June 2018

[David M]

I've a feeling this could be a very productive month....

[MrSp0ck]

A Trip with Greenie today to Botany Bay, Chiddingfold, was very productive. Wood Whites were settling including on Common Spotted Orchids,

And lots of Sabre Wasps [Rhyssa persuasoriaon] the log pile at the entrance, is one of the largest ichneumon wasps in Europe.

[Philzoid]

Plenty of Wood Whites at Chiddingfold when I went there a week ago 25th). Unfortunately I didn't see any Sabre Wasps [Rhyssa persuasoriaon] when I searched the wood piles

[MrSp0ck]

Unfortunately I didn't see any Sabre Wasps [Rhyssa persuasoriaon] when I searched the wood piles

Perhaps they needed to be told, the [blurred] one in the foreground is ignoring the signage

[David M]

A 1h45m walk around Fairwood Common this afternoon saw some good butterfly numbers:

Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary 50-60
Common Blue 30-40
Marsh Fritillary 32
Small Heath 10-15
Green Hairstreak 6
Large White 1
Green Veined White 1
Dingy Skipper 1
Speckled Wood 1

[Allan.W.]

Today I managed three short visits to several sites ,at the local Adonis site ,the first Blues were on the wing around 7.00 am
a bit of a fools venture this morning trip ,I was half hoping that I may come across the superb AB;Ceronus female Adonis Blue ,that I stumbled upon
a couple of visits back ,and made a complete B++++++s of trying to get a perfect shot ,and not a first record shot at distance .,but anyway no joy,
I did see probably 100+ Adonis ,similar of Common ,high numbers of Small Heath, several Dingys ,6 fresh Large Skippers , 1 meadow Brown , and also still good numbers of Brown Argus ,the Fragrant Orchids ,Pyramidal Orchids are now showing + a bonus Bee Orchid.
Later we all went through to East Blean Wood for our annual Heath Frittillary fix ,and after finally stumbling across ,a hotspot ,it seemed that
the butterflies were actually emerging around us ,with up to four males accosting the fresh females as they appeared ,we had up to eight in view
at a time ,quite stunning to watch ,I reckon we saw between 20-25 ,Very pleased !
Our last visit ,after a bite to eat and a drink ,we had a stroll along the paths at Grove Ferry where in recent years the Norfolk Hawker Dragonfly
has turned up ,and although I,ve seen them in Norfolk (Strumpshaw and Hickling ) ,I,ve not seen them (or expected to see them !) in Kent ,
but as we approached the first bird hide we noticed two dragonflies zipping about by a little dyke bridge ,although very warm and the insects were very active I did manage one shot of an ovipositing female ,very pleased ,saw 5 in all.
Regards Allan.W.

[John Chapple]

Aberrant Heath Fritillary Greenscombe Wood. Luckett. Cornwall. Today

https://youtu.be/yvvGEefdUeU

[David M]

Nice Heaths, Allan. They weren't out in the French Pyrenees last week so it just shows how the warm weather in the UK lately has precipitated early emergences.

Busy day for me today, but I was able to spare an hour in the late afternoon for a walk around the part of Fairwood Common nearest my home.

I counted 9 Marsh Frits and 6 SPBFs, along with 30+ Common Blues and a few Green Hairstreaks, Small Heaths, Whites, and singleton Dingy Skipper and Speckled Wood.

[Allan.W.]

Thanks David,
They were a joy ,just to stand and watch ,let alone photograph ! Very envious of your Marshies (and Small Pearl !) David ,we,re off to Cornwall
(Lizard) in a couple of weeks ,just hoping theres one or two Marshies left in reasonable Nick !
Nice find with your Heath frit AB; AT Greenscombe Wood ,John ,may try to give it a go when we,re down your way .
Regards Allan.W.

[Lee Hurrell]

I visited Aston Rowant on the Buckinghamshire/Oxfordshire border yesterday evening and there were very good numbers of Common Blue, Brown Argus, Adonis Blue, a few Small Heath and my first Meadow Brown of the year.

Lee

[millerd]

I just missed you, Lee - I was at Aston Rowant on Sunday until about 1530...

Dave

[David M]

A nice surprise awaited me upon my return from work late this afternoon. I went over to talk to my neighbour, and there was a Painted Lady nectaring from the flowers in her garden, only the second I've seen in the UK so far this year.

[andy brown]

Just had my first painted lady of the year in my garden near Southampton
Andy

[David M]

Spent an hour and a half at Whiteford Burrows on the north Gower coast this afternoon and saw my first two Large Skippers of the year:

Another first was Meadow Brown, and I was surprised to encounter a female prior to the three males that followed:

Brown Argus had somehow eluded me in 2018, but I finally found two males holding territory, though both were considerably battle-worn:

There were numerous Common Blues and plenty of Small Heaths, which was pleasing. Other species seen were Large White, Speckled Wood, Green Veined White, Dingy Skipper, Small Blue and a solitary female Brimstone.

[Jack Harrison]

Nairnshire 7 Jun - extremely tatty [over-wintered] Peacock.

Jack

[Jack Harrison]

Moray 8 June - hardly exciting.
Findhorn dunes 1 x Small Copper,1 x Common Blue
Jack

[Greenie]

A visit to Hutchinsons Bank this morning produced my second Large Skipper of the year , this one made it into the viewfinder .

Also found a female Green Hairstreak , ensuring another generation .

Yesterday , with two fellow enthusiasts , we made the long trip to Whixall Moss on the English / Welsh border , primarily for the
White-faced Darter dragonfly . A good number were seen , including several mating pairs . This male was waiting for a passing female .

An added bonus was finding Large Heath on the wing , and a few shots were snatched before they warmed up .

Further to last Friday's visit with MrSpOck to Chiddingfold , I was lucky enough to capture a female Wood White ovipositing ,

and after she moved on , found the egg on Vetch .

Finally , another shot of the superb large ( approx. 7cms , including antennae and ovipositor ) female Sabre Wasp /Rhyssa persuasoria ,
one of many found one of the wood piles on site .

[KeithS]

Lots of garden butterflies about today. Saw my first Silver-Washed Fritillary of 2018 (feeding on a Philadelphus) though he was rather camera-shy. Ditto a Painted Lady. Also saw my first Red Admiral since the cold snap at the start of April, which I think really knocked them back. Both small and large whites seem a lot less abundant since last week's storms, though the Brimstones are still about and laying profusely on the Buckthorns. Also saw my first Meadow brown of 2018, in amongst a dozen or so Common blues and the odd Speckled Wood that have taken up residence in the long grass. Several Holly blues also about, with half a dozen very fresh-looking Small Torts enjoying the hawkweeds.

[David M]

Not often we see Large Heaths and Wood Whites in the same post, Greenie.

You sure covered the miles and I'm glad you got your target species (non-butterflies too).

[Matsukaze]

Small numbers of Large Blue out at Collard Hill today - they take a bit of finding and are very mobile, but are lovely fresh specimens. Common Blue, Small Heath and Meadow Brown also on site (but no Marbled Whites yet). Also a couple of Painted Ladies today, evidently come over with the clouds of Silver Y moths that are everywhere at the moment.