October 2011 sightings

[Padfield]

John W saw:

remarkably fresh looking female Meadow Brown.

The life cycle of the MB could certainly benefit from study. It is not reliably know to be double brooded (Guy: Is it always single in Switzerland or is the situation just as confusing there?) I offer the suggestion that the larvae hibernate whenever the weather becomes too cold regardless of the state of development of the larvae. So some might hibernate when tiny, others when quite big. It is of course possible that (like some other browns) that a few individuals might spend two winters in hibernation.

Just my ideas of course but there perhaps could be some debate.

Jack

Good questions and suggestions, Jack. I haven't got any empirical data to offer on most of them, so won't venture a guess; but on the question of their patterns of emergence in Switzerland I can say that in my experience they are exclusively well-behaved as a single-brooded species. I've seen all sorts of strange autumn phenomena, from mountain fritillaries in September, through green hairstreaks in October and graylings in November to walls in December (2006), but never a meadow brown out of season. This year we had third broods of northern brown argus, rosy grizzled skipper, many whites, common blues &c. but no meadow browns (or ringlets, for that matter). I've been very interested in these late British sightings of meadow brown and ringlet.

Guy

[Padfield]

Led a bird walk to Hayling Island today. Whilst cowering in the blustery conditions we noted a white butterfly battling northwards and inland, distant but it looked good for a Small White. A while later we noticed a second individual, again battling inland. I realise that Small Whites should be pupa at the moment, but that's what they looked like. Other than that we had several confirmed Red Admirals in the more sheltered areas.

Gibster.

I don't know about further north, but we had a strong third brood of small white this year in Switzerland, even up at 1250m (my school). Assuming you haven't spotted an immigration of pale clouded yellows I'd be pretty confident you did see small whites.

[NickB]

Re: Meadow Brown - Depends what you call " out of season", Guy!
In Cambs & Essex first & last sightings for Meadow Brown were:

2008 - 11th June - 28th Sept
2009 - 30th May - 11th Sept
2010 - 11th June - 9th Oct
2011 - 22nd May - 2nd Oct

That is a fairly extended season
A staggered emergence throughout their flight period, rather than "n" broods, seems more likely, but I guess we just don't know.
I too have seen almost as many late as early Meadow Brown this year; the later specimens have generally been much lighter in hue than one would expect.

[David M]

As a relative 'imbecile' where these matters are concerned, I can say that I have often found it puzzling how Meadow Browns emerge well before Hedge Browns, are overtaken by the latter in abundance for a short period during August, yet subsequently go on to outlast them by several weeks in early autumn.

[Jack Harrison]

Guy had:

...had a strong third brood of small white this year in Switzerland...

I had been seeing them in ones and twos in Norfolk until about a week ago and I had assumed that these were third brood, albeit quite a small one.

Jack

[thepostieles]

saw fresh looking peacock today while on my post round

[celery]

I watched two red admirals having a aerial dogfight for twenty minutes in the setting sun - in the bizarre environs of Pureland, an oddly cluttered and quite tacky Japanese-style meditation garden in the Nottinghamshire village of North Clifton on Sunday.

When the 'victor' finally settled I snuck up to take what I presume will be my final snaps of the year. After a couple of seconds basking open-winged the critter snapped them shut and began vibrating them wildly. I clicked the shutter and slinked away from his territory, as another usurper defeated.





...and that's (probably) all she wrote for 2011...

[Susie]

Red admiral flying southwards over Petworth Park yesterday.

[Piers]

John W saw:

remarkably fresh looking female Meadow Brown.

The life cycle of the MB could certainly benefit from study. It is not reliably know to be double brooded (Guy: Is it always single in Switzerland or is the situation just as confusing there?) I offer the suggestion that the larvae hibernate whenever the weather becomes too cold regardless of the state of development of the larvae. So some might hibernate when tiny, others when quite big. It is of course possible that (like some other browns) that a few individuals might spend two winters in hibernation.

