a programme of events for the day but can’t find anything. Pointers please. Jack Have a look at Neil's pe...

Hi
I found this dead moth when sweeping under a fridge at work. I thought it would be easy to identify but I am not sure. Clearly a geometrid and probably a Magpie - is it?

Crispin

Despite the cold of just 3c last night there was a Humming-bird Hawk at about 10.30 in the garden at my parents house, Kingston near Lewes. Also 1 Speckled wood 1 Red admiral . Birds include House martin flying NW,flocks of Redwing/Fieldfare, Starlings and a Herron on the neighbors roof looking down...

Outbreeding confers genetic strength. Butterflies that breed in relatively localised colonies will benefit from genetic exchange between nearby colonies. In principle, either males or females or both could wander from their birth colony in search of others in which to breed, but in practice females...

I notice several books, including Jeremy Thomas & Richard Lewington Butterflies of Brittan and Ireland, suggest male Chalkhill wander from nearest breeding sites more than females. Is this really so? Why do the males wander more than females? If it has anything to do with dispersal and colonisin...

Hi Just put on to Google Docs my transect results for each week going back to 1993. Some of you (especially those who also do transects) may identify similar trends over the years. https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AvMGVq-NUFF5dFNOVWxqbll6aUUyOTNqRjcxMlJOSGc&hl=en_GB&authkey=CPfvm50H ...

Gibster wrote:I was sitting in my truck today, stuck in traffic, when I suddenly noticed a Small Copper perched on the tail spoiler of the car beside me. The lights changed and the car sped off, Small Copper still in situ...

Gibster

Are you sure it wast jesting as a police man?

Gosh! That is late for CH Blue. My, personal, latest record for Chalkhill in 2010 was 4 Sept, prior to that it was the 17th Sept in 1996 (transect data) but I would not be surprised if there was something a bit later if I searched through all my and my fathers records and other records. I would expe...

Photographed by my sister on 5 Sept 2010 in below Passo di Finestra, about 1250m, Bellunesi National Park, Dolomites, NE Italy. Skipper 5 Sept 10.jpg When I first saw the image on her camera I thought it looked like an aberration of Silver-spotted Skipper, but I am not so sure. Any thoughts? Crispin

Superb photos and very interesting. Females outnumbered the males and were still emerging, with several mating pairs to be found. This is what I noticed when doing my transect at Malling Down on Sunday. There were 36 females and 29 males, lots of fresh females and mating going on. From past experien...

Whilst looking for Silver-spotted eggs I keep finding these little pupa, I think they pupa. But of what? 2010_0902_122559.jpg 2010_0902_122619.jpg Any ideas? I suspect it is some little fly. I am just curious to know what it is as I keep seeing them and think "Ah! there's an egg" but no it...

A superb day at Malling Down, Lewes.
Saw my first Clouded Yellow of the year and one Painted Lady

Loads of Adonis Blues, including mating pairs. Still several Chalkhill about.
Silver-spotted Skippers have finished - not seen one since last Wed.

Crispin

That is amazing! What induces such strange intermate behavior ?

Ooh - nice one! If you could also post this in the species-specific albums for posterity, I'd appreciate it!

gallery/album.php?album_id=725

Ok shall do soon.
For comparison here are some "normal" SSSk with smaller white/silver markings.

Thought you may be interested to see this Silver-spotted Skipper I found today. I have seen at least two others with larger than normal white spots this summer. Also some very dark females.

Crispin

Excellent! This could be a really fascinating section and could inspire valuable thoughts and potential research. One book I would add to your list would be: Frowhawk. F.W. (1934) The Complete Book of. British Butterflies. Ward Lock, London My father has a copy and I am always amazed at Frowhawks ca...

Among the buzz of grasshoppers and crickets at Malling Down there are loads of Silver-spotted Skippers, I think it is going to be the best year ever. There is also a family of six Kestrel one of which is leucistic/partly-albino (see this blog at: http://analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.c...

Buddliea is indeed irresistible to many species especially the nymphalidaes. But marjoram is also good for attracting others such as lycaenidae. I am fortunate in that our lawn/garden has plenty of rock rose and black medic integrated (planted by previous owner) and that has resulted in species whic...