www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

20th November - more sunshine today, and around midday, there were a couple of rather battered Red Admirals on two separate ivy patches local to me.The next generation (should they survive...) were also in evidence in the usual spot. This leaf......was only very loosely concealing this caterpillar, which looked very nearly full-grown.Two more tents......and then the surprise of a caterpillar out in the open, presumably about to select its next leaf. It was about two-thirds the size of the one above, and was very bright and fresh-looking - perhaps it had just shed its skin. I didn't go egg-hunting today - I'm sure they'll keep for a cloudy day later in the week when there's nothing else to see.

Dave

A painted lady today in Sandford, North Somerset

In southern Spain. Plenty of Painted Ladies and Long tailed Blues hilltopping and chasing. Could the blues be from the south coast, I wonder?

Matsukaze wrote: ↑Sun Nov 20, 2022 4:17 pmIn southern Spain. Plenty of Painted Ladies and Long tailed Blues hilltopping and chasing...

Don't rub it in, Chris!

Matsukaze wrote: ↑Sun Nov 20, 2022 4:17 pm In southern Spain. Plenty of Painted Ladies and Long tailed Blues hilltopping and chasing. Could the blues be from the south coast, I wonder?

If they are, I bet they don't look as good as when we were enjoying them!

Some looked a bit faded, yes, but most were in reasonable condition. Some of th Painted Ladies were very worn.

Cool sunshine today (22nd), but while I was looking at the caterpillars in my local Red Admiral "nursery", an adult flew past without stopping. From what I could see, it looked to be in good condition. I then found four caterpillars, ranging in size - hopefully the intrusion of my fingers into shot will help in showing the variation. These two were pretty large......whereas the other two were much smaller.A closer look at this last one showed it had just shed its skin - the old head capsule is to the right and the shed skin to the left. As a matter of interest, none of these caterpillars has been "unzipped" - the foliage has just been rotated a little to allow the camera to see them. They all remained completely concealed from a casual glance, and with luck this spot will remain frost-free for a while longer.

Dave

I was quite surprised to see a Comma basking on the window frame at 09.35 this morning.
It was seemingly unconcerned by the spider shelter nearby.

Vince

Nice sighting, Vince.

Not seen a Comma for a month now.

Good to see a Comma for a change from the diet of Red Admirals, Vince...

More of the usual fare on my local patch near Heathrow today (23rd) after the morning rain gave way to long spells of pleasant (but breezy) sunshine. Two of the RA caterpillars I've been following were now in quite close proximity - both the tents here were occupied.However, there was also an adult butterfly basking on one of the swathes of ivy as the sun reached its strongest (which isn't saying much four weeks before the shortest day!).I was also surprised to come across this damselfly: Looking online, I'm guessing this is one of the Emerald Damselfly species - a male Willow Emerald? Grateful for a definite ID as I don't think I've seen damsels beyond early November before.

Dave

It looks good for male Willow Emerald, I think it is relatively new to your area, but moving west at a pace. The British Dragonfly Society have its flight season throughout November. I also saw a Red Admiral after the morning deluge.

Yes, a Willow Emerald. A very late flying species and a recent coloniser to the UK. Well established in the south east now.

Mating Long-tailed Blues near Malaga this weekend.

Tuesday 15th, Nicholaston Burrows, Gower:

Red Admiral 4

Unsurprisingly, nothing on the wing today but the Large White caterpillars are still enjoying the nastertiums. Also, a very poorly camouflaged exotic was posing on the garden wall.

Still going strong in my garden today in London

The female Red Admiral I'd watched laying eggs locally on 18th of this month was back again today (25th November), flying up and down the same sheltered stretch of nettles.I didn't manage to spot any eggs today, but there was evidence of a very recently hatched caterpillar, maybe the one of the results of her previous endeavours.There were other caterpillars too, one of which was not very well tucked up.The butterfly looked to be in pretty good condition (not much different from seven days earlier) so in the absence of any really cold weather I may see her again on future sunny days.

Dave

Single Clouded Yellows reported at Dungeness (Kent) on the 18th and 22nd.
Allan.W.

Allan.W. wrote: ↑Fri Nov 25, 2022 9:21 pmSingle Clouded Yellows reported at Dungeness (Kent) on the 18th and 22nd.

Amazing, Allan. If we get a benign winter we could be inundated with Clouded Yellows next spring, as I suspect the early stages will survive and prosper so long as temperatures remain above freezing through the next couple of months.

November 25th 2022 was my first sighting of a Red Admiral in Lincolnshire in November.
I know that in the South of the Country, they might not be scarce in November, with average general air temperatures, higher.
It beat my personal previous 2017, last seasonal sighting of October 31st 2017 at Ashing Lane Nature Reserve, Dunholme.
Although I have not spent much time looking in the most likely places to sight them, this was interesting for me, as it appeared not to be, an old tatty butterfly:
#AutumnLifeCycles (average air temperatures, too cold, for long distance flight migration).