July 2009 Sightings

[Matsukaze]

A fresh-looking Painted Lady near Faulkland (Somerset) this evening - newly emerged or newly immigrated?

[Dave McCormick]

A fresh-looking Painted Lady near Faulkland (Somerset) this evening - newly emerged or newly immigrated?

I'd probably guess newly emerged, if it was a migrant it might not look so fresh. It would be worm from flying for ages and general wear and tear of wings might happen, but if it emerged from caterpillar say found in France, it would not look too bad and might look fresher.

[Shirley Roulston]

This evening I got some photos of a Large Skipper, I had set the camera to take jpg and raw but I don't know where the raw ones have disappeared to but I'm pleased with some of them, the butterflies in the cool of the evening were easier to approach.

Shirley

[eccles]

maybe its just a bit worn, why it looks a little paler?

It's possible but despite the chunk out of her wing I didn't think it was unduly worn, just 'different' from the relatively few examples of this form that I've seen. It's worth hunting this species down though Dave. To watch such a large and powerful insect flying through sunlight dappled woodland glades is breathtaking.

Very nice light on that photo, Shirley. I think that might be a small skipper though? Do a full disk search for files ending in *.arw and the lost raw files should turn up.

[Mark Senior]

My lunchtime transects of the Ouse Estuary Nature Reserve Newhaven yesterday and today proved more productive than I expected given the overcast with a few sunny spells weather .
Species seen both days Large/Small White , Meadow Brown , Gatekeeper , Marbled White , Small Skipper , Speckled Wood , Small Copper , Comma , Common Blue Males all fresh 4 yesterday 7 today , 2 fresh Painted Ladies . Seen just today Small Heath and Red Admiral .
Approx 12 yesterday and 8 today Peacocks were seen all in the same area clearly freshly hatched . There was one abnormally large example which I would estimate at around 85-90mm wingspan . It's greater size was noticeable in flight as I only saw it today even more so at rest as I saw it yesterday . I have nicknamed it ab giganticus .
Finally the highlight today was a fresh male Clouded Yellow which I first saw being mobbed by 2 Meadow Browns . This reminds me that a few weeks ago at Seven Sisters Country Park I found a caterpillar that I am pretty sure was that of a Bergers Clouded Yellow . My only doubt is that I do not know if there is a moth caterpillar of similar appearance .

[hammer]

A visit to Crowle moor in North Lincs on 5-7-09 produced many large heaths along with ringlet, meadow brown, large skippers everywhere, and a few gatekeepers. At Risby Warren, also in North Lincs there was plenty of Grayling about, once they landed and closed their wings they became almost invisible against the background.

Colin.

[hammer]

Grayling at risby Warren, Lincs.

Colin.

[Paul]

Having seen several valesina in the last few days.... finally have a photo or two I think these are stunningly beautiful, always have!

[eccles]

Nice spots, everyone. Another from Inwood near Bath from yesterday, a gatekeeper. Still only males around so far.

[sahikmet]

Gatekeepers and Specled woods today at Black Park

Sezar

[Jack Harrison]

No comment! (Fermyn 9th July)

Jack

[Dave McCormick]

Many ringlets and one small tortoiseshell seen here today, here is a ringlet female taken with my new Canon 500D and Sigma 105 Macro:

[xmilehigh]

Hey Dave,

Congrats on the new camera, nice Ringlet pic as well.

Here's are a couple of Grayling shots from Brean Down today.



The art of camouflage !


Cheers

[sahikmet]

Hi,

At Langley Park today, lots of Comma, 2 small skipper, several Large white, Peacock, plenty Speckled wood, lots of Gamekeeper and Medow brown.
Off to Wales and Lake District for the next few weeks.
Cheers,

Sezar

[jellyang]

What a fantastic Butterfly day I have had today.
Nothing out of the ordinary but large numbers.
Around my local fields is a corner of thistles & brambles,( I now call this thistle corner) today this was alive with butterflies..
Small Torts
Comma
Skippers
Whites
Ringlets
Meadow Brown
Small Copper
Small Heath
Painted Ladies
Gatekeeper
+ lots of Ladybirds.

