Bugboys mission

[bugboy]

Well I'm getting near the end of my photographic list of species I have pictures off. Tonight is a couple of pics of a Clouded yellow I managed to get in Epping Forest. As is usual with them he took me on a merry dance as I tried to get close enough to get him in frame long enough to focus. Not brilliant but it's another tick on that list. Hopefully another warm summer will bring some more this year.

[Wurzel]

Great shots Bugboy Hopefully they'll be some Cloudies around this summer - we do seem to be getting them in higher numbers recently

Have a goodun
Wurzel

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel, yes fingers crossed

[bugboy]

Some Painted Ladies tonight:

one from nearly 20 years ago!

Mill Hill, North London, July '96 (slide scan)

and 3 of the same animal, flash and no flash.

Hampstead Heath, 8/8/07

Hampstead Heath, 8/8/07

Hampstead Heath, 8/8/07

[Goldie M]

Nice shots Bugboy roll on Spring Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cracking Painted Lady Bugboy I struggled with PLs this year with only a few sightings and a couple of shots Still hopefully next year will be a good one

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Thanks again Wurzel.

Here's a couple of Large Whites:

[Wurzel]

I struggled with Large Whites this year as they were very thin on the ground Nice shots Bugboy - I'll try and get round to getting you that info some time this wek, I haven't forgotten

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

I've always struggled with Large and Small Whites but it's entirely my fault and my hatered of getting up early enough to get them before they start their daily patrolling! Must try harder this year!

[bugboy]

A little twitching visit to Hampstead Heath today, loads of Tit flocks with good sprinkling of Nuthatch and Treecreepers and a pair of courting Coal Tits. Goldcrest obviously had a good 2014 and was close enough to sex a pair without the aid of binoculars! Also a very nice flock of Redwings let me get close, at least 100 of them and a total of 35 species in all.

Anyway, butterflies, Small Whites:

[bugboy]

Tonight is my favourite harbringer of spring, the Orange Tip. I only have slide scans, having been extremely and embarrassingly slack in getting pics since going digital.

25/4/02 Finchley, North London.

25/4/02 Finchley, North London.

May 2004, Finchley, North London.

As you can see I quite liked using flash back then!

Well anyway, for those that are still following my diary that, in 5 pages, is all the species I have photographed in the UK so far. I have caught glimpses of a couple of others, a purple Emperor whizzing over my head last year on Box Hill and Walls were pretty common where I grew up but haven't seen one of those for years, that will change this year

Still awaiting my first lepidopteran encounter for 2015 but that is hopefully only a few weeks away and this year will most definately be a butterfly year for me after dusting of my camera last summer and remembering what I've been missing!

[Wurzel]

I've had sightings around the 16th Feb for the last three years now so hopefully the your/our first sigthing won't be far away now

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Well today did seem very springlike in my neck of the woods, still no butterfly sightings but I suspect if this weather stays there may well be a flurry of activity very soon, fingers crossed .

Had a very good day out birdwatching on Satuday, total of 55 species on my local patch (equalling my personal record) and my first wild male Goldeneye who looked stunning swimming on a local resevoir.

So to eek out my catalogue of pictures until I start getting new ones here's some early stages I've managed to get over the years.

Silver Spotted Skipper, Box Hill, 20/8/14

Holly Blue eggs, Dollis Valley walk, 8/04

Common Blue female and freshly laid egg, Dollis Valley walk, 10'6'07

Small White egg, Walthamstow Marshes, 27/7/14

Comma Egg, Lea valley Park, 23/7/14

Comma Larvae, Burford meadow - Box Hill, 22/7/14

I vaguely remember this one looking a bit odd and since I recorded it as being seen in October I suspect it could have been dead/parasitized.

Comma Pupae, Dollis Valley walk, 10/01.

Speckled Wood eggs, Walthamstow Marshes, 19/9/14

Small Tortoiseshell Larvae, Finchley, 7/03

[Nick Broomer]

Hi Buggy,

Nice photos, especially the Speckled Wood ovum.

All the best, Nick.

[David M]

Yes, lovely images, Bugboy. Nice to see something different.

[bugboy]

Thanks guys still not a patch on your early stage pics though Nick!

[Wurzel]

Interesting images Buggy I'll have to try and get my eyes in for the early stages this year - I find that I ither over or under estimate their size

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel, I got the Comma and Speckled pics because I saw the female laying them.

[bugboy]

A couple of grey cold days in London so not much chance of any butterlfy activity at the moment.

I am slowly getting some of my favourite slides from back in the day digitised, with mixed results but here's a couple that came back looking good, Both taken in 2004 along the Dollis Valley walk in North London:

An Orange Tip egg

And a young larvae, 1st instar (thanks Nick for confirming age)

[Nick Broomer]

Hi Buggy,

your Orange-tip larva is a 1st instar.

All the best Nick.