Esther2444

[David M]

Attractive though white buddleia is to human eyes, I believe butterflies strongly prefer the purple ones...whether that's because they see UV light I don't know, but on those occasions when I've seen different colours of buddleia side by side, the mid-shade purple blooms have generally been the most frequented.

[Esther2444]

"I took a really good look at the massive white buddleia that we have, and just as I was considering chopping it down, because we never get any butterflies on it," that's a sure fire way to get butterflies to appear Esther Love the last shot

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Ha ha ha yes, I see how that seems counter intuitive! This Buddleia is massive, like huuuuge, way aboive head height now. I thought if I harshly chopped it right back, it would be easier to maintain, and perhaps give room to plant something else as well/instead. I’ve been holding off because it’s in flower, but got impatient today and thought about just doing it. If I had a big step ladder, didn’t have a broken ankle, and hadn’t seen the comma, I may have started “trimming”!

[Wurzel]

I swear that butterflies know when to appear to gs most awkward Just poured a coffee? Yep there's one. Only got 5 minutes before you need to leave a site? Just taken a bite of your extra hot Lime chilli pickle sandwich? Just planning to cut back the bush? Boom there are the butterflies

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Esther2444]

Exactly! And this morning I spotted a painted lady on it, although I was hanging washing out at the time so, as expected, it was gone by the time I had my camera in my hand.
I guess the bush is staying....for now!

[Goldie M]

Hi! Esther and welcome, I'm still on holiday in the South so can't catch up on everybody Just to say I love the shot of the Comma on your White( Budd) it stands out nicely with the (Budd) being White, I've got three at home two Purple and one that's nearly Navy Blue it's so dark and the Butterflies seem to like that one best. Goldie

[Esther2444]

Wow, what a fantastic weekend. It's been great weather in Bristol, although a little overcast at times, balmy warm, just how I like it. I have had lots of time to take part in the big butterfly count and I have to say it feels so decadent to just pass the time butterfly watching.
There have been soooooo many whites everywhere, I seriously don't think I've ever known a summer when there have been so many. On Saturday I spent some time in the front "wildlife" garden and spotted lots of the usual small and large whites, but also a holly blue was flitting around the pond, but being elusive, so I didn't manage to snap a pic in time. I did get a good few shots of some mating small whites who were at it for ages in the quince bush. Their camouflage was impressive and I never would have spotted them if I hadn't seen them land there first.

I also popped out the front this morning to put the recycling out, and got dive bombed by a moth. I managed to find him after he bounced off me into the bushes and was pleased to see he was on the butterfly count list - a Silver Y moth.

As a family we had a few trips into the rear access lane behind our house over the last two days. It's pretty overgrown and not used by cars past a certain point, so obviously nature is reclaiming it, which makes me very happy to be honest. On Saturday I took my 8 year old to look for butterflies and he helped me spot a wealth of whites and there were also a couple of speckled woods flickering about. One in particular was very gracious and let me photograph him in multiple poses.

While we out there we spotted so many huge juicy blackberries that we planned a revisit for Sunday so we could pick them. So, just after lunch on Sunday all four of us went blackberry picking in the lane, and whilst the kids were busy getting stained purple all over, I spotted butterflies. It was so sunny, and there were lots to see, and we tallied them up for the count.
After the tubs were suitably filled with blackberries everyone except me returned to the garden. I found a nice shady spot to stand and watch, and eventually the surroundings recovered from trampling noisy children and out came the wildlife. Butterflies, ladybirds, grasshoppers, birds etc. I was happily totting up the butterflies when I spotted a Comma looking for somewhere to perch. As I watched it swooping around a tiny fluttering acught my eye. I thought it was a grey day moth and it landed in the middle of some brambles so I didn't take much notice, but then as I stepped forward to try to get a better look at the comma, it landed on some brambles right in front of me. It was a blue! Now, I immediately thought common blue, but I'm not an expert at all and the angle I've managed to snap is not the best, so please advise me if I am incorrect, I would love to have this confirmed!

I also finally got a nice pic of the comma.

