Notes and Views - June 2017

[Vince Massimo]

Swallowtail sightings from three different locations on the same day (17th June 2017).

One at Yattenden, Berkshire by Michael McNeill (reported on Upper Thames BC branch website) http://upperthames-butterflies.org.uk/b ... tings.html

One at Colchester, Essex by Michelle Harrison (reported on Cambs and Essex BC branch website with a photo of it on Fennel). http://www.cambs-essex-butterflies.org. ... gs2017.php

One at Margate, Kent (reported on Rare Bird Alert, via Bugalert) http://bugalert.net/control/butterfly/Swallowtail.html This was at exactly the same location where a Swallowtail was seen on 12th May 2017.

Then on 25th June, six European Swallowtail larvae were photographed on fennel in a garden in Whitstable, Kent. Reported on twitter by Ann Day (via Andrew Cooper) https://twitter.com/AndrewCooperBC/stat ... pdates.php

Vince

[NickHull]

Following our trip to Crowle, PhilB pointed out that the Large Heath there are supposed to be ssp. polydama such as this one which we both photographed:

However, if we had said that this next one was ssp. davus and taken in Cumbria, not Crowle, we doubt anyone would have had any problem with our analysis:

Brings into question the whole ssp. issue; are we trying to make more of natural species differentiation in populations than there is?

[PhiliB]

I see that Jeremy Thomas (in The Butterflies of Britain and Ireland) feels the davus & polydama classifications are 'largely for convenience' and goes on to say that where the two forms meet 'one very much resembles the other'.
Although, one can hardly say that the North Lincolnshire peat moors is an area where the two forms meet.

[bugboy]

For what it's worth, my personal view in the whole ssp thing here is that it's just trying to fit a square shape in a round hole. I've always thought of the UK Large Heath as on a cline. The only British butterfly I agree with being given ssp status is our Swallowtail (and perhaps the Orme Graylings).

[NickHull]

The only British butterfly I agree with being given ssp status is our Swallowtail (and perhaps the Orme Graylings).

...and even the britannicus shows such variation that, apart from the oval hind-wing spots, the other details are so variable that continental specimens could easily be taken as britannicus......

[Vince Massimo]

Several Camberwell Beauty sightings during the month of June.

The first at Cissbury Ring, Sussex on 17th June, by Anthony Anderson. Reported on Sussex Branch BC website http://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/sightings/

Another near Bungay, Norfolk on 23rd June by Andy Brazil. Reported on Bugalert http://bugalert.net/control/butterfly/C ... eauty.html

The third was seen and photographed at Maulden Wood, Bedfordshire by David Bailey on 24th June. Reported on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidjwba ... 694827893/

Vince