Bugboys mission

[Wurzel]

Cracking set of shots Bugboy Very reminiscent of what I saw today, a fortnight later No Cloudy for me either

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Good to see the SSSkippers out at Box Hill, Buggy - I haven't caught up with them there yet. And that Clouded Yellow pupal case - a great find, though strangely frustrating not to see its original occupant!

Dave

[Paul Harfield]

Hi Bugboy
Just catching up with your diary. Those Wood White shots are great as are your Graylings
Just a thought, could your empty pupal case be Brimstone rather than Clouded Yellow? I have not seen either so I am no expert and I am ready to be shot down if necessary

[Andrew555]

Love the shots from Mill Hill Bugboy, some lovely examples and a cracking ab.
Your Wood Whites and Graylings are great also.

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel, still a few months yet for a cloudie, hell if this weather doesn't cool down soon we might get some at the winter social!
Thanks Dave, frustrating indeed, if only to confirm the species!
Thanks Paul, When I found it my instinctive reaction was that it was a Brimstone. What made me conclude it was a Clouded Yellow was that it was in the middle of the meadow, a good distance from any shrubs and as far as I'm aware Brimstone's stick to their Buckthorns to pupate. Now looking at the images of both on here it does bear more of a resemblance to a Brimstone
Thanks Andrew


25th July, Bookham

It was time for the first proper hunt for Brown Hairstreaks of the year at Bookham, where they’ve apparently already been out for a week or two. I'm putting the previous visits all down as pre-season friendlies . Unfortunately it didn't take long for the warm weather to turn me into another unpleasant sweaty mess for the day .

I made a point of meandering past all the spots where I’d found eggs and larvae, but no freshly emerged insects presented themselves to me.
Every Ash was carefully studied for a few minutes but no activity here either .

In between all this I did get distracted, as is usual for me, but it was already far to hot for anything to open its wings.

Eventually I got my first Brown Hairstreak sighting of the year, the unmistakable flight of a large dark lycid flew past me and over the hedge. Oh well at least I can tick it off as being seen !

It wasn't until I got to the Ash Master tree at banks common that I managed something more than a fleeting glance, although not much more! Four or five males could be seen flitting around the canopy. I managed a couple of shabby record shots, merely to prove what I’d seen.

I could have stayed for the afternoon to see what came down but to be honest there’s precious little to attract the males down here this year. Practically all the umbellifores that were so attractive to them last year have either flowered early and died or completely failed and most of the thistles have also gone over. The Fleabane does seem to be coping reasonably well, but although the books say it’s a favoured nectar source I’ve yet to see a Brown Hairstreak feeding on it. I suspect it’s more a case of use what’s around and since Fleabane and Brown Hairstreak peak around the same time it stands to reason they would use it as a nectar source… except when I’m around.

It was also unpleasantly hot so I left to find somewhere to cool down, again with the odd distraction on the way to the station.

[millerd]

A very frustrating time looking for those Hairstreaks, Buggy - I didn't find any at all a week later in the same spot. I see Neil H reckons they will appear at the usual time this year, despite the weather, so any time now...

(PS - I've never seen one on fleabane either...

Dave

[Wurzel]

It seems that the Brostreaks aren't playing by the rules this year! The males don't seem to be showing elsewhere though at Shipton Bellinger the reverse seems to be the case, it has been pretty reliable for males but the females are playing much harder to get Yo'll get there in the end I'm sure

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Your patience is admirable, BB. I find it intruiging that in spite of 2018 being an abnormally hot year, Brown Hairstreaks aren't following the pattern of several other species by emerging early and appearing in numbers.

The status quo appears to have been retained, with females resisting the temptation to go on egg-laying sorties until mid-August is near.

[ernie f]

Bugboy - After some initial success this year with Brown Hairstreaks I am finding them difficult now too. But that Teasel shot of yours is very fine - there is always something at this time of year to point the camera at!

[bugboy]

Thanks guys, I think the only things that works with Brown Hairstreaks is perseverance and patience

28th July, Local patch

I’ve not spent much time at all here this year, mostly because the hot weather brings out picnickers and the like, making the Marshes uncomfortably busy for a lone bloke wandering around with a big camera. Today though I could only spare a few hours so I went out early before the hoards descended. Even so it was already uncomfortably hot and much of what I saw was already closing up shop for the day. Truth be told there wasn’t actually a great deal about anyway but here’s a few highlights:

A game of patience, who's gonna move first?

A shy Painted Lady

[Wurzel]

Great set of shots Bugboy That Specklie one is a real cracker, it really shows their camo under wings to full effect

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

It's never a bad thing to catch a Holly Blue or two, BB. They seem to have been pretty scarce this summer following on from a strong first brood.

[Janet Turnbull]

That's a very lovely Brown Argus shot in your previous post, BB! I actually had one in the garden the other day but of course it vanished by the time I'd gone inside for the camera

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel their vanishing act is almost Grayling-like sometimes!
Thanks David, I think the way this season has flown by I'll be happy to see anything fresh out the box from now til the first frosts! Unless there's a sudden downturn though I suspect we'll see a few extra broods squeezed in before the close of play this year.
Thanks Janet, your lucky to get one of those in your garden, not generally considered a 'garden butterfly'!

30th July, Back to Bookham

This was one of those days when I should have probably gone with my gut and stayed at home catching up on other stuff. The forecast was decidedly iffy at best and then I had to contend with cancelled trains meaning I arrived over an hour later than planned, to find the forecast was spot on .

