November 2020

[petesmith]

Had a surprise Small Tortoiseshell in my central Lincolnshire garden yesterday. Just glanced out of the conservatory window and there it was. It spent over an hour sunning itself, then a further half an hour intermittently nectaring on the Bowles Mauve, before heading up and under our next door neighbour's roof eaves. A wise decision, as today is very wet and windy!

[millerd]

In a sudden burst of sunshine between heavy showers first thing and then this afternoon, I found a new-looking Red Admiral...

...and also caught a glimpse of a Comma disturbed from the ground and carried downwind.

Dave

[David M]

Well done for getting out during that brief window, Dave. I didn't risk it here as our rain turned into hailstorms.

[Deborah]

There was a Red Admiral but it was too quick for me. However, the Speckled Woods are as obliging as ever and posed nicely. Is this another of the inbetweeners David M?

[David M]

Sure looks that way, Deborah.

Nice you're still seeing them in mid-November!

[millerd]

...is this another of the inbetweeners...?

Deborah,

That "in-between" form of the Speckled Wood strongly resembles the subspecies insula which is found in the Scilly Isles. There are some images at the end of the link to this UKB page:
www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/album.php?id=2239

Brittany is probably the closest bit of France to the Scillies, so there may perhaps be common origins for the form.

Great to see them in November!

Cheers,

Dave

[Maximus]

In spite of the stiff north-westerly breeze, this Red Admiral was seen nectaring on Choisya, this morning!

[millerd]

A friend of mine sent me this photo of a Peacock seen this morning in Staines...

Dave

[Nigel P]

A Small Tortoiseshell made a brief appearance in our Bucks garden this afternoon. Basking in the weak sunshine on one of the house walls.

[David M]

In spite of the stiff north-westerly breeze, this Red Admiral was seen nectaring on Choisya, this morning!

Very nice, Mike. Looks fresh as a daisy!

[Jack Harrison]

Large & Small Whites.

I have already posted my thoughts as to why these species are quite scarce here in N.Scotland:  they seem to rely on Nasturtium (farmed brassicas being heavily sprayed). Nasturtium dies at the first frost.

I anticipated frost and brought my remaining Small Wteite larva indoors on (frost free) Nasturtium.  It died in early November.
So I would suggest that these whites are marginally permanent residents up here except perhaps on a few relatively frost-free coastal places.

GV White, which seems to prefer wild plants, is normally very common in N.Scotland.  However, it seemed to have had a bad 2020.

My Large & Small White pupae are now in the fridge at circa +4C. The reason for the fridge is to minimise chance of premature emergences next spring. It's my tried and tesed method

Jack

[David M]

I wonder just how many of your Large/Small Whites are immigrants/progeny of immigrants, Jack, given what you've pointed out in your post.

Do you get many in spring?

[Jack Harrison]

Whites

I have never seen Large or Small Whites here before July.  This year, I took the  captive pupae out of the fridge in May but the butterflies did not emerge until mid July.  So maybe single brooded.

Perhaps they are only temporary residents with occasional immigration.  But Large and Small are certainly are not common here and until this year, I had seen very few Small Whites.  However, Small White did well in 2020..    Normally the commonest whites are Green Veined (although that was quite scarce this year) and Orange Tip.

Jack

[David M]

Thanks, Jack. Bit like Red Admirals for me as a child in the 70s - only ever saw them from July onwards, suggesting that they were migratory.

Good luck with your overwintering early stages.

[David M]

Wednesday 4th - 3 Red Admirals seen at Limeslade Bay, on the Gower coast:

[Catteraxe]

A Red Admiral sunning itself on top of Skirrid mountain today. Also saw a couple of Peacocks.

[David M]

A Red Admiral sunning itself on top of Skirrid mountain today. Also saw a couple of Peacocks.

I clocked this on the SW Branch site, Kev. I know that location well and that's quite some sighting for 26 November!

I presume the Peacocks were in or near the woodland lower down?

[Catteraxe]

You're right Dave, the Peacocks were on the upper edge of the woodland. The RA was actually at the very top by the Trig point. A cracking day out!

[David M]

You're right Dave, the Peacocks were on the upper edge of the woodland. The RA was actually at the very top by the Trig point. A cracking day out!

The air temperature can't have been more than 7c up there, Kev, so it's amazing that a Red Admiral decided to 'hilltop'! I guess the almost complete absence of wind must have been a factor.

[Catteraxe]

The air temperature can't have been more than 7c up there, Kev, so it's amazing that a Red Admiral decided to 'hilltop'! I guess the almost complete absence of wind must have been a factor.

You're spot on about the absence of wind, Dave. Whilst at the Trig point we spoke to a guy who had unfurled a paraglider and intended to glide across to Sugar Loaf. He promptly threw himself off Skirrid and a few minutes later came down in a field half way between the two peaks. No wind.