Janet Turnbull

[Janet Turnbull]

A rare trip out to see friends yesterday - how lucky was that! Today we cannot meet indoors with another household. But we walked to Jackson's Brickworks in Poynton, a nature reserve which has white-letter hairstreaks. We failed to find those but the wild flower meadows were rich in others.
A pair of small skippers were so engrossed in each other I was able to get very close with my phone camera.

And I was pleased to see a common blue - they have been rarities here this year.

At least one of the commas appeared to be a Hutchinsonian

The peacocks looked fresh and the ringlet was the only one I saw yesterday.

A large yellow underwing was disturbed when the garden chairs were moved, but it refused to show its yellow underwings until it decided it had had enough of my camera and flew to safety elsewhere

[Janet Turnbull]

Today a few friends and I attempted an attack on the Himalayan balsam which has taken over a local field. The offending plants were stacked up in heaps. At the end of the afternoon, as we stood beside one of the stacks, a Peacock flew to it, searched for a suitable bed for the night, settled in, closed its wings and vanished - except I saw where it went..

[Janet Turnbull]

Today a few friends and I attempted an attack on the Himalayan balsam which has taken over a local field. The offending plants were stacked up in heaps. At the end of the afternoon, as we stood beside one of the stacks, a Peacock flew to it, searched for a suitable bed for the night, settled in, closed its wings and vanished - except I saw where it went..

[millerd]

An interesting piece of observation, Janet. Let's hope it's just there for the night and not hoping to stay till next March!

Dave

[Janet Turnbull]

Let's hope it's just there for the night and not hoping to stay till next March!

Dave

Not a chance, Dave - we're going back today to create more havoc with that balsam!
Janet

[Wurzel]

Good work with the Balsam - nightmare stuff that And god work following the Peacock

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

Interesting observation regarding the roosting Peacock, Janet. Must be the only critter that doesn't detest that awful Himalayan Balsam.

[Janet Turnbull]

11th August: a walk along the Mersey. I was pleased to see a Brimstone interested in a patch of common vetch. With the devant jour lighting, it was doing a Lady Diana impression!
Today, passing a field full of thistles which were going to seed, we noticed a great many Small Tortoiseshells among the flowers - at least a couple of dozen. A Speckled Wood sat still long enough for me to get a close-up with my phone before panicking.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Janet, we seem to be getting loads of Small Tort's a round us at present, I thought last year's Painted Ladies were unbeatable but the Small Tort's are here in good numbers, I'd twelve in the front garden and I counted ten in the back Garden and my Neighbours also had loads, what a good year it's been for them Goldie

[Janet Turnbull]

.. I'd twelve in the front garden and I counted ten in the back Garden..

That's amazing, Goldie! It really has been a good year for them, they must have emerged just after the dry spell ended. I've never had more than 3 at any one time in my garden though - I have left a big thistle to go to seed (which I may regret later )
Janet

[Wurzel]

Lovely shots of the female Brimstone Janet - they're even more stunning when back-lit a la Diana

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

Great to hear more reports of sizeable numbers of Small Tortoiseshells, Janet. Seems like they're having a bit of a party this year....especially further north.

Nice to catch up with a Brimstone too. They disappear pretty readily after the 2nd brood emerges in summer.

[Janet Turnbull]

Still a good number of Small Torts to be seen around here. Today I came across one in the garden, enjoying a quiet snooze on the Bowles Mauve. Then it started quivering its wings - I haven't seen this behaviour before, so I shall attempt to upload a short video.https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipO ... WD20qaQrmU[/video]
I wonder if it will work...

[David M]

Still a good number of Small Torts to be seen around here. Today I came across one in the garden, enjoying a quiet snooze on the Bowles Mauve. Then it started quivering its wings - I haven't seen this behaviour before, so I shall attempt to upload a short video.https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipO ... WD20qaQrmU[/video]
I wonder if it will work...

Not working for me, Janet. I'm getting a '404' error.

[Janet Turnbull]

Not working for me, Janet. I'm getting a '404' error.

Oh - is it possible to upload MP4s here?

[Janet Turnbull]

Another go at the video. This time I've uploaded it to YouTube.https://youtu.be/4W-pK0BCFKo[/video]

[David M]

Working this time, Janet!

I've seen butterflies vibrating their wings when the air temperature is marginal, presumably to maintain sufficient body heat for flight.

[Neil Freeman]

...Then it started quivering its wings - I haven't seen this behaviour before...

I have seen this quite often with some species, usually vanessids, when the temperature is on the cool side. They are generating heat to warm up.
A lot of moths also do this before taking flight.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Janet Turnbull]

Thank you both, Dave M and Neil - so they were just warming up! Another sign of autumn's approach.

The Speckled Woods here are doing very well and when I visited Rixton Claypits last week they were happily mating away. I took dozens of photos and not one was in focus
However, there were several Red Admirals sunning themselves on the hemp-agrimony and I also managed some half-decent pic of Common and Black Darters.
Meanwhile, I was prevented from gathering the last of the blackberries on Carrington Moss by a pair of Commas who were also enjoying the bramble fruit!

[David M]

...The Speckled Woods here are doing very well and when I visited Rixton Claypits last week they were happily mating away. I took dozens of photos and not one was in focus

Shame about that, Janet, as for a common butterfly it's surprisingly rare to see a mating pair.

Nice that you stumbled across a couple of Commas. I think I've only seen one during September.