millerd

[millerd]

I'm glad you agree about the honorary butterfly status I accorded the Mother Shipton, David - thoroughly deserved I feel.

Thank you, Katrina - I think they were just emerging and were consequently unusually docile. There are two different insects in those shots, and the second one in particular sat still for some time and even let me clear some bits of grass away before I moved in close.

That Green Hairstreak was almost inseparable from the buttercup, Trevor, and when it finally flew it was only to another similar flower. As you say, it made an eye-catching combination.

There was time on the afternoon of 9th May to fit in a quick local walk - just enough to see one or two of the usual butterfly inhabitants. I don't seem to end up with many shots of Small Whites, but this is one for a change.

Brand new Specklies are appearing, after the smallest of gaps since the last lot faded away.

Finally, another female Holly Blue on the goats' rue, but the lighting seems to have enhanced the blueness of the butterfly somehow.

Dave

[millerd]

Friday 10th May was another sunny warm one, and anticipating this I set off southward early in the morning, reaching Fairmile Bottom at the foot of the steep slope with Rewell Wood at the top. I parked so as to be able to traverse the whole slope before tackling the upward path and take in any butterflies that might be down there. Rather disappointingly, I saw only a handful of Brimstones - and nothing else.

After the steep (but luckily short) climb, I headed along one of the major paths, looking out for areas that were at the level of regrowth after coppicing that suits the requirements of the Pearl-bordered Fritillary. I found such an area, but it was a while before I saw any Fritillaries - I don't have the knowledge of the species' habits to spot them before they wake up for the day. Suddenly, around half nine, things came to life and Pearls appeared in all directions. They were very active in the continuous warm sunshine, and even when they did stop to nectar they often sought out bugle flowers that were wholly or partly shaded. I saw a lot of butterflies, but photographed very few of them!

Here are some I did manage to immortalise...

Also seen were several Green Hairstreaks and a Grizzled Skipper.

On the way back down to the car there were more Brimstones...

...but once again nothing notable along Fairmile Bottom.

With the whole afternoon to play with (though with an eye to possible Friday traffic later) I thought about where to visit on the way home. It turns out that the nearest thing to a straight line route near enough intersects Chiddingfold - so that's where I aimed for.

Dave

[millerd]

Of course, I did overlook one sighting at Rewell Wood on 10th May - I bumped into Ben and spent a while chewing the fat as the PBF fluttered past. Good to see you again, Ben.

So, via the pleasant back route (though it's actually surprisingly direct), I arrived at Chiddingfold.

Always a good sign, a Wood White immediately appeared pottering around the old car park - but I didn't see any more until I reached the climb up from the bridge and more especially in the big cleared area on the left further on. There were possibly a dozen in here, and I imagine they had been out a few days as they included a couple of egg-laying females. In fact, it was only the females of which I managed any decent shots - all the others were constantly on the move in the very warm sunshine.

However, the slight frustration of numbers of butterflies wandering slowly around me at ankle level and not settling led me to attempt some in flight shots. As their "flap rate" must be relatively slow. this process does capture some upperside views (though I didn't manage to freeze the action today).

Resolving to do better next time, I set off back to the car. On the way, there were a few GVW and Brimstones, and at one point I spotted something looking like one of the latter flat on the path ahead. This turned out to be a female Brimstone attempting to reject the advances of a male which had settled right next to her and was starting to walk onto her open wings. It all looked a bit odd - creepy, even.

I did begin to wonder if all was well with the female, but within a few seconds of this shot she was up and into the air, leaving the disappointed male behind.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Yay Pearls Great set of shots and defo worth waiting for -I'm hoping to get me some of those tomorrow evening - I darn't look at the weather forecast Lovely set of Wood Whites which I might miss out this year and I reckon the male Brimstone is trying to earn her affections by giving her a massage

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Nice Wood Whites, Dave. I wish I could spend time with this species in the UK, but their spring flight period coincides with a busy time for me away from home.

