Catching Up
What with one thing and another, it's been a while since I posted on UKB - though not due to any lack of butterflying activity, I hasten to say. Lots of photos from a July trip to the Alps to come!
Like most people, my impression has been of a really poor year for butterflies, with the notable exceptions of Large Blue (amazing numbers about on the Poldens, eggs and adults everywhere - heartening stuff!) and Purple Hairstreak, which seems to have made a full recovery from the year that must not be named (2014). Small Pearl - Bordered Fritillaries seem to have bucked the national trend in Somerset and did rather well on Exmoor, but these gains have to be set against a seriously bleak bigger picture for hibernators (ridiculously low numbers of Small Tortoiseshells and Peacocks on the garden buddleias), and most of the wider countryside species.
Anyway, some photos. With burgeoning numbers of Purple Hairstreaks, I decided to get out and about to try and photograph them, setting out to find a nice steep Combe on the Quantocks that would enable me to view them at eye-level. I found such a Combe after a bit of searching, and it prove a really delightful experience to get a good close look at them fussing about and fighting on the branches on a perfect August evening, backed up by a strong showing of Grayling along the stony paths nearby.
- Purple Hairstreak
- Purple Hairstreak
A few Clouded Yellows seem to have arrived in Somerset over the last couple of weeks (much to my delight), for me, few butterflies are quite as powerful and exciting, and, enthralled, I spent several hours photographing a female at a local common. The combination of sulphur yellow wings, and deep purple Devil's Bit haze will live long in the memory!
- Clouded Yellow
- Clouded Yellow
- Clouded Yellow
- Clouded Yellow
- Clouded Yellow
The scabious bounty was attracting good numbers of Small Whites as well, including these spectacular 'balls' of amorous males intent on cornering a distinctly harassed-looking female.
- Small Whites
- Small Whites
Despite the generally grim state of affairs for Lycaenids locally this year, Common Blues have been up to their usual egg-laying tricks in the garden.
- Common Blue ova
Small Coppers have arrived rather later to the party, with 3 females over the last couple of days.
- Small Copper ova
- Small Copper ovum
I've been quite interested by where they're placing their eggs, there doesn't seem to be any particular preference for the upperside of the leaf. Indeed, in most cases, plants with one egg on the upperside of a leaf have had at least one, more often two on the underside of the same leaf.
Holly Blues seem to have done better than their compatriots, with my first ever eggs in the garden (more, I suspect to do with my lack of thorough searching than anything).
- Holly Blue Larva
- Holly Blue Pupa
- Holly Blue Pupa
Unfortunately, I rather missed the boat for Brown Hairstreaks this year, being away in late August and early September, but did manage a single, glorious female in their local 'Master Ash' yesterday afternoon - real Autumn Gold!
- I was actually glad it was rainy, it meant I wasn't getting distracted by Green Hairstreaks/Dukes. Fascinating stuff!
Let us know when the Heaths start flying 
Directions would be really handy although I don't know if I'll make it this year, still there's always next year.