Just my ideas of course but there perhaps could be some debate.

Jack

Good questions and suggestions, Jack. I haven't got any empirical data to offer on most of them, so won't venture a guess; but on the question of their patterns of emergence in Switzerland I can say that in my experience they are exclusively well-behaved as a single-brooded species. I've seen all sorts of strange autumn phenomena, from mountain fritillaries in September, through green hairstreaks in October and graylings in November to walls in December (2006), but never a meadow brown out of season. This year we had third broods of northern brown argus, rosy grizzled skipper, many whites, common blues &c. but no meadow browns (or ringlets, for that matter). I've been very interested in these late British sightings of meadow brown and ringlet.

Guy

There are still a few meadow brown on the wing on the south Wiltshire downs; but much like Nick B's observations, this is not all that unusual in Wiltshire. They do have a most protracted emergence.

For a scholarly study of the species, look no further than Dowdeswell's 'Life of the Meadow Brown'. 1981 Heinemann Educational Publications 165pp. There is a chapter devoted to the ecology of the species in mainland Europe.

[EricY]

Gorgeous day on Nth Norfolk coast again today. Walked from Holkham village down Lady Ann's drive & along to the end of pines where Burhan Overy dunes start. 3 Red Admirals, & one Peacock basking in the dunes. 5 Buzzards circling over, several thousand Pink Foot geese flew in & settled on the marsh. Also 2 migrant hawkers & hundereds of Common Darters i/c several in mating wheels.
Also noticed an area of dead or dying Wytch Elm's had been taken away & the young shoots from the base protected with wire netting from the muntjac's. This presumably is for the WLH's by the seat just short of the George Washington hide. Eric

Tatty Peacock basking in the dunes

Protected Wytch Elm shoots Holkham

[Ian Pratt]

Gorgeous day on Nth Norfolk coast again today.

Not so on the Isle of Wight with some very heavy showers of much needed rain with some bright sunny intervals. The best I could do was to photograph with my basic camera phone a spectacular double rainbow from my office.

[Millar153]

Not a single butterfly for me this month, and a very poor October for Nornian butterflies in general.
O to be on the Isle of Wight hunting that Long-tailed Blue!!!!!

[Neil Freeman]

[quote="Millar153"]Not a single butterfly for me this month...quote]

Likewise for me.
Between work, weather, and family commitments it looks like game over for this year. Even the Speckled Woods in my garden have called it a day.

Time to sort through all those photos....

Cheers,

Neil F.

[David M]

I'm not ready to give up yet. The forecast for Sunday here in S. Wales is 16C and sunny, so I daresay there should still be a few butterflies on the wing.

[Michaeljf]

There are still butterflies about here in South Wales nearer Cardiff - just depends on if you are lucky with the weather / and finding the right spot. I went out at lunchtime on Monday and there were still at least 4 Red Admirals nectaring from one of the small Ivy bushes. I think I spotted a Speckled Wood as well, but there was at least one Speckled Wood in the garden last weekend.

Michael

[NickB]

Beautiful sunny day - 16C - and several RA in the cemetery, plus a single, old Speckled Wood, still battling all-comers...

Still some life in the season...
N

[Neil Hulme]

I love the first image Nick. There's something very appealing and reassuring about the Red Admiral/cemetery/masonry combination.
Neil

[Padfield]

I love the first image Nick. There's something very appealing and reassuring about the Red Admiral/cemetery/masonry combination.
Neil

I thought exactly the same thing back in August, in the cemetery by the little church at Ramsholt in Suffolk. The crumbling grave of a certain Robert Frost was enlivened by a red admiral who constantly flitted between the nearby ivy and the tombstone.





I hope butterflies visit me in my final resting place.

Guy

[Wurzel]

Red Admirals flying around all over the place at Stanpit Marsh, also a Speckled Wood there and white on the way back. Best thing was a Red Breasted Goose, my second

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Gibster]

Wurzel! You're a twitcher???

Welcome to the club!

Gibster.