This has to be the most butterflies I have seen in a concentrated area for at least 5 years.
I counted at least 70 small Torts on a 2 mile walk .

Amazing how these little critters can put a smile on your face for the rest of the day

Angie

[SteveA]

Finally Essex Skippers and Gatekeepers are out in numbers in my small corner of south Essex with well into Double Figures of each at Paglesham. Nearby at Belfairs today 3 White Admirals were again seen despite the less that helpful weather though the highlight had to be a pristine Brown Argus.

[Dave McCormick]

Great shots Steve! Was at a bog today, going with a few people again tomorrow. Saw 100+ Ringlets, 20+ Meadow Browns, several silver y moths and straw dot moths. It was sprinkling with rain a bit so it was not really good condityions to see anything. Also saw a feamel speckled wood and freshly emerged ringlet and a dead one.

[NickB]

Just back from Devon - met Roger (and I only got 1 tic - Roger you are still the UKB Tic Champion) in the Heddon Valley to share a day's butterflying (and a meal and a pint) with Rose (who keeps Roger under some sort of control ) and my son, Rowan). Fabulous place! Fritillaries everywhere - 3 definite species - and both Roger and I were pretty sure that we saw a tatty specimen of SPB (but not underwing shot to confirm). One meadow was Fritillary central as the thistles in the middle were crowded with SWF, DGF and HBF coming down to re-fuel. Hundreds of shot still to process...
Fuller details later
Found a new species at Tapley Park....

The young lady said it was a Stone Fritillary..

HBF Heddon's Mouth, Devon, July 2009

[Dave McCormick]

Had a very busy day, kinda tired so I'll post some images soon after I have a rest. Went to two places, a cutover bog and a costal area with two people from BCNI and my dad and another person. Saw:

Bog:
Small Heath ( a few)
Common Blue (Several)
Green veined White
Small White
Large White
Painted Ladies (Mistaken for DG Fritillary when flying, when rested we knew what iw as)
Straw dot (lots)
Ringlets (Hundreds)
Speckled Wood
Large Yellow underwing ( a few)
A emperor moth caterpillar (Early instar) it was mistaken for a burnet moth but when we saw it moulting, we we certian, I said it was Emperor moth as I have seen it there before)

Some Micro moth caterpillar that we need ID'd (posting them soon)
Six Spot burnet
Small Tortoiseshell
Possible Red Admiral

Costal Area:
Red Admiral
Painted Lady (And several caterpillars)
Ringlets
Meadow Browns
We went looking for chamomile Shark caterpillars but never found any
Small White
Speckled Wood
Burnet moth caterpillars and pupae here
Common Blue
Garden Carpet Moth

Raind on/off but when sun came out it was about 20C or so, not a bad day, besides getting wet a few times during rain.

[Pete Eeles]

Some superb photos in this thread, I have to say!

Despite increasing cloud cover, I decided to pay a quick visit to Stockbridge Down today. The overcast conditions meant that the many Chalkhill Blues were settling with their wings open - allowing for some great photo opportunities. I saw over 100 Chalkhill Blue in total, although the vast majority were male - with only half a dozen females seen (including a mating pair). A nice surprise was seeing my first Essex Skippers of the year - I saw 15 in total, all male. Small Skippers were also around, so I had to spend quite a bit of time diagnosing which was which! I saw 17 Small Skipper in total. I also saw 9 Dark Green Fritillary (6 male and 3 female) - all of which were looking slightly worn. I watched a female as she alternated from nectaring to egg-laying in the scrubby undergrowth, and resting - absolutely fascinating. Other butterflies seen included 18 Painted Lady (all very fresh and clearly "Made in Britain"! - the offspring of the migration seen in in May), 1 Red Admiral, 1 female Silver-washed Fritillary, 100+ Marbled White, 2 Brown Argus, 3 Common Blue, 1 Small Copper, 5 Green-veined White, 2 Small White, 5 Large White, 3 Brimstone (2 male, 1 female), 14 Gatekeeper, 15 Meadow Brown, 1 Small Heath and 9 Ringlet.

Cheers,

- Pete