And then to top it all off I saw my first Red Admiral of the year. I didn't get close enough to get a good picture of it, but enough to confirm it and to show my other half.

Back in the garden later there were a few Holly Blues passing through, in and out of the patches of sunshine, and then eventually I spotted a Gatekeeper. It kept me on my toes for a bit and then suddenly took up an excellent spot on the white buddleia!

I love this picture!

I felt so happy after the sunshiney, butterflying day we'd had, and after we'd had a barbecue and the shadows were getting longer I snapped a tiny colourful Mint Moth. It was very pretty and a nice way to end the weekend's photography activities.

[Wurzel]

Great stuff Esther, I can see why you love that picture in particular, it's a cracker Your Blue is a Common but it's an interesting looking one as the left hand wings seem to be lacking some of the orange pigmentation Sweet things are always a good way to get children into butterflies, when I take my girls out it's always handy to know that there's a park nearby too

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Yep that's a female Common Blue. Also your Gatekeeper on the Buddleja is actually a female Meadow Brown

[David M]

There have been soooooo many whites everywhere, I seriously don't think I've ever known a summer when there have been so many.

Agreed. They are ubiquitous right now. However, I expect them (and other species) to crash next year if this dry spell continues.

Whilst it's good for the adults it's decidedly grim for the larvae.

A collective rain dance might be a good idea.

[Esther2444]

Finally I have found my butterfly diary again! It's taken me 2 years almost to get back to it, but it's so good to be back. Last year just seemed to pass me by, but I think being at home 2 years ago with a broken ankle gave me the headspace to do this, and lock down has possibly done the same this year. Also, my partner has bought me a moth trap for my birthday so the lepidoipterist in me has been reawakened.
This weekend has been so sunny here in Bristol and the garden has been buzzing with life. Here are some pics from the garden, a pepper moth from the first outing of the moth trap, a yellow shell moth I disturbed when putting the recycling out and also some pics from a walk we did today. Most of them are iPhone snaps but when I saw a marbled white for the first time ever, I whipped out my compact.

[Wurzel]

Good to see you back Esther Lovely shots and good to see the white Buddleia survived or thrived or both

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[trevor]

Keep up the good work Esther, we don't get many reports from the Bristol area.

Stay safe and well,
Trevor.

[Neil Freeman]

..Also, my partner has bought me a moth trap for my birthday so the lepidoipterist in me has been reawakened...

Nice pressie . I look forward to seeing what moths you catch. Good start with the Peppered Moth

I have three dwarf buddlieas in my garden and, I don't know if it because of the position it is in, but the white one always seems to attract more than the other two (red & purple).

Cheers,

Neil.

[David M]

Welcome back, Esther. I bet you got a real lift from seeing your first Marbled White? It's a beautiful butterfly.

[Esther2444]

Thanks everyone!
Yes the white buddleia survived, we give it a drastic haircut later in the year as it’s so huge now, but the butterflies are definitely enjoying it.
The marbled white really made my day, and my son who spotted it first was also very excited by it.
The moth trap has had another outing and I’ve successfully identified a few specimens I think. Moths are hard! Excuse my crude picture annotations.

Scalloped Oak

Today has been a work day but at lunch time I strolled around my garden, front and back, and saw whites, red admirals and peacocks, and managed to snap a few phone pics.

The red admirals were perching on window sills in the front garden, not entirely sure why!
Apologies for the photo rotations, I’m not sure why they are the wrong way up.

[Wurzel]

More great shots Esther - the white Buddleia really sets the Red Admiral off well

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

Looks like it's kicking off on both the moth and butterfly front round your garden, Esther. There could well be more surprises over the next week or two for you.

[Chris L]

I have just read your diary from the beginning to the present day Esther and a very enjoyable read it was too. I sensed the immense pleasure your nature garden gives to you. Furthermore I was heartened to read that you had taken that step. Putting tarmac at the front of a house to get as many cars on as possible and decking at the back seems so fashionable. Sad.

I also liked reading about the blackberry expedition with the children. I used to do that when I was young. That is something else less seen these days.