July 2021

[zigzag_wanderer]

Lesser Yellow Underwing for me ! Regards Allan.W.

Yep: One-nil to you!
Adrian

Thanks for confirming the southern hawker though Adrian !

[Charles Nicol]

Hi Charles - that's a female Dark Green Fritillary. They are often darker than the bright orange males (like yours is) and can be distinct enough to look like an entirely different species.

Cheers,

Dave

thanks for your expert assistance millerd ! she was very colorful & i managed to get very close

[Charles Nicol]

back to the Sundon Chalk Pits today. this time i parked much closer, at the Sundon Hills Country Park car park. i then walked to Common Lane in Sundon village, which leads to the SSSI and other interesting countryside.
after an hour or so i found myself back at yesterday's location. there were butterflies in all the open areas, mainly Marbled Whites, also Ringlets, a few Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Ginger Skippers and Fritillaries. the latter were probably Dark Green, but i was unable to get a photo as they were reluctant to land for more than a few seconds.

[millerd]

No problem, Charles. Female Dark Greens can be beautiful creatures.

Down at Denbies in the heat today (18th), the Chalkhill Blues were out in excellent numbers, but rarely opening their wings. As usual, the largest accumulations were to be found in shade at the side of the paths sucking up minerals from noxious substances.

Along the path that carries on towards White Down, I managed to spot a White-letter Hairstreak (possibly two) up at the top of a surviving elm tree - the first I have seen at this site. Finally, a flash of bright eggy yellow announced my first Clouded Yellow of the year. It did at one point hop from scabious to scabious to knapweed, but always too far ahead for any but heavily zoomed record shots, mainly as it was constantly bounced off the flowers and chased by Meadow Browns. Apologies therefore for the quality.

Full report eventually in my PD. Hopefully an inward migration is underway, eggs will be laid (I think this was a female butterfly) and we will have a yellow end to the summer!

On a separate note, a friend up in Naseby (Northants) sent me a message with this photo attached. The butterfly had come into the house briefly - long enough for her to record the event and send the result for me to identify...

I replied with a hefty dose of

Cheers,

Dave

[P.J.Underwood]

Following Trevor's diary post I feel I must add my observations on the P.E.'s at Botany Bay this year. Having spent a considerable amount of time sitting and watching at the Triangle over the last three weeks,often with Trevor and Dave Miller,I have only manage to notch up 2 on the ground and three in the air on the Wednesday and Friday just past. This is my lowest number for 8 years and they were 3 weeks late.What have we done to deserve this.
Are dog poo's becoming toxic to them with the monthly dosing of neonics. against lungworm? Who knows!
P.J.Underwood

[Michaeljf]

Hi all,
I had a nice morning at Oversley Wood (Alcester) today, having visited a few weeks back and been to early for the summer species emergence. My wife and I got there early (just past 9am) due to the predicted warm temperatures. Met up by chance with a couple of other lepidopterists who had also gone there to see PE's in particular.

Oversley Woods in early morning - quite hot even early on.

I spotted a dead White-Letter Hairstreak on the main path from the car-park early on in the walk. We had sighting of a Male Purple Emperor on the initial bend away from the main path - a spot I'd not seen PE's on before at Oversley. The male spent a while flying about before settling down among the edges of the path where some wet mud and minerals were. Pictures weren't great (not much open-wing basking!) but a slightly comical twist when the male decided to sit for about 5 minutes on one of the guys backpack on the ground. There were also a few Purple Hairstreaks on the path too but only pictures in harsh light.

Purple Emperor upper wing (without purple showing!)

Male PE happy on a backpack

There were plenty of Silver-Washed Fritillaries but due to the heat they were rarely stopping. Also good numbers of Brimstones, Marbled Whites, Ringlets, Gatekeepers, Large Whites and a few Red Admirals. What was surprising was that in one of the grassy areas there were about 5-6 Buff Tip moths - I've rarely seen these day-flying and normally I would be more likely to see caterpillars in late summer. Also there was a day-flying male Drinker Moth. By 1pm it was really too hot for walking about in the forest so we headed home to Wales... it would have been nice to see more PE's but it was lovely to have good views of at least one adult.

backlit Male Brimstone

Buff Tip moth on grass stem

Buff Tip moth close-up

Male Drinker Moth on path edges

[Matsukaze]

60 Ringlets and 26 Marbled Whites on my wider countryside transect today - these must be the highest counts of these species since I started the walk in 2007. Also a Jersey Tiger just off-transect, the first time I have seen this moth locally.

