July 2017

[MarkL]

out for the afternoon at a local NT property, Dyffryn House. I came across I believe a White Letter Hairstreak, Strymonidia w-album - it appeared to be feeding on the Meadowsweet flowers. Not sure if this is the best way to show the image via the link to my gallery - happy to be told a better way

[image]23479[/image]

[aeshna5]

Sure is one- nice photo!

[MarkL]

Thank you aeshna5, appreciated

[Jack Harrison]

The Rise and Rise of the Ringlet in Scotland.

Ringlet garden tick today (three seen) on my long grass/mini-meadow. Parts of the mini-meadow were cut today, something I do twice, maybe three times per year. The dominate flowers are Hawkweed and Yellow Rattle although one Corncockle self seeded from lass year - maybe more to come.

Jack

[Michaeljf]

Sunday, 2nd July - Oversley Woods (Warwickshire)

We visited Oversley Woods this afternoon. It was extremely hot and perhaps too warm for butterfly photography! We arrived about 1:40 pm. My wife and I immediately met a couple of very nice butterfly enthusiasts (Birmingham locals) – one of them (Vince) was photographing a White-Letter Hairstreak though I didn’t really get any good photos, just an i.d. shot. We had one Purple Emperor fly over us at the same spot though we didn't see any after that.

View of the main track at Oversley Woods.

Good photographs are lovely but sometimes a poor ID shot is all you get (White-Letter Hairstreak).

We also saw quite a few Purple Hairstreaks, though they were pretty much staying in the Oaks about 15 feet up, or doing the usual ‘twiddling about’ that they do, which normally guarantees no photographs. The woods were very full of Ringlets, White Admirals and Silver-Washed Fritillaries, though all these butterflies especially the Fritillaries were really hyperactive in the heat. I only managed to get a few photos of the Silver-Washed Fritillaries as we were leaving just before 5pm when the weather was cooling a little.

Large Skippers were the only butterflies that weren't hyperactive in the heat.

One of the many Silver-Washed Fritillaries darting about.

It was only by late afternoon that the Silver-Washed Fritillaries slowed down a little.

I think Oversley is a lovely gem of a forest. There were quite a few species there today: Red Admiral, Comma, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, White-Letter Hairstreak, Purple Hairstreak, Large White, Small White, Marbled White, Silver-Washed Fritillary, Purple Emperor, White Admiral, Large Skipper and Speckled Wood. I’m still not seeing Peacock or Small Tortoiseshells though. We also had a pleasant stop on the way home at Gloucester Services (Farm shop) – where there is a pond behind the services and Swallows come in and skim over the pond (we also saw a Kestrel there).

I hope everyone else enjoyed a nice Sunday,

Michael

[Michaeljf]

I also saw the eggs under one of the leafs - but I don't suppose anyone can guess what they are?

A small batch of communal eggs at Oversley Woods.

[bugboy]

I also saw the eggs under one of the leafs - but I don't suppose anyone can guess what they are?
IMG_0080 edit p small.jpg

Any idea what the plant they're laid on is? It might help us narrow it down.

[Vince Massimo]

I also saw the eggs under one of the leafs - but I don't suppose anyone can guess what they are?

Hi Michael,
These have come up before and they turned out to be Shield-bug eggs. A batch of 28 seems to be typical.
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8872&p=110796&hili ... ug#p110796

Shield-bug eggs - Crawley, Sussex 17-June-2016

Vince

[millerd]

The first of the summer brood of Holly Blues has appeared on my local patch near Heathrow. One on 1st and two today (2nd) including one happy to be photographed.

Brand new Peacock on the 1st as well.

Dave

[Jack Harrison]

Oversley Woods (Warwickshire)

I had to look that up to find exactly where it is. About five miles west of Stratford-upon-Avon just south-east of Alcester. According to the distribution maps, that is at the apparent northwest extreme of the range of the Purple Emperor. I do have to wonder though if PE might be even more widespread than is the current thinking. Sherwood Forest perhaps?

Jack

[Rosalyn]

I believe Purple Emperor have reached S Notts Jack. I have seen reports from Cotgrave Wood, still quite a bit short of Sherwood Forest though

[Allan.W.]

Off work for a few days,to look after Lynne ,who,s just had a knee op,so I,ve managed a couple of short stints in my local woods (Orlestone forest ,Kent) ,having seen peoples Purp ;Hair pics,i thought I,d try to find some myself, down low on my patch,and after about an hour of searching I found some,they,re not daft these beasties ,just staying tantalisingly out of reach (at least for my camera !),but just occasionally dropping that little bit lower, I noticed that they seemed to be busily feeding from the half grown acorns,and a couple seemed quite "drunk" as far as I could make out they were mostly males. Regards Allan.W]

[Allan.W.]

After a tip off,from a fellow transect walker,made a visit to a slightly different area of Orlestone forest this morning,where he,d found some very obliging Purple Hairstreaks ,down low and in great numbers,i can,t remember ,having ever seen PH,,s in such numbers, once again they seemed to be feeding from forming Acorns,at times appearing to be drunk,similar to Red Admirals on autumn fruit,putting my finger up to the butterfly,it hopped on for a few seconds, and then homed in again on the same acorn and continued feeding, an experiment ! moved back (with the Hairstreak in tow) , about two metres ,and once again ,straight back to the same Acorn !
The Marbled White pair ,was from a colony I stumbled upon while on a plant hunt near Hythe (Kent).
Regards Allan.W.

[Bluebell]

I rarely post on here, because you are all so good, and I am at the start of my journey.

[Allan.W.]

Nothing wrong with those pictures Bluebell ! nice one !! Regards Allan.W.

[Bluebell]

Thank you Allan

[bugboy]

I rarely post on here, because you are all so good, and I am at the start of my journey.

Don't let that put you off, we've all got to start somewhere, and anyway, those pictures are as worth posting as anyone else's on here

[Bluebell]

Thank You bugboy , I am getting some much fun out of the butterflies

[Greenie]

Having found a single pristine , newly emerged male Chalkhill Blue on the slope below Biggin Hill Airport last Tuesday ,

I returned today expecting to find a good emergence , given the weather , but only found 3 males , 2 of which were very fresh .

Visiting High Elms LNR later , found Silver Washed Fritillary numbers up to at least 15 , including a mating pair .

Females are in short supply at the moment , and the pair were constantly interupted by up to 3 males , hoping to get in on the action .

[Pauline]

Some really interesting shots there of PH behavior Allen. Well captured.