October 2024

[David M]

A few decent days at the start might lead to some good sightings before things wind down later in the month.

[David Lazarus]

Another rescue, poor little thing - trying to survive in the wind and the rain. A little battered but still going

Large White
Garden, Meadgate 02/10/2024

[millerd]

My first butterflies of the month locally today, optimistically making the most of a brightish spell around lunchtime (as I was... ). 10 individuals of six species seen, including these three.

There were actually three different Peacocks (but curiously no Red Admirals), and I suspect that they are all second brood individuals.

Dave

[Vince Massimo]

Whilst having a tidy-up in my Lancing seaside garden today, I noticed activity on my neighbour's Buddleia, which proved to be four species nectaring simultaneously - Painted Lady, Comma, Peacock and Red Admiral.

Four species - Lancing, Sussex 3-Oct-2024

Peacock and Comma - Lancing, Sussex 3-Oct-2024

Painted Lady - Lancing, Sussex 3-Oct 2024

Some of them later moved across to my Buddleia as the sun came round.

Also in the locality were Small Whites egg-laying on Hoary Cress and a Large White doing the same on Sea-Kale.

Yesterday in my Crawley garden there were two Speckled Wood and singletons of Large White and Small White.

Vince

[millerd]

Some warm sunshine this morning on my local patch, but a band of thick cloud moving exactly parallel to the NE wind rather spoiled the afternoon. However, while the sun was out or partly so I managed to count 45 butterflies with 10 species represented. Notable was a female Brimstone which didn't stop for the camera, but some other females did.

Also worth mentioning were the 8 Peacocks, which as suggested above may well be a significant second brood.

More of the day to come in my PD before too long.

Dave

[David Lazarus]

Another successful search for Wall along the Essex Coast. This time along the southern bank of the River Crouch estuary. I found new colonies at several locations or one new colony depending on how you look at it. Considering the overcast and chilly conditions with only a couple of brief spells of sunshine, to find 37 along a 14-mile stretch of sea wall was quite remarkable. I am fairly confident that given full sun and sheltered warm conditions there would be 50-75 - with new colonies at Lower Raypits NR; a farm at Upper Raypits; and outside South Fambridge; plus a potentially significant find at Brandy Hole Saltmarsh late in the day; and the confirmation that the parks and gardens of Hullbridge seem to be a Wall hot spot for the urban fox-type Wall Brown.

Wall female
Lower Raypits 03/10/2024

Wall male
Upper Raypits 03/10/2024

Wall female
Upper Raypits 03/10/2024

and one that has an extra eyespot and with a small extra ocellus near the apex:

Lasiommata megera ab. bipupilla male
River Crouch 03/10/2024

The ones at Hullbridge looked like they had emerged earlier than the ones along the sea wall that were in pretty good shape considering the recent heavy rain and strong winds. I think tomorrow would be a great day to visit if you are in the area with another potential butterfly nirvana before the impending rain. I am planning to search along the northern sea wall which I hope will be more successful than a miss-timed walk I did at the end of August without finding one.

I also saw an immature Hen Harrier, so a really good day - a big surprise given the weather at 09.30am when I started the walk.

[bugboy]

A walk in the hills around Amberley gave me 14 species today. Although numerically not masses of butterflies, several species were aged singletons. Small White were the most numerous (15-20) then Small Copper (7), Red Admiral were a similar total but difficult to know how many I saw as most were sightings were of them flying lazily around. Comma (3), Peacock (2), Painted Lady (1), Speckled Wood (2), Meadow Brown (2), Small Heath (3), Common Blue (2), Adonis Blue (1), Chalk Hill Blue (1), Brown Argus (1), Large White (1), Green-veined White (2).

Still looking for a Cloudie!

Also found a partially excavated Wasp nest, I wonder if one of the Honey Buzzards that have been in Sussex this year was the culprit?

[David M]

Whilst having a tidy-up in my Lancing seaside garden today, I noticed activity on my neighbour's Buddleia...

Impressive thing to have it in flower like that in October!

[David M]

Thursday 3rd:

Whilst up at Worcester Woods for an EBG meeting, a stroll around the environs of the cafe in gloriously sunny conditions returned 8 butterflies: Small White (3), Comma (2), Speckled Wood (2) and Red Admiral (1):

[millerd]

A better day today than yesterday, with more sunshine - and more butterflies on my local patch. I counted 58, with 11 species (which included three not seen the day before, so a total of 13 species across the two days). Highlights included a new female Small Copper...

...and another female Holly Blue.

Small Whites and Red Admirals were the commonest species seen today.

As David M commented on elsewhere, the buddleia seems to be having an extended flowering this year - almost all the wild bushes round here still have lots of blooms.

Dave

[David Lazarus]

Another 14 miles around the River Crouch estuary sea wall turned up very little until I reached the very end of my journey at Marsh Farm Country Park. I was resigned to not finding a butterfly, let alone a Wall, with a glimpse of a far distant white the only activity for the first 10 miles or so. The weather was much better than yesterday but development and intensive agriculture has ruined the coastal saltmarsh habitat from Battlebridge to South Woodham Ferrers - at least I know now, not to bother.

Marsh Farm Country Park was not delivering either as the sea walls had recently been flailed - good for human recreation & dog walking, bad for butterflies. Just about to give up when I came across some south-facing banks that had not yet been flailed. I even took a photo of it thinking to myself that this would be perfect for a Wall colony.

And.....