[Bertl]

Went to a spot in grantown on spey that i visited same time last year on a recommendation to see the NBA. I wasn't disappointed as there were a few on the wing. Seen around 15 to 20 NBA, 20 to 30 small heath, 10 to 15 dark green fritillary, 15 to 20 ringlet, 2 common blue, half a dozen spbf and surprising early in my mind a scotch argus which just wouldn't land for a photo.

[David M]

...and surprising early in my mind a scotch argus which just wouldn't land for a photo.

That may be the first sighting of the year, Bertl! I checked BC's First Sightings page earlier and there was no entry for Scotch Argus yet.

Lovely NBAs too. There are even very small spots on the hindwing uppers, and that underside is practically 'blind'.

[Stevieb]

Silver-studded Blues and Graylings from Tout Quarry, Dorset

[Allan.W.]

Small Copper numbers are now rising at Dungeness (Kent ) with around 40 on the wing ,first seen flying at 7.30 am ,that said i saw two Red Admirals at 6.45 am ! Most of the Coppers were mint ,with one or two exceptions ,numerous Meadow Browns and Small Skippers + a few Large Skippers and Marbled Whites ,several Gatekeepers about now and two fresh 2nd brood Common Blue,and very pleased to see a single male Clouded Yellow ,only my second of the year (1st Mid-May,near Hythe ) The Dungeness warden photographed a male Lesser Emperor (dragonfly ) on the Power station perimeter fence ,early AM.
Regards Allan.W.

[Matsukaze]

Valezina!

Near Faulkland, Somerset, today.

[David M]

Valezina!

Very nice, Chris!

[Pauline]

Great find I was just saying the other day that I have only ever seen one Valezina and how much rarer they are than PE!

[Deborah]

Rubbish picture, but my joy knows no bounds! Purple Emperor on the ugly concrete wall of my house in 30 degree heat. I was seeking shade and noticed a big butterfly....

[Maximus]

Nice one Deborah We had an Empress on our house wall this morning when we were having breakfast outside. I only had my FZ38 with close up lens, and was unable to get a record shot. She went into our outside sink seeking moisture but flew fairly quickly. Great to see her nevertheless

[David M]

Rubbish picture, but my joy knows no bounds! Purple Emperor on the ugly concrete wall of my house in 30 degree heat. I was seeking shade and noticed a big butterfly....

That's one hell of a garden tick, Deborah.

[Medard]

Visits to Priddy and the Sweet Track Shapwick Moor.
Little in the way of butterflies at Priddy, 07-16-2021, rather disappointing but the Dragons did not disappoint Black tailed Skimmers were numerous and a fresh Emperor and Empress made up for the disappointment.
Two visits to The Sweet Track, Shapwick Heath 07-16-2021 and 08-16-2021 ,by far the most numerous insects were Mosquitoes, hungry and thirsting for blood, my blood, good numbers of Large Skippers the odd Peacock and a Red Admiral, finally the purpose of my visit made up for my discomfort my first Whits Admiral, in all five or six seen, the heat seemed to have decided the butterflies to take shelter in the trees, others insects seen, newly emerged Common Darters,a Brown Hawker and a mating pair of Strangalia maculata.
No Gain without Pain !!!
Priddy Mineries
19-07-2021 and 20-07-2021 Despite the heat better results from my visits this time, my first Priddy sightings of Dark green Fritillaries at Priddy.

Small Skippers,Meadow Brown and marbled Whites were numerous,
one Painted Lady ,
one Red Admiral
one Small Copper
Two Common Blues Small ,and Green veined Whites
https://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com

[Charles Nicol]

back to Sundon today. no new butterflies to report, but i did see this Scarlet Tiger moth...

according to https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/scarlet-tiger it should have stopped flying last month

[Wurzel]

Alners Gorse today Valesina, plenty of other Silver-washed, a party if about 6 Purple Hairstreaks and a male Brown Hairstreak- photos to follow for this

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel