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Re: Janet Turnbull
Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 9:37 pm
by Wurzel
Great shots of the moths Janet and the take-off Green-veined White. I think your first moth is a Small Phoenix, they often rest with their abdomens curling up
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: Janet Turnbull
Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 11:23 pm
by David M
You're clearly deriving a great deal of butterfly satisfaction right now, Janet. Nice to see that those living some distance from the southern heartlands can still witness decent returns.
19th - 24th May: West Lulworth. Part 1: IoW
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 11:06 pm
by Janet Turnbull
I booked this holiday with the intention of getting to the IOW to see the Glanville Fritillary. Originally just me, but eventually husband, two sons and one daughter-in-law were also booked in at the youth hostel for a joint butterfly hunt/40th wedding anniversary celebration.
The first day was spent exploring Lulworth Cove and we didn't see any butterflies
The following day we drove to Lymington and took the ferry across to Yarmouth. From the car park at Compton Down we walked up to Afton Down and saw Small Heath
Small Blue
Small Copper
a Silver Y moth
A Wall Brown
and a Dingy Skipper
On returning to the car park we spotted some Brow-tail moth caterpillars
We then went along to Ventnor and parked in the Wheelers Bay car park and walked along the prom where we saw a number of Common Blues and the object of my desire, the Glanville Fritillary which were flying freely along the bank of valerian
It was early evening by this time and husband was anxious not to miss the ferry back, so we wandered back along the prom and had a delicious meal at a mussel shack where the owner was delighted to discover we were celebrating our ruby wedding on her premises.
Re: Janet Turnbull
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 11:08 pm
by David M
Great that you got your Glanvilles, Janet, and in their natural environment too.
Sounds like a wonderful day.
West Lulworth Part 2: Corfe Castle
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 11:26 pm
by Janet Turnbull
The following day we went to Corfe Castle
and walked along the ridge to Ulwell where, beyond the fallen-over trig point, there was an abundance of Common Blues which I wondered whether they were in fact Adonis Blues
Suddenly I spotted a much brighter blue flitting among the legumes and realised it must be an Adonis Blue
A Dingy Skipper and a Speckled Wood also posed for me.
Just as we were about to head back, a Red Admiral landed by our feet. It was the first we had seen on the IOW - and in fact seem to have been scarce generally as I have seen very few this year so far.
West Lulworth part3
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 11:34 pm
by Janet Turnbull
Back at the hostel a Fox Moth clattered into the kitchen, attracted by the light
Re: Janet Turnbull
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 11:37 pm
by Janet Turnbull
David M wrote:Great that you got your Glanvilles, Janet, and in their natural environment too.
Sounds like a wonderful day.
It was, David, thank you! Even my family began to get excited about the butterflies.
West Lulworth day 4: Cerne Abbas
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 11:58 pm
by Janet Turnbull
On our last day we went to Cerne Abbas to see the famous Giant in the chalk hillside.
The local shop had all manner of giant-related souvenirs including a clock on which the second-hand was a penis. Amusing as it was, I didn't really feel I wanted it on the kitchen wall.
However, following the butterfly walk from the Giant's viewing point up Little Minterne Hill I was thrilled to see a Mother Shipton moth
lots of Small Heath
a Drinker Moth caterpillar
a Burnet Companion moth
and several glorious Marsh Fritillaries
Just as we were about to leave, my husband spotted a tiny butterfly on the path and to my delight it was a Grizzled skipper
Re: Janet Turnbull
Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 12:08 am
by Janet Turnbull
Wurzel wrote:Great shots of the moths Janet and the take-off Green-veined White. I think your first moth is a Small Phoenix, they often rest with their abdomens curling up
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Thanks, Wurzel - I have only just spotted your reply having been off the website for ages whist out hunting!
Re: Janet Turnbull
Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 8:25 am
by Wurzel
No worries Janet - I can see that you've been busy and not just as a Chauffeur for Bugboy

Your Blues from Ulwell are Adonis, lush Glanville and Marshies

Looking forward to more reports
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: Janet Turnbull
Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 7:21 pm
by bugboy
Nice Fritillaries, I must plan a visit to the IoW myself soon. Your Small heath looks to have an inordinately well developed eye spot!
Re: Janet Turnbull
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 5:00 am
by trevor
I'm glad you found the Glanvilles . When you mentioned visiting the IOW sometime ago,
I wasn't sure if you and they would coincide, but it worked out well

.
Re: Janet Turnbull
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 6:27 am
by peterc
Well done, Janet. You certainly had an eventful trip to Scotland

.
Congrats on your 40th by the way.
ATB
Peter
Re: Janet Turnbull
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 11:48 am
by Goldie M
Happy Anniversary Janet, you had a great holiday by the sound of things and what a great selection of species you got

Goldie

Re: Janet Turnbull
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 4:28 pm
by Janet Turnbull
Goldie M wrote:Happy Anniversary Janet, you had a great holiday by the sound of things and what a great selection of species you got

Goldie

Thanks Goldie! I did go back to Gait Barrows but failed to find a Duke. I'm planning to go to Heysham Moss tomorrow with BC.
Janet
Re: Janet Turnbull
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 5:19 pm
by Goldie M
Good luck for tomorrow Janet, don't think the weather will be too good but you never know, I was up at Arnside Yesterday it was awful to start with then turned really nice later, if you see any Northern Brown Argus let me know. Goldie

Alpujarras, Spain 28 May-3 June 2017 Part 1 Rio Guadalfeo
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 5:26 pm
by Janet Turnbull
Must have had a brainstorm to have booked this holiday right at the height of the butterfly season! However, it was wonderful and I did get to see a lot of butterflies. It was a themed week of "Walking with Nature" and the other members of our group of 7 were interested in birds and flowers as well as butterflies. Our villa overlooked a ravine which was filled with birdsong and there was a constant soft 'turring' from the Turtle Doves.
Our first habitat visit was to a river valley near Orgiva, and the first butterflies I saw were a mating pair of Small Whites
Nearby a goldfinch was busily picking a thistle head to pieces
A very small a ragged-looking butterfly caught my eye; it turned out to be a Mallow Skipper
We were all transfixed by a beautiful Wood Fairy, or Thread Veined Lacewing Nemoptera bipennis
A large and powerful Emperor dragonfly, hawking round the edge of a pond, suddenly caught a smaller, red dragonfly and carried it to a perch on a reed where it proceeded to enjoy its catch
I'm not sure if it's just a triumph of hope over reality, but I did wonder if I'd managed to capture a Lulworth Skipper
but the Bath White seemed certain enough as did the Small White.
Re: Janet Turnbull
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 5:30 pm
by bugboy
Looks like a Lulworth to me Janet
I'm also wondering whether your last Small White is actually a Southern Small White?
Re: Janet Turnbull
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 5:36 pm
by Janet Turnbull
trevor wrote:I'm glad you found the Glanvilles . When you mentioned visiting the IOW sometime ago,
I wasn't sure if you and they would coincide, but it worked out well

.
Thanks to you for your information, Trevor! I was thrilled to find the Glanvilles.
Re: Janet Turnbull
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 5:44 pm
by Janet Turnbull
bugboy wrote:Looks like a Lulworth to me Janet
I'm also wondering whether your last Small White is actually a Southern Small White?
Pleased you think it's a Lulworth! But I'm afraid the difference between the Small White and the Southern SW escapes me
