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Re: July 2020
Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2020 8:49 pm
by David M
Bertl wrote: ↑Wed Jul 15, 2020 7:51 pm
Painted lady in my garden
Looks like a fresh one too, Bertl. Not seen too many this year so hopefully this is a precursor to a new wave of them.
Re: July 2020
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2020 5:21 pm
by Stevieb
Re: July 2020
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2020 5:27 pm
by Padfield
Lovely large tortoiseshell, Stevie - that really lifts my spirits.
I was in woods on the sandlings today, enjoying the abundant purple hairstreaks, when one female chose to indulge herself and take some bramble nectar. I very rarely see this species nectaring. She was poorly placed for photos, but here is the proof:
Most of the others were high in the oaks and even worse placed for photos:
Guy
Re: July 2020
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2020 7:30 pm
by David M
Love the way you nonchalantly slipped that Large Tortoiseshell in amongst your Graylings, Stevie. If I lived a little nearer I'm pretty sure I'd make the journey myself.

Re: July 2020
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2020 7:33 pm
by Chris L
Chalkhill Blue, Lulworth Skipper, Large Tortoiseshell and Grayling - all butterflies I can never expect to see in the most southern tip of Derbyshire so I like to see the photos that are shared and imagine the excitement at them being seen.
I have had a fantastic couple of days with the appearance of the sun (and getting on top of my work affording me a little butterfly time). More common butterflies but nevertheless I was absolutely thrilled to see my first Gatekeeper of the year yesterday. Today I saw a Marbled White which I had yet to see in my area. You should have heard my exclamation of delight as it flew by at great speed!
Re: July 2020
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2020 7:41 pm
by Bertl
Living in the north of Scotland I dream of getting some travel done next year to many habitats down south to add to my sightings list.
Re: July 2020
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2020 7:43 pm
by David M
Padfield wrote: ↑Fri Jul 17, 2020 5:27 pm...She was poorly placed for photos, but here is the proof
Yep. No doubt about that one, Guy.
Interesting that the proboscis is a yellowish colour, like that of
iris.
Re: July 2020
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2020 10:47 pm
by MrSp0ck
It Seems the Large Tortoiseshell is now a resident species, at least in Portland, and most probably elswhere.
Had 2 Clouded Yellows today at Hutchinsons Bank
Re: July 2020
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 9:15 am
by Padfield
Mrs
w-album has been doing her work in our local meadow:
Guy
Re: July 2020
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 11:56 am
by Ian Pratt
Two gatekeepers seen today.Is one an aberration or just worn?
Re: July 2020
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 12:01 pm
by Ian Pratt
The large whites are particularly impressive at the moment.
Re: July 2020
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 2:46 pm
by David M
So envious of all your images of White Letter Hairstreaks. the nearest colony to where I live in south Wales sees them remain firmly wedded in the tree canopy.
Paid a visit last Sunday (12th) but the best I could do was this, even though there were at least half a dozen in the tree:
Re: July 2020
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 9:17 pm
by Bertl
I spent a really enjoyable couple of hours this morning in amongst a northern Brown Argus colony in north of Scotland. I would really like to thank Jack H for sharing the location with me. Your directions were spot on Jack. Great to see this butterfly for first time. There were also a few Small Heaths flying around,
Re: July 2020
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 10:01 pm
by Stevieb
Re: July 2020
Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2020 10:10 am
by Testudo Man
A return trip to Darland Banks, Gillingham, Kent on Friday, in search of more Chalk Hill Blues, saw a steady increase in numbers, but not big numbers/clouds of them. 10+ females were sighted, an I guess the males had doubled from the previous visit, 5 days earlier. I didnt get on site until gone 3.30pm, an stayed until beyond 8.00pm. A pair of mating 2nd brood Small Blues were seen, Common Blue numbers were increasing too.
The highlight was sighting a very probable Gynandromorph dual sex Chalk Hill Blue

it was flying eratic, 1st thoughts from a distance were- a mating pair?...then no, a male? then a female?...back to a mating pair?? As it got closer, it was clearly just the single butterfly, but it showed both signs/colouration of both sexs…I got the camera ready...but just as i was about to focus on this confusing butterfly, it took off, high over some tall trees, an was gone!
Some highlights of those beautiful female CHB's, an a couple of the males(from the previous visit). Cheers Paul.
Female CHB, images are not cropped.
Male CHB, images are cropped some.
Re: July 2020
Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2020 2:28 pm
by zigzag_wanderer
There's a decent patch of wild mint quite close to the stream at the western border of our local field.
There's nothing quite like it on a warm summer's morning because not only can it be alive with butterflies but it also smells sooooo good.
In the space of 3 minutes, I saw the following species nectaring on the purple flowers that cover say an 8ft x 6 ft patch.
Common Blue (2), Brown Argus (3), Small Copper (1), Gatekeeper (4-5), Meadow Brown (2), Comma (1), Small Skipper (2), Large Skipper (3), Small White (2), Green Veined White (3), Ringlet (1). Behind this, in the nettles/brambles closer to the stream there was a Holly Blue, a Red Admiral and 2 Comma plus more Grekeeper, MB and Ringlet.
Extending my walk to Sayers Common, I saw a lot of Speckled Woods and good numbers of Red Admiral and Peacock. Marbled White numbers seem to be reduced a lot on the Weald (although I recall last year thinking this and then still seeing good numbers up on the Downs).
Haven't seen a Small Tortoiseshell for weeks now, since the very welcome mini-glut.
On Friday evening I saw quite a few Purple Hairstreaks on a much smaller oak tree in the hedgerow. Still not quite low enough to get decent snaps though unfortunately.
Re: July 2020
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2020 2:46 pm
by A_T
Plenty of Silver-washed Fritillaries at Llynclys Hill yesterday. And Commas!

Re: July 2020
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2020 4:01 pm
by Charles Nicol
renewed my Grafham Water car park permit for a year ( the lady let me have an extra month as well

) ... so had a wander round the lagoons area. teazles doing very well this season, and hosting large numbers of Peacocks ( and the odd Brimstone )
Gatekeepers also very abundant... a great year for them.
Small Coppers here and there as well...
Re: July 2020
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2020 5:18 pm
by Jack Harrison
Bertl:
northern Brown Argus colony in north of Scotland. I would really like to thank Jack H
I didn't find it. I was tipped off by another ukb contributor "K" altrhough it wasn't found quite where I had been told but nearby.
Jack
Re: July 2020
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2020 5:39 pm
by badgerbob
In Deep Dene today checking out the Grayling I came across a Small Copper ab. schmidtii. Not easy getting photos as it was continuously being disturbed by the countless Mecyna flavalis and Chalkhill Blues.

- Small Copper ab. schmidtii.

- Small Copper ab. schmidtii.