www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

The last couple of years have seen something of a bonanza for November butterflies.

I'm sure this year will see much diminished returns, but with mild and sunny conditions forecast for the next few days at least, I'm sure there'll be a few who make some sightings...

Small Whites.
A good year for second brood Small Whites and the occasional Large Whites,in my garden.
This morning my wife drew my attention to a cluster of caterpillars on Radish plants that I had allowed to run wild, is this a normal food plant for this species? .

I think Large White caterpillars like these (and Small Whites as well) will eat a wide variety of cabbage and mustard related plants - as well as nasturtiums.

Cheers,

Dave

Still a good number of Large White catterpliers, good for the Large White but not for my broccoli, still feeding. Another couple working there way up the wall this evening and one changing into a pupa. Never witnessed this happening before, it was still wiggling about. Thats 3 pupa found, 4 catterpliers in spiders webs and 3 finished off by a ichneumon fly, and many on broccoli.
Also seen was this Large White catterplier, can anyone advise is this has just shed a skin please. Julian

Hi Julian - that last one looks like a Small White and will probably soon appear bright green and blend into the background.

Cheers,

Dave

Hi Julian, the row of double yellow spots along the side of the larva and the yellow stripe along its back indicate that this is a Small White larva (most likely a 5th instar). However it is unusually pale, but this would not be as a result of a recent moult, because these larvae are normally green in my experience. Possible explanations would be that it is either sickly due to a pathological or parasitic reason, or just has a benign pigmentation problem. If you are able to keep an eye on it during the coming days, we may get an answer.
Addendum: The larvae of some species go a bit pale as they approach pupation, but this does not tend to be the case for Small White.
Vince
(crossed with Dave's post)

Thank you very much Dave and Vince for that info, still lots to learn the on the early life cycles for me, so interesting.

A further question if i can at what temperature would you expect the Large and Small White to stop being active? This morning, first light, 11c and drizzle most were still feeding.

Julian

Hi Julian,

Caterpillars, like butterflies are ectothermic, relying on external sources of heat to regulate their body temperatures. For larvae this is mainly achieved by basking in sunshine, but in winter, having a sheltered spot would be of added benefit. Studies have shown that the surface of a leaf or other sub-strait can be significantly warmer than the ambient air temperature in sunshine, so the larva will take advantage of this. It needs periods of warmth in order to be able to digest its food, thus giving it the energy for continued development. I cannot find a study which concludes on a minimum temperature for the survival of this species, but some like Red Admiral larva are now being found to be able to hatch from eggs in December, January and February and develop throughout the winter (albeit mainly within the shelter of a folded leaf). Whilst Large White and Small White larvae do not have the adaptability to deal with cooler conditions like the Red Admiral, their winter development will continue at a significantly slower rate until they either make it to pupation or perish.

Vince

Thanks Vince, i will watch with intrest there development as the weather cools.

Red Admiral seen today in my Kent garden, at lunchtime. It basked briefly on the fence, then flew off. Nothing to keep it in the garden now, as all my late blooming white buddleia is well gone! Looking at the mild weather for this week, i would think there could be a few November sightings.

No pics of the swine, as it was gone before i could even open the back door!!......but heres a shot of one of my garden Red Admirals, from back in September. I had 5+ of em on the white buddleia this season. Cheers Paul. No cropping to image.

Granted I had not been out to look given the limited opportunity, I am happy to report that I saw my first butterfly for 10 days. So long, in fact, that I had to look it up in a field guide to check that it was indeed a butterfly

A Red Admiral basking on the bench in front of the ivy wall Hedera helix during a sunny interval this afternoon at my local park, where 10 days previously I saw 4 nectaring on the flowers. Good to see - the first butterfly of November - hoping it is not my last.
Please provide us with an early Spring

Paul/David,

Good to see those Red Admirals. Sure there must be a few round my way but since the month started we've been under a blanket of cloud Venus would be proud of!

Red Admiral flyby and a couple of Small White on Two-tree Island in Essex this afternoon

After seven straight days with no more than ten minutes of sunshine shared between them, I set out round my local patch around the middle of the day today with genuine expanses of blue sky and (lower down than I remember it!) there was the sun. It fairly quickly turned hazy, but it was enough to allow a glimpse of a Red Admiral looking down at me from a hedge.One of the Heathrow conservation people I spoke to had seen a Speckled Wood earlier as well.

Despite the lack of sun, it has not been cold, and plant growth is once again rampant - nettles are well over head-high and covered in new shoots at the moment. There are still plenty of wild flowers, including lots of knapweed......one or two mallows......and the odd scabious.A pity there were no butterflies left to enjoy them. I even managed to pick a few ripe blackberries......though they were a little insipid (like the English strawberries still available in supermarkets at this time of year).

Dave

No photos but two Red Admirals in densely built up Brighton today. The first, in some sunshine, I watched as it briefly flew south. Wondered whether it was reverse migrating but then it decided to change direction. Haven’t observed any large numbers of red admirals reverse migrating this year unlike last year.

Also saw a female egg laying on campus last week. Will have to monitor their progress, nice and easy location thankfully! Zayed

At Dungeness yesterday ,a few small moths still flitting about and 3 Bumblebees still active in the occasional sun spots,best sighting,a single Red Admiral. Allan.W.

Well, after a depressing sunless fortnight, the forecast improvement finally arrived today - though it was still a bit of a reluctant change. However, a Red Admiral appeared on my local patch on one of the large wild buddleias that stopped flowering a few weeks back. Dave

Garden watching today, an 2 Red Admirals seen...but, 1 was in next doors garden!! an it looked to be in very very good condition. 2nd was basking on my clothes line post! in my garden, an i captured some images of that one, which was a little worn though. Great to see 2 of em.

No images cropped, but i used 2 cameras for some sort of comparison (2 pics each camera)...1 is a cheapo bridge camera, the other camera (MFT's) not so cheap!!..I wonder if you/I can tell the difference in image quality between the two cameras??!! Cheers Paul.

Also two Red Admirals for me today from Orlestone (Kent ) +in-cop Common Darters.........and 4 Hawfinches . Allan.W.

I just had a moment with a good-looking Red Admiral. After a disappointing day yesterday searching for a migrant butterfly around Wallasea Island and along the sea wall to Eastend, Paglesham, I needn't have bothered as I found happiness just 200 metres from my door. I was able to spend a good 15-20 minutes just watching this butterfly on the ivy wall. I am very lucky to have a green space so close to me. It has a south-facing shrub boundary covered with flowering Hedera helix in places, which is loved by Red Admiral at this time of year. There were also busy Ivy Bees and several White-tailed Bumblebee queens. This is the best place - the butterflies love to bask on the wooden bench:
I took a quick record shot which was half-decent, so I decided just to spend time and watch its behaviour without disturbing it anymore.
As it dive-bombed me, basked in the full sun, and nectared on the flowers it was a happy time tinged with sadness as I thought this might be the last butterfly I see this year. I crept up close and it was a stunning specimen with only a few scratches. Obviously I didn't keep my promise to myself and had to get a close-up but the sun's rays reflecting off the glossy ivy leaves meant it didn't turn out great.
I wished it well on its journey south and left it with the bees.