[millerd]

Cheers, Wurzel. It was good to see both Pearls and Wood Whites on the same day - there are lots of similarities in their habitats, so you almost expect them both to pop up in both locations...

Thank you, David - they can be pretty good in July/August as well as an alternative, and some years the broods overlap down at Chiddingfold while everyone is looking at the Emperors!

The good weather continued as forecast and on Saturday 11th May I headed off in a different direction - westwards into Wiltshire and a meetup with Wurzel down the road from Warminster at Cotley Hill. One of the hoped-for targets, the Marsh Fritillary, failed to put in an appearance - but I notched up three new species for 2024, saw plenty of other butterflies, and had a thoroughly enjoyable time chatting and catching up as well.

Without a doubt the most common and widespread species was the Green Hairstreak, which brought back memories of my first visit to the Hill when there were hundreds. There were perhaps not quite that many, but they popped up everywhere and paid little attention to human presence - including sneaking up behind you...

A few others:

Another species that turned up all over the hillside was the Grizzled Skipper. It was both the first and last butterfly seen here today.

Curiously, neither Wurzel nor I saw a single Dingy Skipper (whereas Bugboy, who was simultaneously a few miles to the north at Battlesbury Hill, saw Dingies but no Grizzled ).

One of my 2024 "firsts" was the Wall - we saw several new males around the site, and they were their usual difficult selves to approach, even one that appeared very fresh and wasn't flying that strongly yet.

My second newbie for the year was the Brown Argus - we found only a few fresh males, and only one posed well.

Wurzel spotted a Small Copper, but rather annoyingly it had set up its territory on the other side of the barbed wire fence along the bottom border of the hillside, where there was a sheltered metre or so of field margin. I recorded it for posterity with extreme zoom and some image tinkering...

What else? I remember a few Small Heaths, a couple of extra-large Orange Tips, Peacocks and a Holly Blue...

Of course, the third of my first sightings of 2024: there were Small Blues. We saw just a handful of fresh males...

...but Wurzel spotted a pairing just as we were about to return to the cars.

Finally came that last Grizzlie, close to the parking area.

There might not have been any Marshies today, but it was nevertheless a splendid morning in excellent company.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Twas a great day indeed Dave, that Wall was pleasantly un-Wall like in terms of his behaviour And that Grizzlie was a brilliant way to finish I followed it up with a trip to Fovant and Martin Down - but still couldn't add a Marshie. At current rates there should be a few this weekend (I'm going to try Martin Down) and then by the following weekend they should be going full bore

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Looking forward to hearing news about the Marshies, Wurzel - if the timing works out, I might try and combine a trip to see the Lulworths with a stop or two en route...

Back to the local patch on Sunday 12th May - which turned out to be the hottest day of the year so far, reaching 27 degrees hereabouts with 11 hours of sun. To be honest, not ideal butterfly-watching weather (too warm, too sunny... ). However, I did chalk up 12 species on the day, including two 2024 debuts on the site (in bold below). The tally:

Peacock 28
Holly Blue 10
GVW 7
Brimstone 5
Large White 4
Orange Tip 4
Small Copper 3
Speckled Wood 2
Small White 2
Small Heath 2
Brown Argus 2
Red Admiral 1

The weather reduced the number of photo opportunities, but I did eventually record both the newbies.

Brimstones don't cope too well with the heat, and this one was sitting it out.

However, of all the species seen it was the Small Coppers that were the most approachable.

Dave

[trevor]

A very worthwhile visit to Cotley Dave, but it's never complete without a Marsh Frit.
I'm heading that way when the weather gods permit.

[millerd]

Cheers, Trevor - I'm waiting on bulletins from our Salisbury correspondent and remain poised to return west for the Marshies...

Monday 13th May was quite a bit cooler, and far less sunny, but still proved to be a productive sort of day on my local patch. Though cloudy, much of the cloud was quite thin, and the UV levels were high enough to encourage the butterflies - some of them anyway. Ten species were around, including two making their first appearance of the year for me.

