millerd

[millerd]

Cheers, Wurzel - the Holly Blues hadn't finished with me yet. Less than four weeks till we turn the solstice corner and head back into the light now...

It was easy to forget it was October, David (except for the short afternoons). Interestingly, that female looks just like those first-brooders you'd see in April or May, with understated dark borders, rather than the summer versions which is usually have much more black. That said, as with so many butterflies, there is quite a bit of variation between individuals in all three broods.

22nd October was to be the last "proper" butterfly day of the year really. The weather factors fell into place with both reasonable warmth (17 degrees) and lots of sunshine (a good 8 hours - excellent for the time of year), and along the full length of my usual local walk I saw a surprising number of butterflies: It was an impressive tally, possibly a record for me so late in the season:

Red Admiral 10
Small White 10
Speckled Wood 6
Peacock 4
Holly Blue 4
Common Blue 3
Brown Argus 3
Small Copper 1

A total of 41 butterflies, with 8 species represented. I took quite a few photos, making the most of this unusual bounty, though unsurprisingly now a high proportion were becoming a bit worn.

Red Admirals...

...with a ragged female continuing to lay her cargo of eggs...

A selection of male Small Whites, fairly fresh and varying a lot in the size of their black markings.

Speckled Woods - some worn males...

...a fresher one...

...and a bright new female.

One of the four Peacocks...

...and the usual Small Copper.

The Blues I shall leave for a separate post.

Dave

[millerd]

The Blues on 22nd October of course included Brown Argus.

Then there were the Common Blues, but I reckoned I had seen the last of any new emergences: these were all worn now.

The last of these was less scarred, and I think it was the one I'd seen when shining new in the same spot earlier in the month.

Finally, the final burst of Holly Blues completed an unusual day for late October.

Butterfly numbers would not reach anywhere near these levels again, though there was still at least one highlight to come before the month was out.

Dave

[Wurzel]

They (Holly Blues) certainly weren't finished with you Dave more cracking shots and 41 butterflies of 8 species is a cracking haul for that time of year
Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

The second half of October really was extraordinary for you, Dave - more like mid-September in all honesty.

Holly Blue & Brown Argus are not things I would expect at that time of year but it seems they are routinely about in your part of the country these last few years.

[millerd]

True enough, David - October felt like September (and September had felt like high summer of course, so it fits really! ) Third broods of Brown Argus, Common Blue and Holly Blue are expected here these days.

It was a standout day for late October, Wurzel - the numbers were surprising as well as the variety.

Eight species appeared again the next time I went out (on 24th October), but the mix was slightly different: a fresh male Green-veined White turned up but rather curiously I failed to find a Specklie.

The others were the same, but in smaller numbers: five Red Admirals, four Common Blues and just singletons of the others.

The Small Copper was not one I'd seen before, being a relatively fresh female and pausing only briefly on a mission across the site. Whether she had been intercepted by any of the remaining worn males I have no idea, but she was passing very close to a known territory when I saw her.

The Small White seen today was also pretty new, and strongly marked.

The singleton Peacock was already looking well past its best, and you have to wonder if it had the stamina to survive till next spring.

The Red Admirals weren't so new either...

...but this female was still having a go at creating another generation.

Neither the Brown Argus nor the Holly Blue came close enough for a photo, but the Common Blues were more obliging. Having said I didn't expect any more new ones, a fresh female appeared and immediately contradicted me.

All three of the males were individuals I had encountered before, identifiable by their various nicks and tears.

Dave

[millerd]

It was cooler and less sunny on 25th October, and the sunshine only came in short bursts. I only found four butterflies, and here are three of them (the fourth was another Red Admiral). I don't think any of these had been spotted a day earlier.

somewhat shredded

a familiar individual (though not seen yesterday)

a new male, though already damaged

The afternoon light made this view over the river rather attractive.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Love that final shot of the Common Blue from the last post Dave and also the ethereal riverside shot although I imagine that might be slightly more open a vista now what with the colder weather and leaf drop - soon be spring

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Cheers, Wurzel - the butterflies were slowing down as things began to cool off so frantic photography was less of a thing! Believe it or not, there is another oak tree nearby which still has lots of leaves, some of them green. Very strange. I'll try and post a photo at some point...

26th October was more productive again. 17 degrees and three hours of sunshine was enough for me to find 15 butterflies of seven species, despite November slowly creeping up.

