www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Lovely Chalkhills Mike And the female Gatekeeper is a beauty with those comma marks under the "eyes" - definitely not the run of the mill Hedge Brown

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Great photos Mike,

I love the Chalkhill Blues sitting round in a huddle, you can almost hear them 'right lads what we doin' next then, eh?'

Cheers,

Neil F.

Thanks Wurzel, she was a beautiful Gatekeeper.

Yes Neil, they do look like naughty boys up to no good!



1st August

Today we went to Old Winchester Hill looking for Silver-spotted Skippers. The air temperature was more than 30 degrees and the Chakhill Blues flew in their hundreds across the hillside, not stopping for our cameras. Like last year they were having a ball in the July sunshine, scattered like confetti in the wind. We saw several males pursuing single females and many mating pairs, which bodes well for next year. As we walked back to the car park a different butterfly got us excited, a Clouded Yellow which flew past before settling on some knapweed to nectar. We were given some good photo opportunities which we seized with both hands. We also spotted two Painted Ladies which didn't settle at all as they flew at speed along the pathway. Unfortunately we didn't see a single SSS and believe it was because at this site they tend to emerge a little later than at others, which was confirmed by one of the Natural England volunteers who we met in the car park before we left. We counted 18 different species of butterfly during our brief visit today

Hi Mike, just caught up with your diary. Posting some lovely photos, especially the Grayling and the Clouded Yellow, you lucky so-in-so.

All the best, Nick.

Thanks Nick, you didn't do badly yourself with his Majesty!!

All the best,

Mike

Splendid Clouded Yellow pics! I'm still hoping some will head my way, into Oxfordshire.

Mike

Cracking photos as usual Mike, especially the "canary" Isn't that your second of the year? Come on start sharing em out

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Lovely Clouded Yellow shots Mike. OWH seems a good place for them seen them there before but no photo opportunities. Really pleased for you both.

Thanks Mike, I hope some do reach Oxfordshire, in fact what is needed is a 'Clouded Yellow' year!

Hi Wurzel, yes it is the second of the year, perhaps this 'Canary' will find its way over to you

Hi Pauline and thanks, yes OWH is a good stopping off point inland from the coast. Have you been busy
this week?


2nd August

This evening I paid another visit to a heathland site where I have seen some Grayling recently. I thought that the numbers would be increasing, but during the two hours I spent there I only found three. I have photos of two of them which I believe to be males. I am not sure why the numbers are still low or why I have seen no females, maybe they are just keeping a low profile'?



While looking for Grayling I also spotted a couple of fresh-ish looking Silver-studded Blues.



There were also plenty of Silver-Y Moths which give the Grayling a run for their money when it comes to disguise.



As I was leaving I saw this lone SS Blue roosting in the grass where once there were many, but he was probably content having fulfilled his purpose in helping to secure the future of his species.

Great shots and I love playing spot the Grayling Mike In fact it's given me an idea for another book that I might have to write - it would mean having to spend long time in the field getting shots of one of my top ten butterflies of course, oh how we suffer for our art
I've thought that there aren't as many Grayling about but then it could just be that numbers are still building perhaps, although they've been sighted for a while now

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel i'm glad you like playing spot the Grayling. You must have quite a few books planned and now you've even got me thinking ouch
Perhaps the Grayling numbers are still building, I'll have another look one evening this week.


4th August

There were many Large and Small Whites in the garden today, they seem to be particularly plentiful this year, which may not please everybody. I watched a Large White egg-laying on one of our pea plants, she was there for some time and was so intent in her task I was able to closly observe her as she laid her clutch of eggs.


When she had finished I looked under the leaf and was able to see what she had been busy doing.


Just adjacent to where she had deposited her eggs is a much shredded cabbage and on top of a leaf was a well grown Small White Caterpillar along with ten early instar Large White caterpillars, happily (I think) co-existing.


I then noticed a small insect lurking at the edge of the leaf. It seemed to have an interest in the goings-on and would walk across to the Large White cats and touch them whith its antenna. The caterpillars would react to this by rearing up in unison which would sent it packing back to the edge of the leaf, in fact they carried on doing this about once every fifteen seconds or so afterwards for some time. Is it possible this small insect could be a Trichogramma wasp with no interest at all in them, but a more pressing interest in the freshly deposited eggs nearby? I would have liked to have watched further but unfortunately had other commitments.

