November 2009 Sightings

[Mikhail]

Female Clouded Yellows that open their wings when courted are certainly rejecting the male's overtures. When a male finds a virgin female they couple immediately without any visible preliminaries. I have seen males courting females persistently on many occasions, always without success.

Misha

[Perseus]

Thanks for the post and pics. What is a considerable time in butterfly language? My observation was for one second. Yours I surmise/assume was several seconds, under a minute.

[Perseus]

Female Clouded Yellows that open their wings when courted are certainly rejecting the male's overtures. When a male finds a virgin female they couple immediately without any visible preliminaries. I have seen males courting females persistently on many occasions, always without success.

Misha

In my picture when the wings were open stationary for a second, copulation later took place.

Sequence on

http://www.glaucus.org.uk/MillHill2009.html#2November

Adur Butterfly & Large Moth List
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterfly-lis ... #2November

Cheers

Andy Horton
glaucus@hotmail.com
Adur Valley Nature Notes
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2009.html
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2008.html
Adur Valley Nature Notes: November 2009
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Nov2009.html

[Perseus]

Hello,

Addenda Question:

How do you tell the difference between Clouded Yellow and Berger's Clouded Yellow?

The copulation took place over Horseshoe Vetch.

NB: The only previous record of probably breeding in the Adur Valley occurred when a Clouded Yellow rose from a continental-type Bird's Foot Trefoil. This was a couple of years or so ago.

Adur Butterfly & Large Moth List
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterfly-list2009.html

Cheers

Andy Horton
glaucus@hotmail.com
Adur Valley Nature Notes
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2009.html
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2008.html
Adur Valley Nature Notes: November 2009
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Nov2009.html

[Padfield]

Female Clouded Yellows that open their wings when courted are certainly rejecting the male's overtures. When a male finds a virgin female they couple immediately without any visible preliminaries. I have seen males courting females persistently on many occasions, always without success.

Misha

That makes perfect sense. I've always misinterpreted these displays! I have a policy of not chasing butterflies engaged in important activities, so as not to interfere, so I've always left them when they move off and not seen how it finishes. I did wonder why I never saw any happy endings...

Re the ID question: 'Normal' clouded yellows are orange-yellow, quite unlike either the bright yellow or the white (female) of Berger's and pale clouded. Confusion can only arise with the helice form of the female clouded yellow. The extent of the black on the upperside of the wings is very different and this is often visible from the underside. The wings are also a different shape - the biggest contrast being between helice and female Berger's.

Guy

[Perseus]

This is the mating couple. The third butterfly in the sequence is a different one altogether, discovered hundreds of metres away and not over Horseshoe Vetch.

The lower slopes of Mill Hill is dominated by Horseshoe Vetch.

http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Hippocrepis_comosa.html

[Perseus]

This has been identified as the ordinary Clouded Yellow. I would appreciate confirmation, if possible, from the photograph, or otherwise?




http://www.glaucus.org.uk/CY8344.jpg

[Pete Eeles]

This has been identified as the ordinary Clouded Yellow. I would appreciate confirmation, if possible, from the photograph, or otherwise?

Yes it is - and a male to boot. But what's more interesting is your shot of a mating pair, which looks like the helice form of the female to me!

Cheers,

- Pete

[Perseus]

This has been identified as the ordinary Clouded Yellow. I would appreciate confirmation, if possible, from the photograph, or otherwise?

Yes it is - and a male to boot. But what's more interesting is your shot of a mating pair, which looks like the helice form of the female to me!

Cheers,

- Pete

Hello Peter,

Thanks for the confirmation. It is the helice form female.

Adur Butterfly & Large Moth List
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterfly-list2009.html

Cheers

Andy Horton
glaucus@hotmail.com
Adur Valley Nature Notes
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2009.html
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2008.html
Adur Valley Nature Notes: November 2009
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Nov2009.html

[NickB]

Beautiful morning - enjoyed by me and this Red Admiral basking in the sun...

Nice helice Perseus...

[Zonda]

Two RA's, two very small, but fresh PL's, and one Peacock in the garden this morning.

[thepostieles]

saw one peacock today while out on round, was on a wall, then flew across the road into shaded garden, hope it escaped inpending pour down

[thepostieles]

just a painted lady seen today on postround in little sutton

[Perseus]

Hello,

9 November 2009
As expected it was almost a complete miss for butterflies on Mill Hill, but in the north-west corner of Mill Hill Nature Reserve I almost stumbled over a Clouded Yellow Butterfly which fluttered on to the Old Erringham pasture and when I almost trod on it it flew over the Hawthorn scrub in the direction of the lower slopes of Mill Hill. It was only positive butterfly sighting of the day.

Adur Butterfly & Large Moth List
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterfly-list2009.html

Cheers

Andy Horton
glaucus@hotmail.com
Adur Valley Nature Notes
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2009.html
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2008.html
Adur Valley Nature Notes: November 2009
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Nov2009.html

[Denise]

Just seen a Red Admiral basking on what's left of my fence after yesterdays fierce winds.

Denise

[geniculata]

likewise denise!

ive just been out walking in the holmsley inclosure on this beautiful morning down here in the forest and saw 3 basking red admirals on the trunk of one sweet chestnut tree. made my day!

[NickB]

Yes - nice day - 2 Red Admirals flying together in the cemetery.
(Good job it's warm - my central heating has packed in and I'm waiting to get it fixed next week! )
N

[Lee Hurrell]

No Red Admirals in my cemetery today
Only 3 squirrels, a handful of magpies, 1 jay, 2 blackbirds, 1 wren, a selection of tits, several woodpigeon, a woodpecker hole and 5 parakeets.

Cheers

Lee

[Mikhail]

Didn't visit a cemetery today, but Red Admirals and a Painted Lady on what's left of the ivy blossom at Boscombe Cliff Gardens.

Misha

[Cotswold Cockney]

Not by me personally but, reading reports on the Gloster Birder website, a Clouded Yellow was observed in the Berkeley Area of Gloucestershire in the past couple of days ~ down river from the Power station there.

This afternoon ( Tuesday 17th November) , we had a nice spell of sunny weather so I took a pleasant twentyfive mile round trip in my car in the local countryside ~ plenty of interesting birds to be seen but, despite the warmish sunshine, not a single butterfly seen.
..