Holly Blues were expanding their egg-laying sorties to include the abundant trefoil plants.

A few Orange Tips were flying, though some of the males are becoming a little worn now.

The other three white butterflies were seen too, though I failed to approach any of the Small ones before they flew off (not uncommon!).

Cloudy weather certainly doesn't deter Small Coppers...

...nor apparently this beautifully new Speckled Wood.

For once, I didn't actually photograph any Peacocks.

This left the two new species for 2024.

The first was a lovely sparkling new male Common Blue - very different in flight from the Holly Blue females which were flying fairly nearby.

Then, very close to home, an unmistakable salmon-pinky orange butterfly was cruising around - but constantly returning to nectar: a Painted Lady.

It seems that they were seen today in various spots across the Southeast, so this year's migration must be underway - hopefully a good one.

Dave

[millerd]

Tuesday 14th May was even cooler than Monday, and damp and cloudy too. However, a marginally bright interval coincided with me walking close to a known Small Copper territory - and there he was.

No other butterflies appeared at all.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Cracking set of posts and images Dave - love the smoky Green-veined White and the Common Blue but that last Small Copper is bordering on the obscene it's so perfectly marked and fringed
No luck at Martin Down, no reports from Cotley or Battlesbury either on the Wiltshire site so I await news from Trevor - they've got to emerge soon, unless this is a 'bust' year I'm trying Sidbury tomorrow evening so fingers crossed

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Considering it was the only butterfly I saw, Wurzel, that Small Copper made the walk very worthwhile. It certainly was a cracker.

In contrast, Wednesday 15th May was a perfect spring day - highs of 21 degrees and 10 hours of sunshine. I stayed local and ended up with a total of over a hundred butterflies seen, including 14 (possibly 15) species. The one possible was in the same spot where I had seen the Green Hairstreak a few weeks back, high up at the top of a hawthorn and bramble hedge. Against the light a small dark butterfly flew up to intercept a passing Holly Blue and returned to exactly the same spot - certainly hairstreak behaviour.

As for the others, here is the day's league table:

Holly Blue 25
Peacock 23
Orange Tip 16
GVW 15
Small Heath 5
Brimstone 5
Speckled Wood 4
Small Copper 3
Large White 3
Common Blue 3
Small White 3
Comma 1
Painted Lady 1
Red Admiral 1

Annoyingly, I didn't see a Brown Argus (which I'd found three days earlier and would see again the following day) - which would have made a solid 15 species. I'm sure they were around! Incidentally, I'm fairly confident about the Small/GV split here - all three Small Whites were definite IDs; all the GVW were flying in the same bit of habitat with every one approached close enough to be identified turning out to be that species. At this stage of the season I also feel I can distinguish female Orange Tips from both of the others 90% of the time!

Unsurprisingly, I took several hundred photos of this splendid array of butterflies.

a curious merging of two hindwing spots

the first one seen for a fortnight

almost perfect, considering its probable age

a nice fresh female opening up after a cloudy moment or two

very new and intensely coloured

probably the one I saw on 14th

a much older one I'd strangely not seen before

With days like these possible, it can be difficult to achieve the momentum to go anywhere else!

Dave

[millerd]

In this topsy-turvy week, Thursday 16th May was once again nearly sunless, and cooler than Wednesday. The cloud must have been a bit thinner, though,as a handful of butterflies were to be found on my local patch (including the Brown Argus missing from Wednesday's impressive roster! ). This butterfly was happy to pose, its dark wings wide open to absorb the UV...

...though it did close up when things became a little darker.

Absent from the photographs the previous day were Red Admirals, but one sat for me today. It looked fresh, probably a migrant travelling along with the Painted Ladies.

Talking of which, the conditions today clearly didn't deter this one.

Similarly, Small Coppers put up with duller weather and really stand out against the green when it's cloudy.

Even the worn one from Wednesday was active again.

Amazingly, I didn't take any photos of Holly Blues today, but these three completed the list of eight species that I did see. A female Small White...

