Brimstone - Favourite Photo of 2012

[Vince Massimo]

Starting this week, here is the opportunity to post your favourite photo(s) of a particular species taken in 2012 (or the last time you saw one!).

This is part of a series of topics which will grow over 20 weeks throughout the winter until all 59 UK species have been covered. The intention is to showcase three species per week (in alphabetical order), so please wait until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos. Our overseas friends are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants.

Details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome and please feel free to contribute observations of behaviour, stories of personal encounters, anecdotes or other interesting points.

Vince

[badgerbob]

This Brimstone was whilst doing my Butterfly survey in Friston Forest. Not a lot of luck with Brimmies this year until this one performed for me.

[millerd]

An early spring Brimstone was the best of this year's crop. Taken at Runnymede back in March, here are two views of the same individual, but with different lighting.

Dave

[David M]

Nice images.

Brimstones are one-offs in the UK. The fact that they are on the wing during early springtime just makes them even more precious.

[Wurzel]

I struggled to choose my favourite shot for Brimstone as this year I was lucky enough to encounter them while they were busy feeding so I could get really close views as well as finding my first laying female. This one however took the top spot as it reminds me of a sunny afternoon spent in a deep ditch at Old Sarum in September.It was taken using Sport mode and wasn't the actual shot I was hoping for (open upper wings) but is even more pleasing for its' serendipitous nature

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[MikeOxon]

I was pleased to get this classic Spring shot, feeding on Primroses:

Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon - 26th March 2012
Nikon D300s with 300f4+1.4TC - 1/1,000s@f/8 ISO400

Butterflies are always difficult to approach in Spring, so I was trying out my, then new, 300mm plus teleconverter combination
Mike

[PhiliB]

An 'easy' autumn female photographed in Austria.

[CFB]

A Brimstone, in the Alpes-Maritimes, so occupied with feeding that it allowed me to get quite close.

--
Colin

[ChrisC]

one of quite a few Brimstones that visited the garden year. I have high expectations for the Buckthorn again next season. Only 4/5 months to wait.

[Vince Massimo]

In late summer Brimstones are very approachable as they concentrate on feeding in preparation for hibernation. During this time they are particularly attracted to purple flowers and one of the best is Greater Burdock (Arctium lappa). Not only are there likely to be several individuals on a single plant, but they are usually at a good height for photography.

Male and Female Brimstone - Coulsdon, Surrey 12-Aug-2012

The downside is that there are lots of other insects competing for nectar.

Incoming!

Vince

[Mark Colvin]

Chiddingfold Forest, 11 April 2012

A different perspective ...

A tiny psychodid at rest on a male Brimstone.

[MikeOxon]

A different perspective ...

Indeed - and very well spotted and photographed. Do you think this was just a chance encounter or does the fly have any sort of relationship with the butterfly?

Mike

[Mark Colvin]

Hi Mike,

Regarding your question:

Do you think this was just a chance encounter or does the fly have any sort of relationship with the butterfly?

I think this is purely coincidental.

The larvae and pupae of the genus Pericoma are common amongst clumps of damp moss and algal mats which border the margins of streams in Britain; where they can sometimes be extremely abundant. In this particular instance, I had observed the male Brimstone alight below a bramble leaf close to a woodland stream where numerous diptera, including the Pericoma, were present. As I was settling myself into position to photograph the Brimstone, the psychodid (moth fly) alighted on the wing for a matter of seconds only, at which point I fortunately took several quick shots.

Kind regards. Mark

[Goldie M]

My favourite photo was taken at Gaits Barrow in August, I'd just about given up hope of seeing any for this year when we came upon a group of them busily feeding. Goldie

[Neil Freeman]

I did not see many Brimstones early in the year, in fact my first was not until well into May.

I did however see far more later in the year and on one memorable occasion in August at Grafton Wood saw half a dozen in one small area nectaring on clumps of Bettony.
They were very approachable and I managed to get what I think are my best Brimstone shots this year.

Brimstone male - Grafton Wood

Brimstone female - Grafton Wood

And one in flight having just launched itself from the flower as I pressed the button.

Brimstone male taking off.

Cheers,

Neil F.

[Debbie]

Hello Again,,

I have really missed reading all your posts, but glad to be back.

So here is my favourite photo of the Brimstone, that I took this year.

Debbie

[nomad]

I caught this female egg laying in the spring in Bentley Woods, Wilts. They are not the sharpest photographs I have taken of this lovely butterfly but these are my favourites images because if you look closely at the second image you can see the egg she has just deposited from her abdomen. Peter.

Female egg laying, Bentley Wood, May

[The Annoying Czech]

I like my Brimstones as deep as possible, preferably males, with very contrasting background; unfortunately this one moved his head out of focus.

So although I've species from March to September, another photos were just a waste of time.

In late March '13 I'll be certainly lurking in the same place, hoping the sallow nectar allures some Large Tortoiseshells and Camberwell Beauties.