Small White 5
Common Blue 3
Red Admiral 3
Speckled Wood 1
Holly Blue 1
Brown Argus 1
Small Copper 1

I don't remember seeing so many Small Whites as late in the season as this as I have this year.

At least they are relatively sluggish, as the need to nectar seems to outweigh any other activity.

One of the Red Admirals was still fairly fresh, and posed in the sunshine.

The other two were rather worn, and one at least was continuing to lay on the young nettles proliferating here.

The result of that last effort:

Once again, the Holly Blue and Brown Argus evaded my camera lens, but a Speckled Wood basked in a spot in which the species can be found almost daily from April to October.

Though there was once again the same Small Copper, I still had to capture its image to provide a continuing record of its existence. Every year there is at least one individual that I end up following over several weeks - they are robust little things.

This left the Common Blues. There were just the three (all males today), including the one I'd seen several times before which somehow had remained without any holes, nicks or tears. The other two were more ragged, but soldiered on.

However, since as with the Small Whites nectaring was number one on the to-do list, the first one provided some easy photo opportunities. At this time of year such moments are not to be wasted...

Dave

[David M]

Plenty of butterflies ekeing out their final days on that post, Dave. Seven species is good going for that time of year and yes, Small Whites clung on a bit longer than normal this autumn - I don't think I can recall them flying so late.

[millerd]

Cheers, David. Things were actually winding down, but you get a slightly distorted view when you go out each day and mostly see exactly the same individual butterflies!

27th October was a bit cooler, with a bit less sunshine, and I had limited time coinciding with the sunny intervals. There were dramatic skies as the sun finally disappeared.

I spotted just six butterflies today, only one of which was familiar - the egg-laying female Red Admiral. They don't give up: no wonder they are such a successful species.

Another Red Admiral and a Speckled Wood were both too far back in the nettle/bramble undergrowth to allow for any photos (some of the nettles were two to three metres tall), but I was just within reach of a female Holly Blue eking out the last of the nectar up on the ivy.

It was difficult to see, but she may also have been laying - though there were very few flower buds left up there.

On the way back to the patch of grass close to the lake for another scan of the dandelions, I came across a Small White, a new-looking female.

From this (and other recent sightings) It looks like they were still emerging, the prolonged warm weather triggering full development of the pupae rather than colder conditions shutting them down till spring.

Reaching the dandelions, I spied the familiar silvery-blue triangle of another Holly Blue.

After five minutes or so, the butterfly gave up nectaring and headed for some low-level nettles to bask.

As the sun brightened for a moment, it eased its wings wider.

Another lovely autumn butterfly.

Dave

[millerd]

28th October was another day trying to time an outing around one of the sunny intervals - made more interesting by some heavy showers. In the end I struck lucky and covered most of my local patch, clocking up 14 butterflies of seven species.

It was not difficult to find a certain Small Copper...

...but I didn't realise at the time that this would be my last sighting of this familiar individual insect. I also reconnected with an equally familiar Common Blue - which still retained intact wing borders despite wearing a little thin in other respects.

It was persistently bothered by a Brown Argus, but the smaller butterfly refused to settle. Nearby was a female Common Blue, possibly another one I'd seen before, but after identifying its sex in flight, it would only settle with its wings closed.

I was surprised to find four Speckled Woods, including a fairly worn one...

...and another that really wasn't very worn at all.

There were three Red Admirals, one of which was another surprise - it appeared newly emerged, even a little floppy still.

This just left a couple of Small Whites...

...or so I thought.

I was actually having another look at the venerable Small Copper on my way back, when something yellow flew right next to me at knee height. I expected to see a Brimstone perhaps, but I looked up to find a Clouded Yellow skipping from flower to flower to trefoil patch, rarely pausing for more than a second or two. It was a female, so I realised that it was on a mission, and unlikely to fly round in a big loop as the males do. If I wanted a record shot I'd have to give chase. Luckily its need for nectar (and just a rest) allowed me to keep up, and a slight dimming of the sunshine paused it long enough for a few shots.

Then it was up and away as the sun came out properly again and it outpaced me very quickly.

This was the only Cloudie I saw all year anywhere, and my goodness did the species leave it late in the year to make its annual visit to my local patch (I don't think it's missed a year all the time I've been looking here). The 2023 species count here was now 25.

An almost unbelievable piece of luck for the butterfly to pass so close to me at the moment I happened to be there.