Wall male x 2
Marsh Farm Country Park 04/10/2024

and I found one - a small colony of 11. Not as impressive as yesterday's discoveries along the southern sea wall, but just as important. This was the first Wall I had found on the north bank sea wall of the River Crouch, so to find a colony was exciting. I am determined to find another a few miles away at Essex Wildlife Trust's Blue House Farm tomorrow before I can put my feet up.

Considering I had not seen a butterfly to record before 1 o'clock in the afternoon, 11 Wall, 3 Small Heath, 3 Common Blue, a couple of Small Copper and even a late-flying female Brown Argus on a 100-metre stretch of south-facing sloping flowery bank was adequate compensation for the pain in my feet.

Small Heath
Marsh Farm Country Park 04/10/2024

Common Blue male
Marsh Farm Country Park 04/10/2024

Common Blue female
Marsh Farm Country Park 04/10/2024

Small Copper
Marsh Farm Country Park 04/10/2024

Brown Argus female
Marsh Farm Country Park 04/10/2024

[David M]

...so a total of 13 species across the two days)...

Hugely impressive for October, Dave. I'd be pleased with that here in August to be honest.

[David M]

Another 14 miles around the River Crouch estuary sea wall turned up very little until I reached the very end of my journey at Marsh Farm Country Park...

You're certainly racking up the miles, David.

It's awful when you walk a long distance to find virtually all potential habitat has been 'sanitised'. It's quite something when you think how almost everybody accepts we are in the midst of a climate/wildlife crisis that small efforts to encourage insects still seem too much to ask for.

[David M]

Friday 4th, Port Eynon, Gower:

Small White 13
Red Admiral 10
Painted Lady 2
Small Tortoiseshell 2
Comma 1

[David Lazarus]

It's awful when you walk a long distance to find virtually all potential habitat has been 'sanitised'.

Indeed, David

Today, I racked up another 13 1/2 miles in search of the lovely little blighters, my late season target species, the 3rd brood Wall, continuing east along the northern sea wall of the River Crouch estuary. Apart from an early success at Clements Green Creek at the start of my trek, the going was tough with yet again a long inland detour around mostly pastures and fields of grape vines where herbicides and pesticides had rendered the landscape deprived of our fluttery friends. A complete waste of 3 1/2 hours. It also meant that I didn't reach Essex Wildlife Trust's Blue House Farm Nature Reserve until 1 o'clock which was very frustrating.

And if matters could not get any worse, I was met with a sea wall that had been flailed by the wardens [or the farmers who are managing it].

EWT Blue House Farm Nature Reserve - SSSI
flailed sea wall 05/10/2024

A Site of Special Scientific Interest that does not include my little blighters.

However hard it is to find them in grass alone with no flowering plants to provide nectaring points which would aid the search - I was not going to give up - much too important.

And joy upon joy, 3 new colonies recorded along the northern sea wall - the one at Clements Green Creek, one at Blue House Farm, and another a little further along at Bridgemarsh Creek. So, eventually I felt very happy plus I came across a lovely female Small Copper and a Hobby.

Wall male
Clements Green Creek 05/10/2024

Wall female
EWT Blue House Farm NR 05/10/2024

Small Copper female
Clements Green Creek 05/10/2024

Just the 8 Wall and a single Small Copper for my 13 1/2 mile effort

And that could be it for the year - although I have just seen that Monday's forecast has changed and might allow me one more stage - Althorne to Dengie Marshes SSSI via Burnham-on-Crouch [being optimistic].

For those of you who like a little bit of context:

3rd brood Wall sightings
David Lazarus - River Crouch Estuary - autumn 2024

The result of my efforts: 56 Wall in total [not including Wallasea Island] with one butterfly haven found on the south bank and several other colonies, although dispersed thinly along the northern sea wall. Much of the inland end of the estuary is inaccessible and/or pasture or new housing development.

It is just left to hope that the eggs are laid and the larva reach the 3rd instar stage or beyond before the early frosts strike - and then I will return to find them in the Spring

[millerd]

...so a total of 13 species across the two days)...

Hugely impressive for October, Dave. I'd be pleased with that here in August to be honest.

October has started rather well, David - in fact September was also pretty good hereabouts. Today wasn't quite up to yesterday's showing, though 48 butterflies and 9 species was not at all shabby. Highlights included another relatively fresh female Small Copper, this time sporting a full set of blue spots...

...a couple of contrasting female Common Blues (the contrast enhanced somewhat by one being in sunshine and the other during a cloudy spell)...

...one of three Small Heaths, a species I've hardly ever seen here this late in the season...

...and one of three Commas posing on a bit of buddleia.

Dave

[David M]

...And if matters could not get any worse, I was met with a sea wall that had been flailed by the wardens [or the farmers who are managing it]...

Some people need putting up against a wall, that's for sure.

[Matsukaze]

I don't suppose you could send the flails to Somerset? The number of sites here disappearing under brambles...

Red Admirals out and about in decent sun at the end of the week.

[David Lazarus]

The end of the season on my local patch with only a couple of Red Admiral on my final transect walk of the year, and with it my role as a transect walker finishes.

On the way back through the local park there were 6 Red Admiral nectaring on the ivy wall, the only butterfly species I expect to see here in the rest of 2024:

Red Admiral x 5 nectaring on the flowers of Hedera helix
Meadgate Park 06/10/2024

[Andy02]

In a season where positive news is at a premium, it is nice to see what appears to be the permanent recolonisation of Rainham marshes for Wall brown. With only 1-2 sightings a year over the previous 10 years , multiple sightings this year have hopes raised. This one appeared before the inevitable showers