Katrina

[trevor]

Lovely SSB underside studies, I would have thought they were nicely warmed
up and lively by the time you arrived, so well done!
That long term road closure in Midhurst is a pain. I was left to find my own
way back to the A272 and came out by the Half Way pub, eventually!

[Katrina]

Thanks Trevor. It was a pain.
Re the SPBF I have just reread Neil Hulme’s post from last year which said they become inactive for prolonged periods in hot weather so possible they are just hiding in the shade I suppose.

[Wurzel]

Love the Silver-studs Katrina - you captured the dreamy look - beautiful
It could be that the Small Pearls are still emerging but are a bit behind this year? Last year I went to Priddy Mineries at the very start of June and they'd been out for a few weeks. This year they only really started mid way through last week-fingers crossed that they're still to come

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Nice SSBs, Katrina. You've put them on my radar for next week now.

[Katrina]

Thanks Wurzel - you may be right they may be late fingers crossed.
Thanks David!

[Katrina]

At Iping on Sunday a Poplar Leaf Beetle

[Katrina]

I had a recent trip to the Cairngorms. The house we were staying in luckily had various butterflies in the garden and surroundings and several beds of nettles in.
My sister found a Red Admiral Caterpillar and we found some peacock caterpillars. I was hopeful i would find a pupa but it was not to be.
There were many Ringlets in the grounds. I read Discovering Scotlands Butterflies by Paul Kirkland when I was there and he described (not on the species page but on page 24 )he had visited somewhere where about 20% of the Ringlets were abs. I decided to check the ones in the garden out and we found some abs . Also about half an hour away I checked out a field and the one there was an ab too so they seemed quite common and I would think 20% of the garden ones were abs
I think the one with dots could be ab arete but I am not sure

[Katrina]

Other garden butterflies seen were Speckled Woods - 2 or 3 , Meadow Browns a few, one Comma, 2 Red Admirals , 2 or 3 Green -Veined Whites visited regularly but the surprise was a Northern Brown Argus I found which was there one day , I am pretty sure i saw it flying a second day and then it disappeared. I think just passing through.
Elsewhere I saw Small Heaths, Dark Green Fritillaries 2 common blues and a Small PBF
Other wildlife near the house included Red Deer and stoats. I had the most sightings of the stoats (4 times in the garden one one occasion 2 of them but didn't manage to get a photo so have had to borrow my sisters, On one occasion they were 2 feet away.
Bird life included a Red Kite frequently seen (I was not so keen on!) also there were swallows nesting in the wood shed and possible 50-100 rooks and jackdaws roosting in the trees on the other side of the house.

[Wurzel]

Love the Northern Brown Argus - no doubting that identification is there You're right about the first set of abs being arete and I think the one with the extra spots might count as ab.marpurgensis?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Those images suggest that you've had a great trip, Katrina.

Love the aberrant Ringlet and an NBA garden tick is something out of reach of almost all of us on here.

[Katrina]

Love the Northern Brown Argus - no doubting that identification is there You're right about the first set of abs being arete and I think the one with the extra spots might count as ab.marpurgensis?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wuzsel - the arete is moe of a Ringless than Ringlet.

Those images suggest that you've had a great trip, Katrina.

Love the aberrant Ringlet and an NBA garden tick is something out of reach of almost all of us on here.

Thanks David. I had gone looking for NBA in one of the usual sites and not seen any although the weather was mixed and in the afternoon found one in the garden where we were staying - I couldn't believe it. My sister later found some rock rose in a nearby field. We later in the holiday saw one at Insh Marshes.

[trevor]

A for your Northern Brown Argus, never seen one.
And all those Ringlet ab's. Best of all is that lovely fresh Small Tortoiseshell.
Although I have seen a few elsewhere, I've only seen three in East Sussex so far this year!

Trevor.

[Katrina]

A for your Northern Brown Argus, never seen one.
And all those Ringlet ab's. Best of all is that lovely fresh Small Tortoiseshell.
Although I have seen a few elsewhere, I've only seen three in East Sussex so far this year!

Trevor.

Thanks Trevor,
Quite a bonus having them on site at the holiday rental, esp as the weather was showery so I didn’t go on any long walks.
Rhona found double figures of small torts in a field so they seemed to be doing well.
Not many spbfs this year I wondered if they had peaked earlier due to the better weather in June.

[Pauline]

Bit late in the day for me to be commenting but I do like that image of the Common Blue Katrina. You certainly have the knack of getting the butterfly in its natural surroundings and creating an enviable composition without all the 'clutter' that is often apparent. Great shot.

[Katrina]

Thank you Pauline, I took plenty that weren’t in focus.

[Wurzel]

"the arete is more of a Ringless than Ringlet"...I'm nicking that

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Katrina]

This morning I got up early to go to Chantry Hill early but on my arrival there were cows standing right by the gate one very close and parallel so I decided to drive to Kithurst rather than trying to move the cows.
At Kithurst it was windy so a lot of photos are a bit soft focus but it was enjoyable none the less. The wildflowers were spectacular.
I found roosting Brown Argus and Chalkhill Blues. Soon Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers were flying and later Peacocks a Small Tortoiseshell, a Smessex skipper and a white.
I went on to Steyning where I saw Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Peacocks, Wall Browns about 5 some very fresh looking and a Holly Blue nectaring on marjoram. No BHs but I left just after 10 when the drizzle arrived so no surprise I did not see any. There is an electric fence from the end of the old enclosure along the side.

[trevor]

I must award you a for your final image of the Chalkhill on Scabious.
Really hits the spot for me. I've been to Steyning twice, no luck either.
I was hoping for a male BH on creeping thistle, as they are performing at Shipton Bellinger,
and Alners Gorse, but not at Steyning.

Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Love that second shot Katrina Guard Cows is a new one on me

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Katrina]

Thanks Trevor,
I was hoping for one like your Chalkhill open wing duo a spectacular shot.
I nearly didn’t post my second Chalkhill as a bit blurry . It was a case of the butterfly was still but the flower wasn’t!
Thanks Wurzel. I am a bit wimpy when it comes to cows. I am sure some others would have been over the gate but one was right by it paralle to it. You probably wouldn’t have been able to open it.
I have only seen cows there once before and they were deep in the valley.