October 2024

[Allan.W.]

Visiting my father in law earlier in his care home,one road back from the seafront at Littlestone,Kent .One or two Red Admirals and Whites around the Garden still.As we sat nattering ,i noticed a darker "White" flash across the grass,it was very yellow and flew rapidly up the side of the building ,it turned back and shot back across the lawn ......A Clouded Yellow !.....probably the only one i,ll see this year !
As a footnote ,when we visited a couple of days back we had 9 Red Admirals around the homes garden ,and creeping low down in the flower borders a small ,dark,long tailed bird ......luckily it flew across to below our window and perched at the top of a Hydrangea bush ........a Dartford Warbler !
Allan.W.

[Butterfly_Julian]

A 15m gap between our kitchen garden and our cottage was no barrier for the Large White catterpliers. Its that time of the year, the first few have made the trip and are starting to climb the west wall up to the roof eves. One pupa was found along with 7 catterpliers.
Sadly a few were in spiders webs, i cleared away some webs but with the amount spiders we have I'm sure there will be more webs tomorrow.
Now the long wait till next sping.

Julian

[Jack Harrison]

Very similar to one of my earliest memories circa 1947 (yes, 77 years ago). I loved watching them climb the wall.

My own young children a few years later (!) discovered that if you shouted at a group of Large White caterpillars feeding on nasturtium, they would all rear up their heads in unison. Maybe it was the sound that caused it but quite possibly the rush of air from the children's breath.

Jack

[millerd]

Though it became quite warm again in my part of the world today (23rd), the cloud was very stubborn and the sunny intervals were brief until late in the afternoon. Consequently on a lunchtime walk I only came across three butterflies - two Speckled Woods and another brand new Common Blue. This time it was a male.

I've noticed before that the wings of this species emerging late in the year look almost transparent - very shiny without the depth of blue that they display earlier in the year.

Dave

[David M]

Wednesday 23rd:

One Red Admiral seen at Port Eynon and then another on my estate as I was returning home.

[David Lazarus]

I walked the 12 miles from Wallasea Island to Rochford completing another section of the Essex Saltmarsh Coast. And would you believe it, I came across another Wall hiding in the grass at Finches:

And she turned out to be a very attractive female in good condition. She was also thankfully less boisterous than the male the other day and sat patiently to pose before flying away over a field:

Wall female
Finches 24/10/2024

A very quiet day reflecting the fact it is the 24th October with just the 5 Red Admirals flying south across the River Roach estuary to warmer climes.

[millerd]

Good long spells of sunshine and temperatures up to 18 degrees today (24th). A few more butterflies than yesterday, including as today's bonus a rather worn Painted Lady on its way south.

Also seen: Red Admirals, Speckled Woods and one each of Common Blue and Small White.

Dave

[David M]

Things winding down even round your way seemingly, Dave. That Painted Lady was a nice surprise though.

[David Lazarus]

The first time I have had a chance to pop out and walk around the gardens I manage here and the local park during a sunny interval for some time. The late-flowering Aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum in the back is a really good late-autumn nectar source providing a stop off point for this Red Admiral:

Red Admiral
Meadgate gardens 25/10/2024

And at the local park it is the ivy walls Hedera helix providing the valuable late nectar for both the Red Admiral and Ivy Bees Colletes hederae. There were 8 Red Admiral basking on the autumn foliage and nectaring on the ivy, including this beautiful specimen:

Red Admiral
Meadgate Park 25/10/2024

I am not expecting to see any other species around here, although I was surprised by a couple of Holly Blue on the 16th. Now it is just a case of seeing if the Red Admiral stay into November like last year, although there were far fewer seen this year.

[Matsukaze]

Duloe, Cornwall, 26 October. 3 Red Admiral, 2 Speckled Wood, chasing.

[Matsukaze]

Seaton, Cornwall, 27 October. 2 Red Admiral, 2 Small White, Large White, Painted Lady. Couldn't say if the migrants were coming or going.

[Butterfly_Julian]

A day wandering around Essex Wildlife Trust The Naze and along the sea wall in full sun after a bacon butty and coffee at The Naze Tower.
11 Small White, 7 Red Admiral, 2 Speckled Wood and 2 Comma

[David Lazarus]

A day wandering around Essex Wildlife Trust The Naze and along the sea wall in full sun after a bacon butty and coffee at The Naze Tower.
11 Small White, 7 Red Admiral, 2 Speckled Wood and 2 Comma

A very good year for Small White up at The Naze this year, I think Julian. Also, the mass migration of Large White there last month. I remember my “White day” at The Naze on 15th September fondly when I saw 200+ of both.

Good to see the Small White are still going.

[Butterfly_Julian]

I remember 15th September well, we were also wandering the Naze that day..... As you say it really was a 'white day' standing on the sea wall.
I think a large amount ended up in my kitchen garden they destroyed my 2nd crop of broccoli. The catterpliers are still munching away and when they have had there fill they are making there way up the side of our cottage. As of today we have 1 pupa and 9 catterpliers looking joint it under the eves.

[bugboy]

Not much migrating going on in hills behind Amberley/Burpham. Lots of Red Admirals milling around, basically looking like they were out for a Sunday afternoon flutter, but several females were seen egg laying. A few male Brimstones had awoken prematurely and behaving very 'springlike' patrolling and searching the undergrowth for females. Can't blame them, it could easily have been a sunny March day. The third species today was a weary looking Brown Argus, possibly the last of her kind this year!

6 eggs

[David M]

Sunday 27th: In flight Red Admiral seen at Bracelet Bay, Gower.

[millerd]

Glorious sunshine all day today (27th), but only a handful of butterflies on my local patch - four Red Admirals and singletons of Small White and Speckled Wood.

The last couple of damp and cloudy days must have adversely affected the remaining Common Blues.

Dave

[Testudo Man]

Yesterday (Sunday) sighted in my Kent garden were - 2 Red Admiral, an a surprise Holly Blue!
2 days previous (Friday) sighting in the garden was a Large White. No photos, but great to see these at the latter part of October.
Cheers Paul.

[David M]

Had a surprise Red Admiral fly in front of my car late this morning on Fairwood Common as I was on the way to the shops.

[Allan.W.]

Ditto !.........Red Admiral landed on the windscreen ,while waiting at traffic lights in New Romney (Kent) high street earlier today ,and a Small White yesterday across the front garden. Allan.W.