...a handsome male Specklie...

...and yet another female Peacock looking almost completely untouched by its long months of hibernation.

Dave

[Katrina]

Wow! I love the small copper in context shot and the Peacock. I award you

[millerd]

Thank you, Katrina. I do try to include a few context/habitat shots so I can remember more precisely where particular butterflies were found, as well as somehow making them less anonymous. Sometimes a general cluttered green background isn't too helpful, and the shots with completely blank backgrounds may be artistic but give no clues at all as to context! I suppose that's the beauty of it - you can choose what you like best!

As for the Peacock, I am just amazed at the species' ability to sometimes survive the winter almost completely unscathed.

Friday 17th May was another sunny and warm day, so I decided to make the trek by public transport down to Hutchinson's Bank. Easier (though longer) than the drive, and apart from anything Farleigh Dean Crescent is now in the ULEZ and my car isn't compliant! I chose Friday as I thought it might be quieter, but as it turned out, quite a few folk had the same idea... There were some familiar faces, including Monica and Tim, and then later on Bugboy appeared as well. Good to see you all, and the others I spoke to whose names elude the memory...

I headed for the Chapel Bank area, seeing Brimstones, Peacocks, Dingy Skippers, Small Blues, and the odd Green Hairstreak, Orange Tip and Small Heath on the way. Once there, after some catching up with people, I spotted a couple of Glanville Fritillaries wandering along the hedge lines and stopping periodically to nectar.

After the Glanvilles, I wandered back through the area where Dukes appear to have set up home - I spotted at least three altogether, including these two contrasting individuals which spent a great deal of their time squabbling with one another.

The next highlight was a particularly fresh Dingy Skipper, which was becalmed by a cloudy spell and allowed many close shots capturing the wonderful texture of the wings.

Another one a bit later was just a pale imitation, but was very well camouflaged where it chose to bask...

Small Blues popped up all over this pretty extensive site, though not in the numbers I've seen in previous years. The first butterfly I saw down there today was a very dark female of the species...

...though the majority of those seen were males.

Setting off back up to the tramstop in the fringe of suburbia that is New Addington, I immediately encountered three species I'd not seen anywhere else during the morning:

Dave

[Wurzel]

"Amazingly, I didn't take any photos of Holly Blues" - were you feeling alright Dave? You've got m worried now

Lovely to see the Glannies and the Dukes and those Small Blues are sublime, the delicate scales - lush I'm hoping to visit the Dorset or Wiltshire branch of the HB Zoo this weekend or next week By the way Sidbury is going great guns

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

...and yet another female Peacock looking almost completely untouched by its long months of hibernation.

For mid-May, that one's in resplendent condition, Dave.

I guess the females will wear better given that they don't spend time battling with other butterflies for territory.

Well done with the Glanvilles too.

[Goldie M]

Some fantastic shots Dave, I must go to Emple Ewell and look for the Small Blue , you've got an amazing variety of Butterflies Goldie

[millerd]

Good to hear those positive vibes about Sidbury, Wurzel - there maybe opportunities next week should the sun cooperate... I'm with you on the Small Blues - a fresh male can be midnight blue with a sprinkling of tiny silvery stars: sublime.

I suspect there won't be many more Peacocks as good as that one until the new ones appear in a couple of months, David. You're probably right about the females - they have no need to be particularly active at all. As batch-layers, they don't even need to hop from plant to plant like the females of many species do.

Thank you Goldie - it's time I visited Temple Ewell again too. It was on my doorstep when I lived in Dover, and I used to visit a friend there till she moved away. It's a bit of a trek these days unfortunately.

Saturday 18th May was another day with not much sun, though it was reasonably warm. I ended up with just a short afternoon walk on my local patch, finding just 17 butterflies (though nine species made up the total). Here are some of them:

With fresh Small Heaths around, but not flying very energetically under bright cloudiness, I tried once again to catch them in flight to reveal their bright upperside colouring.

More work still needed I fear...

Dave