November 2017

[millerd]

That's a staggering number of eggs, Vince (probably for any time of year, let alone November...).

Dave

[Vince Massimo]

I have never seen anything quite like it, Dave, but I suspect it's just the tip pf the iceberg. It should be an interesting winter and early spring .

Vince

[David M]

Spectacular figures, Vince. Is this mainly due to the abnormally large influx of this species in the latter half of the year?

[Vince Massimo]

I'm not sure if it's due to particular influx or just a general build-up of numbers through the season, David. All I know is that both myself and Pete reported seeing large numbers of larval shelters in Sussex and Devon respectively in mid-August.

Vince

[Vince Massimo]

Today at the cemetery site in Crawley there were two female Red Admirals. One was observed to be egglaying.

Female Red Admiral - Crawley, Sussex 23-Nov-2017

The temperature was approximately 12C, but with a brisk wind.

Vince

[David M]

A certain three, and maybe four, Red Admirals seen Friday 24th November in south Wales.

First one was spotted at around 11am outside my cottage. It had probably been basking on my south facing roof.

So, I took a trip down to Bracelet Bay, just beyond Mumbles Head, and saw one nectaring on the hebe by the coastguard's hut, and at least one other at nearby Limeslade Bay.

[Vince Massimo]

A female Red Admiral at the cemetery site in Crawley today.

Female Red Admiral - Crawley, Sussex 25-Nov-2017

I completed a revised egg count, which was done over the course of two days, and the total now stands at 439 eggs. Only a few are newly laid since the last count, so the others must have been there all along.

13 Red Admiral eggs - Crawley, Sussex 25-Nov-2017

The temperature was given as 7C.

Vince

[Vince Massimo]

Another visit to the cemetery wall site in Crawley today found an egg laying Red Admiral. She was there between 12.00 and 12.30 and was seen to lay at least 15 eggs, including one on an already overloaded sprig.

Female Red Admiral - Crawley, Sussex 26-Nov-2017

14 Red Admiral eggs - Crawley, Sussex 26-Nov-2017

The air temperature was 8C, but at the base of the wall it was measured as 14.7C.

Vince

[essexbuzzard]

Am I right in suggesting that she is able to lay those eggs so close together because the survival rate at this time of year is very low? The temperature at the base of that wall says it all.

[David M]

How did you measure that temperature differential, Vince?

[Vince Massimo]

Am I right in suggesting that she is able to lay those eggs so close together because the survival rate at this time of year is very low? The temperature at the base of that wall says it all.

Hi Mark, I think she is just acting instinctively. Around 95% of the eggs are on plants which are tucked very tightly against the base of the wall. For some reason some of these plants are especially attractive to the butterflies and are visited several times, possibly by different females. I cannot really explain the reason for this and why an adjoining plant will get nothing.

How did you measure that temperature differential, Vince?

Hi David, Ordinarily a thermometer is not part of the standard equipment that I pack in my rucksack, although I know that transect walkers are supposed to carry one. On this occasion I just borrowed the one out of my conservatory. Strictly speaking a temperature is supposed to be taken in the shade, so I tried to get it into a recess behind one of the projecting brick piers. I dare say that a smart phone would be able to do the same job, but I do not aspire to one. It will be interesting to see how the temperature differential evolves on sunny days during the coming winter.

Vince

[David M]

Thanks, Vince. I might try that myself. There are coastal microclimates near me that often feel three or four degrees warmer than the air temperature suggests.

[SCOTT761]

Even though I haven't seen any more butterflies since 07/11/17 when I saw my last Red Admiral feeding on Erysimum Bowles Mauve in my garden just outside Ayr, its fantastic though that two of the best butterfly plants (Erysimum Bowles Mauve and Verbena Bonariensis) have again continued flowering well into November this year (both of these pictures were taken on 14/11/17) but with the onset of some icy and snowy weather during the last week or so I reckon their remaining lovely flowers shall soon be finished for another year, compared to the likes of Buddleja and Sedum both Erysimum and Verbena have a much longer flowering period (I have found that my Erysimum usually starts flowering in March while my Verbena usually starts flowering in late June or early July) and therefore both plants have proven to be exceptional for attracting butterflies, bees and various other insects into my garden for several months every year.