April 2012

[Vince Massimo]

Not many sightings recently because of the poor weather. I barely had time to complete my new transect at Quarry Hangers, Chaldon on Sunday 15th April, where I recorded the first Dingy Skippers of the year (4 days earlier than last year).

Meanwhile, on the home front, my Orange Tips have started to hatch, with the first emerging yesterday.

Orange Tip Pupa (1 day before hatching) 16-April-2012

This one hatched this morning and I'm waiting for a suitable break in the weather to release him.

I will be updating my Orange Tip (Early Stages) Report with a series of new photos in the next few days.

Vince

Edit: Update now available here:- viewtopic.php?f=37&t=5089

[marmari]

Are there any other butterfly pupa as beautiful as this one?!

[Orchidlover]

Haven't been able to contribute much to the sightings as the weather and the flu have seriously affected my wildlife spotting.

Still I had two visitors to the garden today. My first Orange Tip of the year who was a bit shy but I managed a photo when he settled on the Cistus



and then my personal favourite who made his debut appearance in the garden and stayed for about an hour just wandering around and feeding on the lawn

[Reddog]

I took my dog for a walk on monday to my favourite place along the river Mersey Oglet shore. I saw a good numbers of butterflies Peacock, Small tortoiseshell,Speckled wood, Small white, Green-veined white,Comma, Large white and Orange tip.
The two Orange tip I saw (both male) were interesting because one was half the size of the normal sized one. I also saw a Common lizard the first Iv ever seen there.
Unfortunately I have on photos of the Orange tips but heres one of the Large white and the lizard.

[AndyR]

15th April one lovely fresh Pearl Boardered Fritilary at Castle Drogo. Not really expected and not actually on a butterflying mission so an excellent bonus.
17th AprilAfter writing off the day butterfly wise, as I was passing Wellington the rain stopped and the sun was strong so I had a quick look at Buckland wood BC site (Somerset). No dukes but a very nice Grizzled Skipper. Then came the clouds and hail which sent me scurrying to the car rather wet.

[Paul Harfield]

Despite a very gloomy black sky, drizzle and a temperature of about 6 degrees in Guildford at 9:30 this morning. I managed to to spot a Large Tortoiseshell at the Royal Surrey County Hospital today

Large Tortoiseshell Guildford, Surrey

[David M]

Looks quite an aberrant form too!

[RobS]

Two of my favourite things...vans and butterflies.Is that weird?

rob

[Wurzel]

Single female Orange-tip at Pewsey this afternoon.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[badgerbob]

Following my successful searches earlier in the year for Wall Brown larvae at High and Over I have had several fruitless hunts for a pupa. Today however I spotted a likely looking area I had not tried before and there it was, a green pupa about 3 inches off the ground. At last with the sun shining there was also several types of butterflies on the wing with at least 6 Holly Blue near the car park as well as Speckled Wood, Peacock, Orange-tip, Grizzled Skipper and Small White also showing. The Green Hairstreaks are still not showing yet on this site although it should be any time now.

[NickB]

Nice to see Wall Brown pupae; we have only just re-discovered them along the banks of some of the larger inland Fenland drains.....
Took advantage of the unexpected sun and trolled the Cemetery for a couple of hours. My first 2 or 3 male Holly Blue of the year, plus several GVW including this female, 3 male OT and a couple of Speckled Wood.

Then the showers moved in...
(One of my nest-boxes has a Great-tit nesting with several eggs now.... )

[adrian riley]

Single female Orange-tip at Pewsey this afternoon.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi, Wurz

Ta for your kind comments. Three O-tips in NORFOLK today!

Adrian

[David M]

Following my successful searches earlier in the year for Wall Brown larvae at High and Over I have had several fruitless hunts for a pupa. Today however I spotted a likely looking area I had not tried before and there it was, a green pupa about 3 inches off the ground.

Excellent find. Spotting pupae is probably the hardest part in the lifecycle.

[ChrisC]

took a chance early this morning while the sun was shining to pop over to Martin Down, not much around due to the recent weather and the cold breeze until i found a sheltered spot by the car park. along with a single small white it was worth the trip for my first grizzled skipper of the year.

[Mark Tutton]

I popped back up to Butser hill at lunchtime but was not very hopeful However between the showers the sun crept through and managed to see Orange Tips, Green Hairstreak, good numbers of Grizzled Skippers and Green Veined White. No Dukes buit I have added some pictures of the one I saw on monday. I also spotted a rather smart black and whoite fly which I would be interested to identify iof any one can helps
Mark T

[badgerbob]

Thanks for the comments regarding the wall brown pupa. Would not have happened without references from the Thomas, Lewington book which had some tips to help!! Now its a case of keeping an eye on it and hopefully seeing it shortly before emergence. Had another quick look today but no change yet!!

[Neil Freeman]

Looking out of my kitchen window I have a Mock Orange shrub to one side and I can see an Orange Tip roosting at the end of one of the branches
The sun should be round to his position in a couple of hours, it is out at the moment but rain is forecast for later. He is looking a bit exposed if the rain should come before the sun warms him up.

Edit.

After hanging on grimly through a couple of short, sharp showers, the sun has got round to him and come out long enough to warm him up so he can carry on his merry way.

I managed to get a few photos of him which I will put on my diary when I have time later.

Cheers,

Neil F.

[Hoggers]

Popped down to Dungeness and was delighted to see lots of Small Coppers

And I found a single Grizzled Skipper too

While on my local patch I saw one Green veined White, about 8 Small Whites, five male Orange Tips and a Peacock

[roundwood123]

Very few Butterflies in North Essex this Month but 3 Large White emerged today in my polytunnels, i found this Green Hairstreak today in Colchester, they are so lovely.
Steve.

[Paul Harfield]

Yesterday I spotted a couple of male Orange Tips (do they always appear in twos?) whilst watching my son football training at Rodaway Park, Hedge End.
Later on after lunch I saw my first Holly Blue of the year in the garden

Today, although there was some decent periods of warm sunshine between the clouds, I only managed to see 2 Speckled Wood and 1 Comma. Then the rain arrived I have still not seen Red Admiral or Small Tortoiseshell yet this year.

Speckled Wood Hedge End 22/4/2012