Small Tortoiseshell - Favourite Photo of 2012

[Vince Massimo]

Here is the opportunity to post your favourite photo(s) of a particular species taken in 2012 (or the last time you saw one!).

This is part of a series of topics which will grow over 20 weeks throughout the winter until all 59 UK species have been covered. The intention is to showcase three species per week (in alphabetical order), so please wait until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos. Our overseas friends are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants.

Details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome and please feel free to contribute observations of behaviour, stories of personal encounters, anecdotes or other interesting points.

Vince

[Wurzel]

Small Tortoiseshell

This was taken back in early June at Martin Down. I’d called in for a quick visit to see if any Dark Green Frits were about. There weren’t and there were very few Knapweed flower heads so I reasoned that it would be a while until they turned up. However there was a large, round Bramble bush set apart in the middle of the grasses between the two ridges which was being used by a Small Tort. It did play hard to get for a while before having enough of teasing me and settling down to nectar. When it did I was able to get this closed wing shot which is my favourite because I love the contrast between the black and the “peachy” markings as well as the slate blue love hearts. Very happy with this shot.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

I've seen thousands of Small Tortoiseshells, but as time passes they are becoming increasingly precious.

There isn't usually much to distinguish one from another, but this individual photographed at West Williamston, Pembrokeshire, on 22nd September 2012 seemed to have particularly bold blue hindwing margins:



As I get older, I'm also getting to appreciate more and more the subtle 'Hairstreak-like tail' they sport.

[MikeOxon]

After a rather mediocre year, it was a delight to find lots of Vanessids enjoying the wonderful herbaceous border at Waterperry Gardens:

Waterperry Gardens, Oxon - 2nd October 2012
Nikon D300s with 90mm Tamron macro + 1.4X TC - 1/500s@f/11 ISO400

Mike

[Goldie M]

Where do I start with the Small Tortoiseshell. I took so many photo's last year , how do you pick just one so I decided to spread them out a bit

The last one was taken in Southport Dunes( on the yellow flowers) I can't think for the moment what they're called the flowers I mean 28th August
The other two shots were taken in my Back Garden, One in Spring which you can't mistake 24th March and the other one on the 8th September, so that's Spring Summer and Autumn.Quite a good year for the STS Goldie

[ChrisC]

these were a garden highlight this year. more than previous years in the autumn. these and red admirals were amazing to have whenever the sun came out. just a shame i could only get to see the late stragglers after work. taken 5pm 3rd september.

[Neil Freeman]

I am liking the following Small Tortoiseshell photos because of the memories associated with them of excellent butterflying days

The first one was taken at Whixall Moss, or rather right by the car park. We had just arrived when this ST flew past, an unexpected pleasure, I had only seen a couple up until then.

Small Tortoiseshell - Whixall Moss 04.07.2012

These from Dorset in early September when I found loads at Lulworth Cove, mostly on the clumps of Red Valerian growing out of the walls on the walk from the car park down to the cove itself.

Small Tortoiseshell - Lulworth 05.09.2012

Small Tortoiseshell - Lulworth 05.09.2012

I also like the shot below, despite the 'messy' background, taken on Bindon Hill on the same day.

Small Tortoiseshell - Bindon Hill 05.09.2012 05.09.2012

Cheers,

Neil.

[David M]

The last one was taken in Southport Dunes( on the yellow flowers) I can't think for the moment what they're called

the plant is ragwort, Goldie.

Fairly toxic and, if I'm not mistaken, the foodplant of the Cinnabar moth caterpillar.

A colleague of mine is a horse aficionado and she absolutely hates the stuff as it is apparently poisonous to these animals. I guess the Cinnabar caterpillars ingest much of the toxins which explains why they are 'hazardous' in appearance - yellow and black striped like a wasp.

[ChrisC]

http://www.ragwortfacts.com/ some popular myths dispelled.
Chris

[millerd]

Locally at any rate, it was a better year for Small Tortoiseshells. Reviewing my photos from the home patch, they crop up fairly often, something I've not been able to say for a few years.

Here's one from early July, and another from early September.

Dave

[Goldie M]

Thanks David for naming the flowers, I have a wild flower book and couldn't find it quick enough at the time

I didn't realize the plant was toxic Chris, the sand dunes and grass areas at Southport are full of it. I took this shot of a cinnabar caterpillar and a Small Copper 23rd of July at Southport, it's not very good I'm afaid but it does underline what you said about the moth( caterpillar) liking the flower Goldie

[Vince Massimo]

My first Small Tortoiseshells of 2012 were seen on 12th March, but my favourite photo was taken on 15th March. At 18C I think it was the warmest day of the year and the hibernators were out in force. In all I counted at least 42 individuals covering 4 species and this image reminds me of that afternoon.

Small Tortoiseshell - Addington, Surrey 15-March-2012

Vince

[Maximus]

During 2012 I saw very few Small Tortoiseshells so every encounter was special. This individual seen at Old Winchester Hill at the end of August was one of my favourites.

[MikeOxon]

I am fascinated by how similar the photos by Vince and Maximus are!

What makes a pattern so consistent within a species, when there are so many other quite similar species, which also maintain their own subtle differences? What is the evolutionary advantage of this precise pattern? I suppose that sexual selection must be a part if it but these two specimens are from widely separated locations and yet are so alike - at least to my eyes. (ok, there are small differences in the size of the black spots, but not much)

Mike

[Padfield]

I've often wondered at this, too, Mike - it is part of the enduring mystery of these creatures.

The constancy is most striking in the most mobile species, where there is frequent genetic contact even between quite distant sites - as if the commonly expressed forms are a kind of average over the whole breeding community. Geographic or other reproductive barriers do allow populations to drift apart in their patterns relatively 'quickly'. This is very evident in the Alps, where populations of sedentary species on neighbouring mountains may be quite different.

There are lots of reasons why you would expect a stasis between speciation events (even in apparently unimportant things like markings) but none of them detract from the sheer wonder of nature's ability to pass on these patterns so faithfully from generation to generation. I look at pictures I took in the 70s and marvel at how they might have been taken yesterday. Or, I look at a brown hairstreak egg on a winter blackthorn and think of the beauty within, coded into the DNA ... Mind blowing.

Here's a small tortoiseshell from Huémoz, in March 2012. The two discal spots are much smaller. This is one feature that does vary quite considerably in this species, and other individuals out here have large, dark spots.



Guy