Pauline

[Katrina]

Very interesting to read about the second brood DUkes - thank you for posting

[Maximus]

Nice to see the second brood Duke, Pauline Would you believe that it was as far back as 2014 when we found one at Noar We miss meeting you during the hairstreak season too

[Pauline]

Thank you Katrina. It seems everyone is moving onto LTB now


Where does the time go Mike??????? Here's a shot of a 2nd brood Duke that I found way back in 2007!!!!

I'd like to think my photos have improved somewhat since then!

[Maximus]

Wow, Pauline, time flies but there's nothing wrong with that 2007 second brood Duke shot

[Wurzel]

Really interesting to see the second brood Duke Pauline Cracking find especially as I can't recall seeing any reports of other species showing a partial second brood - mind you there's still time yet

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

Cheers Wurzel - good to know. I was of a mind to return today but was dragged off to a site in the opposite direction. Even by 9.00am butterfly activity was manic and photo opportunities were limited to anything that stayed still for more than 2 seconds. This included several Small Coppers and a lovely fresh Painted Lady:

[Pauline]

Even less time than usual today for the butterflies: a Pilates class in the morning and someone coming to remove a wasps nest from outside my kitchen window anytime soon. It was therefore most frustrating to find a gorgeous female BH just as I had to leave. She was very skittish and flew over a hedge. I reckon I could have found her again ......... if I'd had the time!!!!!!!

It was also interesting to watch one of those Robber Flies catch a grasshopper:

Lots of lovely Commas around today also:

The season is rapidly coming to an end for me and I am wondering if I can fit in a visit to the LTB before that happens. We'll see ............. but on that note, I was shown an image the other day taken by Kirsty (Gibbs) of a LTB. I have met Kirsty briefly but I doubt she reads this so if anyone is likely to see her I would be grateful if you could tell her that it is probably the very best image I have ever seen of a LTB. It was just amazing!!!!

[Wurzel]

Love that first Brostreak shot Pauline Were you at Noar Hill this morning as I was at Shipton and didn't see anyone until 10ish?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Sumptuous images of the Painted Lady underwings, Pauline. They really are quite colourful when you take a close look.

Second brood Dukes? How often do you see that?

[Pauline]

Thank you Wurzel. I was at my Pilates class in the morning. How are the BH doing at Shipton? I have been tempted to make another trip but have had little time. I've also seen few reports coming out of Steyning so far.

Thank you David. Every 7 or 8 years around here by my reckoning. Sadly, everything is being somewhat overshadowed at the moment by a(nother) court hearing regarding those cats!!!!!! You really wouldn't believe the lies that have been told Whilst typing this a huge dragonfly has just flown into the room. TBC.

[Pauline]

Well, this is the young lady that so rudely interrupted my posting. I believe she is a female Southern Hawker and it proved quite difficult to persuade her to go back outside:

I had been about to go on to say that there were quite a few butterflies about inbetween showers yesterday, especially Large Whites and Small Coppers:

Not sure if this snail has a name but it was quite large:

but I believe this is a Hornet Mimic Fly:

and a lovely Silver Y moth - I always look at these very carefully after finding that migrant earlier in the season:

[Wurzel]

Sorry to hear you're going through the mill at the moment Pauline On a more positive note love the Small Copper duo and I reckon you've got the IDs spot on
Shipton has been a bit tricky this season - mainly down to the insane heat that we had as the butterflies were either up high or shading, still there two mighty fine females along the main hedge on my last visit so they're starting to follow the rule book again

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

Thank you Wurzel - I'm pleased you (are one of the few that) got lucky on the BH hunt.

[Pauline]

I've had a lot of waiting around to do recently - court phone calls, tradesmen etc. I couldn't get out, not even into the garden, (where I recently saw a Common Blue - only my second ever in the garden) because of the rain - not complaining! Anyway, when Mike made the comment 'where have the years gone', it got me thinking. The nearest I could get to a butterfly was to look at my photos over the last 15 years. Simply for my amusement I decided to pull out a selection by species. They are not all the best. Some were taken in the very early days, and some species (eg Large Blue) I only had a couple of photos so they are not included. Some were included because I like them or because I thought they were representative of the species. It was done purely for fun and there are surely some errors (you may find some Large Whites in with the Small Whites etc). If anyone finds them of interest then that is a bonus.

[Pauline]

[Pauline]

Enjoyable, if brief, encounters with a few female BH today, in various states of wear and tear:

[Wurzel]

Good to see the Brostreaks are starting to play by the rule book round your way too Pauline Loved the collection of shots - one or two looked familiar and left me wondering if I might have shots of some of those individuals (the Maps in particular )

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

So glad you got a proper opportunity with the Brown Hairstreaks, Pauline.

Even better are your mosaics of UK species taken down the years. These wouldn't be out of place in a book on butterflies - I'm sure there can't be many (if any) better resources for British butterfly images.

First class.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Pauline, looked at your memory shots and I thought they'd make great miniature pictures for your wall's, what do think? Goldie

[MikeOxon]

If anyone finds them of interest then that is a bonus.

A wonderful collection - browsing through has given me a lot of pleasure, thank you.

Mike