July 2024

[David Lazarus]

It has been a year of capturing a variety of butterflies ovipositing. This started back in the spring with a Speckled Wood, followed closely by another. Then I have witnessed both a Small and then an Essex Skipper, and recently even a Small Copper. Today, was a meeting with a female Large White who was obviously looking for somewhere to offload a few ova - and as there were Nasturtium in my mother's garden, I followed her as she fluttered around them in her attempt to find just the right conditions, with iPhone camera ready to capture the moment.

I very rarely get to photograph a Large White let alone a female, and then a female actively laying her eggs:

Large White female ovipositing
Garden on Chignal Road, Chelmsford 21/07/2024

and her 28 ova laid on the underside of a leaf of a variegated form of Nasturtium:

Large White ova
Garden on Chignal Road, Chelmsford 21/07/2024

[millerd]

Sunny and warm - but very breezy - at Chobham Common this afternoon. Several Graylings were out, darting around in the wind and hiding between clumps of vegetation. Their preferred bare areas are at a premium this year because of the amount of rain there has been.

Also seen - a few Essex Skipper, Small Heath, Gatekeeper and the last faded remnants of the Silver-studded Blues.

Dave

[David M]

Tuesday 23rd, Nicholaston Burrows (3pm to 5pm):

Meadow Brown 40-50
Hedge Brown 40-50
Large White 7
Purple Hairstreak 7
Common Blue 6
Small Blue 5
Small White 3
Marbled White 3
Large Skipper 2
Small Copper 2
Small Heath 1
Speckled Wood 1
Red Admiral 1

[millerd]

15 species on my local patch near Heathrow today, including a female Small Copper (the first of this species seen since early June)...

...and several Holly Blues. There were three or four puddling males, one of which was very lightly marked and took a brief break on a bramble.

Another was more conventionally marked.

However, pride of place went to a shining new female laying on goats' rue that kindly gave a flash or two of its upperside.

More to come in my PD in a week or two.

Dave

[millerd]

My first Jersey Tiger moth of the summer seen today as well. Another honorary butterfly...

Dave

[aeshna5]

My first Jersey Tiger moth of the summer seen today as well. Another honorary butterfly...JT1 230724.JPG
Dave

I saw my first last Sunday morning. Always look so colourful in flight. As it was flying it was almost a gonner as a Whitethroat flew up out of some brambles, attempting to snatch it, but just missed.

That was the regular form with reddish hind-wings, but yesterday morning as I opened my front gate I disturbed another. That was the form with yellow hind-wings, f. lutescens, which seems locally common.

[Stevieb]

I went looking for Odanata at my local Wiltshire Wildlife Trust reserve yesterday. A few butterflies about including a good number of Comma.

One individual outshone the rest. Conigre Mead Nature Reserve, Melksham.

23rd July

[David Lazarus]

First Painted Lady seen since 11th April at Terling in Essex nectaring on Knapweed Centaura nigra - only my third one of the year.

[Wurzel]

Called in at Perham Down, Wiltshire, yesterday (23-07-2024) and I'd only taken 3 or 4 steps onto the down itself when I spotted a Silver-spot, there were at least 4 more as well...

Today on the way home I called in on the off chance at Shipton Bellinger...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

First Painted Lady seen since 11th April at Terling in Essex nectaring on Knapweed Centaura nigra - only my third one of the year.

Two more than me, David. Been precious few on the continent too this year so far.

[millerd]

Called in at Perham Down, Wiltshire, yesterday (23-07-2024) and I'd only taken 3 or 4 steps onto the down itself when I spotted a Silver-spot, there were at least 4 more as well...
Today on the way home I called in on the off chance at Shipton Bellinger...
Wurzel

Crikey, those Silver-spotted Skippers wasted no time, Wurzel! And a Brown Hairstreak for dessert as well - sounds like a good day...

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

..One individual outshone the rest..

That is an abnormally stunning Comma, Steve.

[Pete Eeles]

Called in at Perham Down, Wiltshire, yesterday (23-07-2024) and I'd only taken 3 or 4 steps onto the down itself when I spotted a Silver-spot, there were at least 4 more as well...

VERY nice SSSkippers, Wurzel! Really nice to see them in this quantity, and a mating pair to boot

Cheers,

- Pete

[Charles Nicol]

i spent a few hours at Barton le Clay near the spring today. there were plenty of Chalk Hill Blues enjoying the fine weather.

i was very pleased with this extra fluffy individual:

i saw this pretty white plant; it is only 8cm tall

do you know what type it is ?

[Bertl]

Visited a favourite Grantown on Spey site today. Overcast but warm. Half a dozen scotch argus on the wing.

[essexbuzzard]

Hi Charles, could be a white version of the clustered bellflower, Campanula glomerata.

Lovely images of Scotch Argus, Berti. Don’t see many of those on the forums...

[David Lazarus]

My first Jersey Tiger moth of the summer seen today

My first Jersey Tiger of the summer also seen this morning here Dave - an annual occurrence now with a larva spotted crossing a path in Spring 2023 as well.

[David M]

Visited a favourite Grantown on Spey site today. Overcast but warm. Half a dozen scotch argus on the wing.

Lovely to see, Bertl.

Been a while since I last caught up with this species.

[millerd]

A couple of Holly Blues sharing a sheltered leaf as they sat out a bit of drizzle on my local patch at lunchtime today.

It's not unusual to find them in twos like this.

A few other species were flying during drier and slightly brighter moments.

Dave

[Charles Nicol]

Hi Charles, could be a white version of the clustered bellflower, Campanula glomerata.

Lovely images of Scotch Argus, Berti. Don’t see many of those on the forums...

thanks for your helpful suggestion essexbuzzard ! there were purpley ones nearby.

Charles