That's interesting Mike, I've never heard of Large Whites laying eggs on peas. Could you keep an eye on the eggs please and post the first two images into the Species-Specific Album when you get time.

Many thanks,

Vince

Hi Vince, now posted and I will keep an eye on the eggs.

Regards,

Mike

Hello Mike,
it is interesting about the L. and Sm.Whites laying eggs on peas (but it looks like you're committed to having your pea crop ruined!). I've also seen a lot of whites about, particularly L. Whites, and although they are a beautiful, I find myself imagining the state of some neighbour's cabbage - but now maybe not! Earlier in the year I saw some L. white caterpillars on a more likely fodder crop; Honesty, but they all disappeared a few at a time.
Liz

Hi Liz, I'm quite happy to sacrifice some pea foliage to Small and Large White catapillars. The eggs are at present ok, but snails (or slugs) have eaten some of the foliage around them, so they are more exposed. I think that Large and Small Whites are very beautiful butterflies and I am happy to plant some 'sacrificial' cabbages for them to lay on. Yes the caterpillars are predated which is I guess why they lay so many eggs. It is interesting that they also use Honesty, as indeed do Orange Tips.

Mike



6th August

Today we decided to pay a visit to Aston Rowant as we were very keen to see Silver-Spotted Skippers, having failed to see any at Old Winchester Hill during the previous week. The traffic was awful during our journey and we arrived at least half an hour later than we expected. As we walked onto the hillside the temperature was 18 degrees with a slight breeze and we quickly spotted our target species. It very soon became apparent that they were out in amazing numbers and were buzzing around the hillside everywhere, we couldn't have imagined a more amazing sight.


We saw an amazing array of other butterflies during our visit, Essex Skipper, Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Brown Argus, Chalkhill Blue, Common Blue, Small Copper, Small and Large Whites, Peacocks, Brimstone, Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Ringlets and Small Heaths.


During the drive home after an amazing aternoon at Aston we were already making new plans, based around dropping our son off at Gatwick Airport the following day.

Great photos Mike

Aston Rowant is another great site that is certainly doing well this year.

Cheers,

Neil F.

Ditto - great shots - especially the final Small Copper
I'm wracking my brains trying to figure out where you're heading next

Have s goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Neil, Aston is a great site, with a fabulous variety of beautiful butterflies.

Glad you like the Small Copper shot Wurzel, 'wrack' no longer


7th August

After dropping our son at Gatwick at around mid-day we headed straight for Steyning with thoughts of Brown Hairstreaks on our minds. This was our first visit to Steyning, so we parked up and headed along the footpath which we guessed would lead to the old rifle ranges. Fortunately, fixed to the first gate was a notice with reference to an organised walk on the 17th August looking for Brown Hairstreaks, to be lead by Neil Hulme, so we knew we were on the right track! It was a warm afternoon and the first butterflies we encountered were some really fresh Common Blues followed very quickly by a beautiful Painted Lady.


As we walked along a well worn path Cathy spotted a different butterfly, and on closer inspection found it was a Wall Brown. We followed it along the path taking photos as it settled briefly always a short distance ahead of us then we began seeing more individuals chasing each other along the path, with some stopping to nectar on the abundance of wild Marjoram.


Although we searched the areas we thought were the most likely spots to find Brown Hairstreaks we drew a total blank, even though there was plenty of Blackthorn below the Ash Trees and lots of nectar sources. However we did see a number of other butterflies whilst we were there, including Small Tortoiseshells, Holly Blues, Brown Argus, Small Skippers, Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers and Ringlets, and one solitary Silver-spotted Skipper. There were a number of Large and Small Whites, a few Peacocks, a couple of Marbled Whites and one Large Skipper.

You're keeping one step ahead of me Mike You got the Clouded Yellow first, now great shot of mating SSS and lovely Wall Browns - but I'm catching you up

Hi Pauline, yes I try but you are just too quick for me


9th August

Made a late afternoon visit to the Grayling site, hoping to see a female. What I did see were 6 males, my largest count for a while.