Dave

[millerd]

I didn't go out on 29th, and my timing around the short spells of sunshine on 30th October was a bit off, so I only managed four butterflies (in many past years this would be an achievement at the end of October, but expectations are changing). Two Red Admirals, one of which was definitely egg-laying...

very sluggish when the sun was in...

...but straight into action when it was out

...and there was another which probably was.

I disturbed a Small White from down in the grass, but it sailed up into a patch of trees before I could record its image for posterity. There was no sign of the Small Copper when I visited its territory (twice) but the Common Blue I'd been following recently was fuelling up on its particular patch.

Things did seem to be finally winding down now, but I was hopeful that some butterflies would endure into November - as has become increasingly the norm.

Dave

[millerd]

It was still warm on the last day of October, but sunshine was even more difficult to pin down. I still found six butterflies of five species, and managed to photograph five of them. The other one, the annoying Brown Argus that had been persistently pestering the Common Blue, once again evaded my lens. It didn't get another opportunity to share the limelight as this was my last sighting of the species of the year.

This description also applied to the only Holly Blue I saw today. It has become almost an expectation to see them into November here, but this one was its last appearance.

Not unexpectedly a Small White...

...and a Red Admiral turned up too.

Last of all was the usual Common Blue, still with plenty of life in it after two or three weeks.

Not far away was a much fresher female of the same species.

31st October

Though at the time I thought it might not have been out for long, I now realise that it is the same one as the female I saw exactly a week before.

same butterfly 24th October

It certainly seemed to have worn very well over the seven days.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Cracking reports recently Dave - unfortunately the 'W' word has kept me away form the website for a bit That final Holly Blue is a cracker It was a good year for Small Whites (or at least seemed that way) and it was also good to see the Green-veins pick up over my way

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

..I still found six butterflies of five species..

Amazing variety on the cusp of November, Dave. That female Common Blue looks good enough to last till the middle of the following month at least!

[millerd]

Curiously, I didn't find that female again, David, though the male continued to appear in early November.

Before kicking off November sightings, a quick overview of October. The month was a warm one, just over two degrees warmer that average hereabouts, with an average daytime high of 17.9 degrees. However, sunshine was only average and there was a lot of rain. It is quite possible that the September warmth had probably caused a number of species to complete their life cycles instead of pausing until spring, giving rise to third broods of several blues and prolonged broods of species like Small White and Speckled Wood. This probably meant more butterflies than usual endured into October. I managed 14 species here during the month (including 2023's one and only Clouded Yellow!), with sightings on 23 days. I counted over 500 butterflies overall (though clearly some were seen on multiple days).

1st November lacked much sunshine, and initially all I could find was a single Red Admiral. However, my walk through its territory as the sun briefly appeared allowed me to find the familiar male Common Blue again.

This made it two consecutive years with Common Blues here in November (in fact in the same identical small area too).

Dave

[David M]

..Before kicking off November sightings, a quick overview of October. The month was a warm one, just over two degrees warmer that average hereabouts, with an average daytime high of 17.9 degrees...

That's a crazy mean daytime high for October in this country, Dave.

No wonder there were plenty of butterflies (both in number and range).

I doubt it would have exceeded 14.5c in the 1970s round your way. Where I grew up in NW England it was probably only just over 13c back then!

[millerd]

It was unusually warm, David. Looking back, it looks as though the October average high in the 1970s here was around 15.25 degrees.

As you might expect, things really did fade out as we got into November. My next outing was on 5th, when there was some more sunshine - as well as heavy showers. There were three Red Admirals making the most of it...

...plus a couple of Small Whites - one of each sex.

Though now at last showing real signs of its age, the male Common Blue was still flying (but there was no sign of the female from a few days before).

Dave

[millerd]

6th November was a similar day, though somewhat sunnier. There was just the one Small White today...

...but no fewer than five Red Admirals.

I had a glimpse of a Peacock as I disturbed it from its bramble patch basking point, and the usual Common Blue was enjoying the late autumn sun too.

Today's surprise though was a fresh-looking female Speckled Wood, wandering in and out of the shade under some scrubby trees.

Dave

[Wurzel]

That is a surprisingly fresh looking Specklie Dave - I've seen a few November ones myself over the years but in nowhere near as good nick as that - she must have had a hell of a lie-in

Have a goodun

Wurzel