The plan was obviously for Brown Hairstreak hunting but that was a complete failure. It was just warm and bright enough for a bit of activity here and there, just the usual suspects, so at least it wasn't a completely wasted day though .

Some SWF aren't looking to shabby

the same can't be said for all though

and a couple of other inhabitants that caught my eye

A migratory Hoverfly, Scaeva pyrastri.

Emerald Damselfy Lestes sponsa. The first time I've seen one of these at Bookham

My ongoing battle with Brown Hairstreaks doesn’t look too good this year after last year’s trouncing win by me. My last visit went down as a score draw, a sighting and long-distance record shot, this visit is a win by them so I’m currently standing at 2:1 down. I need to pick my days with more care I think. Last year was like taking candy from a child, I don’t think this year is going to be as easy!

[millerd]

You're telling me, Buggy - I'm 3-1 to them now... A nice set of familiar Bookhamish photos though.

Dave

[Wurzel]

That Silver-washed is doing well to still be hanging on after the early start and the heat Bugboy Lovely set of shots even though you missed your target, I don't know what the Brostreaks are playing at this year

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

..The plan was obviously for Brown Hairstreak hunting but that was a complete failure...

I'm becoming increasingly intruiged by this. Just about every other butterfly species has emerged and been visible in good numbers due to the warm weather.

Strangely, Brown Hairstreaks are remaining quite scarce and are, if anything, behind what you would expect at this time of year.

Perhaps they'll rally over the next fortnight or so?

[Goldie M]

Love the Brown Argus shot Bugboy, they're so tiny but lovely when a good shot is taken of them.Goldie

[bugboy]

Thanks Dave. Things have improved now a tad though haven't they
I think they've changed the rules and forgot to send us the memo Wurzel
Fingers crossed David, their larvae shouldn't have been effected by the heat as much as some other species due to poor plant growth, so numbers shouldn't be hit too badly, they're just hiding better this year than normal! Like Neil H has stated, there's less to bring them down to nectar this year.

31st July, Deepest Sussex (part 1)

Although the weather was better today for Brown Hairstreaks, I fancied a change and had the whole day at my disposal. I plumped for another day with Silver-spotted Skippers so I hopped on a train down to Lewes and Malling Down. It was quite breezy and with the clouds being whisked along it meant one of those days with perpetually changing light levels, making for challenging photography. Chalkhills Blues were numerous, particularly in the patches of Marjoram where they were joined by Commons and various Brown's. The Skippers were also around but not in the numbers I was hoping for, at least not yet. It was still early though which did mean my targets had yet to reach optimum energy levels (which in itself is a bit of a novelty this year!)

Many of the Chalkhills were in tip top condition and one of these was another one holding his wings in that odd fashion, bent forwards. He seemed fine after he snapped them back and went about feeding quite normally.

Amongst all these I found my first 2nd gen Adonis of the year, looking quite stunning when the sun caught him at the right angle. I don't think I've ever captured one looking so sparkly .

Moving on the old chalk pits Brown Argus joined the throngs of Lycids, the Skippers in this more sheltered spot were significantly more active and I was buzzed by a couple of male Walls. I switched to my long lens when I focused on the Walls so I didn't have to try and get so close to them, obtaining a few passable shots.

I wandered these chalk pits for a while, mostly as a spectator but occasionally getting close enough for a shot or two, everything now fully charged.

Over the top of the hill and down the steep slope to the allotments it was pretty much the same, just a damn sight windier! Skippers here were numerous again, in the end I probably had 50+ for the day but that's far from covering the whole site.

It was relatively early so rather than going straight home I decided on a slight detour to Newhaven Tidemills, hoping to get my first cloudy of the year. What struck me first was, like much of the South East, just how parched the place was. I’ve only ever visited this site at the back end of the season so I’m used to it looking a bit tired but it too was suffering severely from lack of rain.

Small Heath and Common Blues appeared here and there and a few fresh Red Admiral were occupied on the Buddleja around the junk yard but what caught my eye were a few Walls. I'd never seen them here before, even though admittedly it's always seemed like good habitat for them to my eyes. At least one male was busy holding a territory at the far end near the ruins and after a bit a female joined him. She was in egg laying mode and made short shrift of his advances.

Another female was found at the other end as I was making to leave and allowed a few half decent shots.

No Cloudies but Walls now seen on four different sites this year!

[bugboy]

31st July, Deepest Sussex (part 2)

During my walk around Malling Down there seemed to be an over riding theme for the day. Obviously anyone who watched butterflies for more than a few minutes knows there really is only one thing on their minds, at least the males at any rate, but today I just seemed to witness a non spot barrage of failed courtship attempts

Here we have a female Wall I followed until she settled halfway up a bank. I wasn't the only one peering at her though the grass like a peeping tom though. It only took a twitch of her wings for her suitor to pounce. There ensued much antennae and head butting which was all but ignored and after a minute or so the male went along his way to find another female to pester

Here a male Argus sidled up to the female who very clearly told him to get lost. This message was not fully received by the male and he was left on the leaf a little confused by the rebuffle.

Just get lost!

This chap started of very casual, walking up behind his potential conquest but quickly over egged the advance and was left alone and confused!

Lets face it, this female was an unwilling participant in this encounter!

At least someone played it right on the day :)

Just as I was leaving Tidemills I noticed a Hummingbird Hawk feeding on the Buddleja. I was forced to photograph facing into the sun so the pictures weren't particularly good but they seem to work ok as a Gif