Small Tortoiseshell - Favourite Photo of 2024

[Wurzel]

Small Tortoiseshell - Favourite Photo of 2024

Week 17

We’re still rootling around in the underwear drawer of the butterfly world – the ‘smalls’…I’ll get my coat…which is just as well as the weather is pretty miserable at the moment. Oh for a bit more blue sky! Still not long to go now, fingers crossed.
Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos as then it will be easier to keep track of things? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As in previous years details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome as would any accompanying stories and anecdotes or other observations of behaviour and interesting other points.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David T]

My largest count of 10 Small Tortoiseshell's came in a 1 hour lunch time walk on a 300m stretch of waste land on 11th April. I only encountered three courtships in the whole of the spring, and amazingly all three were on this lunch time walk. There was also three individuals sightings, and also an unusual courtship taking place with a Small Tort and a Peacock. I only had less than 2 minutes observation before having to head back to work, so I am hoping that no mating actual occured with these two? After witnessing the three courtships I had high hopes that I might see a few of the off-spring in later in June and July.... Sadly I only had the one individual sighting of an adult on 21st July, with just two other encounters locally elsewhere.

Small Tortoiseshell Courtship - Houghton Regis 11th April @ 14:30pm

As above same courtship

Small Tortoisehell & Peacock Courtship - Houghton Regis 11th April @ 14:46pm

[Bertl]

Small Tortoiseshell appeared in my Aberdeen garden between 18th August through till 22nd August. I didn't see anymore in the garden after that and they were in much lower numbers from previous years.

I did manage to see another on the 16th September at Logie Steading Gardens.

Best photos attached.

Bert.

[millerd]

Easy choices really, because of how few I saw during the year. Here are a couple from the handful that appeared locally in the spring...

...plus one of only two seen here in the summer.

I came across very few anywhere else either, even in my sister's Yorkshire garden in August where they are normally a common sight on the buddleia.

Dave

[David Lazarus]

Hoping to catch up with this beauty in a month or so:

Small Tortoiseshell
Baddow Meads 14/07/2024

[Padfield]

The first local small tortoiseshells flew on 3rd February last year - so exactly a year ago today. But I think my favourite photo is this one from 7th March. It was one of many posing on the snow in and near the cemetery, but the only one that allowed a view of the mountains beyond. The peak in the picture is the Grand Chamossaire, where both my parents' ashes are scattered.



Guy

[bugboy]

After the usual spring emergents I see locally to me (admittedly not that many) I came across a few summer emergents in my travels around the south east including this one at Mill Hill near Shoreham-by-sea.

[David M]

Shockingly poor year for this species. I saw no more than two dozen, including just TWO in the whole of spring!

This late season individual, on 9 October, was my favourite:

[Vince Massimo]

2024 was the worst year for this species in my area since I started keeping detailed records 20 years ago. I was out every day, when weather conditions allowed and I only saw four, all on the seafront at Lancing on the Sussex coast. Two on 2nd April, then one on the 29th, and the other the following day.

Small Tortoiseshell - Lancing, Sussex 2-April-2024

There were also no sightings on either of the two Gatwick Airport transects by any of the walkers.

Vince

[Neil Freeman]

Re-emerging Small Tortoiseshell numbers locally in the spring were around half of what I have been seeing here in the past few years with no more than half a dozen seen on most days.

Small Tortoiseshell - Wagon Lane 24.03.2024

Small Tortoiseshell pair - Wagon Lane 302.03.2024

Small Tortoiseshell - Wagon Lane 11.04.2024

Small Tortoiseshell - Wagon Lane 30.04.2024

The follow on summer brood was a disaster with just four different individuals seen although these did include an egg laying female.

Small Tortoiseshell - Wagon Lane 23.07.2024

Female laying eggs - Wagon Lane 24.03.2024

The same female as above having a rest - Wagon Lane 23.07.2024

I am hoping that I simply missed some and that they went into hibernation early especially given the poor weather this summer but this is still one of the species that I am most concerned for this coming year.

Cheers,

Neil

[Stevieb]

I echo everybody else's sentiments with regard the scarcity of Small Tortoiseshells last year. I can count on one hand the number that I saw.

I was very happy, therefore, to come across this smart fresh individual at the end of August

30th August Bewley Common, Wiltshire

[Allan.W.]

I have no pictures worth posting this year ,I only saw 4 all season ,3 overwinterers and one late summer. Curiously I saw 2 (probably 3........1 close flyebye) Large Tortoiseshells . If I remember correctly we had a similar slump about 20 years (or thereabouts ) back ......they recovered then ,and hopefully will again ! 25' will be an interesting,possibly make or break season for Small Torts !

[Wurzel]

Small Tortoiseshell

This was taken in mid-August on Aberaeron seafront. I chose it primarily as it appeared to be in such an unusual setting and the colours contrasting with the monotone of the metamorphic rocks that form part of the coastal defence. It was also looking a little jaded and faded but despite this seemed to be just having a brief break before carrying on and striking out for Eire…well it seemed to be contemplating at least

Have a goodun

Wurzel