May 2024

[Testudo Man]

A four hour+ session yesterday afternoon was had (2 local Kent areas) target species were Dingys an Grizzlies (very low numbers seen!) but by the time i arrived at the 1st location, the sun was already starting to hide behind the clouds! Nothing sighted, so on to the 2nd location - just 3 Dingys, an 2 Grizzled Skippers seen!
Other species seen were 1 Red Admiral, 1 Green Hairstreak, 1 Holly Blue, 1 female Orange Tip, an approx 6 Brimstone.
But very disappointing for this time of the year...next week looks good though, with a warm week forecast, so we shall see/hope for, a hot sunny weekend?!
Images are not cropped, cheers Paul.

[Ian Pratt]

Not one of the easiest butterflies to spot especially in today's weather! Green hairstreak- the only green butterfly in the UK.

[Charles Nicol]

A pleasant morning pottering around the chalk quarry at Sundon Bedfordshire.

I was hoping to spot an early Small Blue, but had to settle for Dingies

i had the vast site to myself, apart from this curious fox

[Allan.W.]

As i,ve said before on these forums the local (mid-Kent )Grizzled Skippers have been in freefall ,and of five local sites which all used to have small but but fairly stable colonies ,one by one they,ve been becoming unsuitable .
I had a couple of hours at the (probable ) last local site which i felt may produce one or two .I found one almost immediately ........hopes were suddenly high ! but it took about another hour before i found another .
On this particular site i had a record count (for me in Orlestone ) of 3 Green Hairstreaks ......very pleased !
Moving on to another section which i have high hopes that it may hold a few Grizzled Skippers.......no joy on that one ! but i did "up" my Green Hairstreak count again ,with a count of 5.
Allan.W.

[Padfield]

I had a couple of hours at the (probable ) last local site which i felt may produce one or two .I found one almost immediately ........hopes were suddenly high ! but it took about another hour before i found another .

And both were taras? That's remarkable!

Guy

[Allan.W.]

Hello Guy... Most of the local "lost" colonies of Grizzles were 75 percent(possibly higher ) either Taras or Intermedia ,and actually these sites in their "heydays " it was more unusual to see a normal Grizzle ! I recently posted an entry in a best moments thread . I once stood in one small spot and had 6 Taras in view ,and almost had a Taras/Taras pairing ..............I did manage to photograph an Intermedia /Intermedia pairing .
i know that i have been very fortunate to have witnessed so many of these beauties ...........but fear that it is now coming to an end !
Allan.W.

[millerd]

Down at Box Hill today not really for the butterflies, but I did see good numbers of Dingy Skippers, plus one Grizzled Skipper...

...and my first Small Heath of the year.

Dave

[Stevieb]

Despite a glorious day today (7th) numbers were still low although I did manage to get my first Wall of the year.

7th May

7th May

7th May

7th May

7th May

7th May

[essexbuzzard]

Whipsnade Downs produced a fabulous 40 or 50 Duke of Burgundy, but only 3 greens, 3 Grizzed Skippers, and not a single Dingy. This is normally a good site for them, so they are probably just running late.

Pictures to come on my PD.

[Jack Harrison]

Whipsnade had a certain notoriety amongst glider pilots at nearby Dunstable (I flew from there occasionally). 
Rhinos actively engaged in producing the next generation always caused amusement.

Jack

[David M]

Whipsnade Downs produced a fabulous 40 or 50 Duke of Burgundy..

That is indeed a fabulous total, Mark.

[bugboy]

Whipsnade Downs produced a fabulous 40 or 50 Duke of Burgundy, but only 3 greens, 3 Grizzed Skippers, and not a single Dingy. This is normally a good site for them, so they are probably just running late.

Pictures to come on my PD.

No Dingy Skippers over Ivinghoe beacon on Tuesday either but plenty of the other species you mentioned, so must be just late as you say.

[bugboy]

Whipsnade Downs produced a fabulous 40 or 50 Duke of Burgundy, but only 3 greens, 3 Grizzed Skippers, and not a single Dingy. This is normally a good site for them, so they are probably just running late.

Pictures to come on my PD.

No Dingy Skippers over Ivinghoe beacon on Tuesday either but plenty of the other species you mentioned, so must be just late as you say.

[millerd]

With the continuing spell of good weather, it was impossible not to go a bit further afield this morning. Sussex Pearl-bordered Fritillaries were first - and the sunshine made them very active, even when feeding on bugle.

I came back home by what looks on the map to be quite a direct route, intersecting Chiddingfold just over the border in Surrey. The first brood Wood Whites were flying, and must have been so long enough for them to have got on with creating the summer brood.

Bugle is a favourite here too.

I managed a few in-flight (but a tad blurry) views of both sexes.

More shots of these and other butterflies in my PD when I catch up again...

Dave

[David M]

Friday 10 May, Cwm Ivy:

Orange Tip 9
Small White 7
Large White 5
Brown Argus 5
Small Heath 4
Dingy Skipper 2
Brimstone 2
Green Veined White 1
Speckled Wood 1

[David M]

Friday 10th, Welshmoor, Gower:

Two Green Hairstreaks seen along with a few Whites on one of my local commons:

[Bertl]

A couple of reasonable days weather wise brought out some more butterflies .

Orange tip, green hairstreak and speckled wood.

Best photos attached.

[Allan.W.]

A quick visit to Dungeness earlier ,mainly for a bite to eat and a short stroll along the power station fence . Saw just over 30 Small Coppers ,a couple of Small Heath and Small Whites .This pathological AB; was amongst them.

Later at a local Grizzled Skipper site after a lot of searching ! I managed to find 3 on the wing .2 Abbs ,and 1 normal.

Allan.W.

[millerd]

Small Blues seen today down in Wiltshire, along with Green Hairstreaks, Grizzlies, Walls, Brown Argus, and Small Heath - but curiously no Dingy Skippers. No Marsh Fritillaries appeared to be out either.

The last butterfly of the visit was an irresistibly posing Grizzled Skipper.

More to come in my PD, but the current bout of good weather and a glut of new species has slowed things down somewhat...

Dave

[Jack Harrison]

Excellent numbers of Orange Tips in North Scotland.

It seems to be a good year up here with the butterflies seen through the garden, along many roadsides and at the edge of woods - as well as the traditional marshy areas (where Lady's Smock thrives).  Today, 11th May (25 degrees C !!!) was especially good.

I used to live in a different part of Scotland some 40 years ago, but not all that far away.  Orange Tips were far from common and very localised (marshy areas): they had to be sought out and weren't found casually.  I recall a holiday I had (from England) in 1977 and was excited to see a single Orange Tip at Fort William.

Orange Tips, like Peacocks, Speckled Woods, Ringlets are real success stories of the past 40 years.  Comma though, has disappointed since it first arrived in about 2020: I haven't seen one this year.

Jack