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Post by htcdude on Jul 14, 2015 14:08:45 GMT
My first Green-veined White in a while. Several of them around today, plus a single Meadow Brown.
Nige
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Post by aeshna5 on Jul 14, 2015 16:33:33 GMT
Quite a few whites round here too. Have noticed quite an influx of Large Whites over the last week or so. Good to see so many (though I doubt Brassica growers share my enthusiasm!) + in the garden at the moment several smaller whites (looking from bedroom window I didn't ID them) despite the lack of sun.
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Post by shirl100 on Jul 16, 2015 15:48:08 GMT
My first Gatekeepers of the year today, pristine condition.
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Post by aeshna5 on Jul 16, 2015 17:09:46 GMT
Lots of Gatekeepers in my local country park this afternoon + had 5 in the garden.
Also in the country park were plenty of Meadow Browns, whites ( 2 Large Whites + most of the rest probably Small White, but mostly too mobile for definite ID), a couple of Small Tortoiseshells nectaring on Creeping Thistle + around some Buddlejas several Commas,2 Red Admirals + a Peacock. Also several Holly Blue.
BOTD is my first Essex Skipper giving good close views as it fed at the flowers of Great Willowherb.
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Post by petecollins on Jul 17, 2015 12:21:41 GMT
Several Ringlets at Monks Wood near Huntingdon last night. Also saw a Comma.
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Post by htcdude on Jul 17, 2015 12:54:15 GMT
Amongst the hundreds of Small Tortoiseshell from the other day a similarly coloured but larger individual stood out - a Painted Lady: Thanks, Nige painted lady by Wabi Gallery, on Flickr
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Post by aeshna5 on Jul 17, 2015 17:47:41 GMT
Walking through local meadows plenty of Meadow Browns + Gatekeepers. Went to see if I could see any White Admirals in Gutteridge Wood but at this point it was heavily overcast + blustery though very warm. No joy but did see Holly Blues + Commas amongst others.
Watching a party of Swallows over a meadow I noticed a butterfly above me in a low branch of an oak. I guessed what it was + it perched allowing me a reasonable view of a Purple Hairstreak. Returning back along the brook I suddenly became aware of a smallish butterfly sitting on top of a single Ragwort plant. Obviously not a Gatekeeper + realised it was a hairstreak. As I was beside oaks I expected it to be another Purple, but as I examined it carefully it was a White-letter Hairstreak with the white W + more extensive orange at the rear of the hind-wing. Nice to have this butterfly just a couple of inches away + not bothered by my presence instead of the usual fluttering in the elm tops.
A clear BOTD for me.There is elm within a 100 metres or so.
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Post by petecollins on Jul 18, 2015 12:27:33 GMT
This morning I went on a circular walk from Bison Hill at Whipsnade to Totternhoe and back, which took about 2 and 3/4 hours. I saw numerous butterflies, Meadow Browns were the most common, followed by Marbled White. I saw several Skippers and Ringlets, and there were a large number of Small Tortoiseshell at one point. I saw at least one Comma, and a nice Dark Green Fritillary at the foot of Dunstable Downs. But my BotD has to be my first Chalkhill Blue of the year, which I saw as I got back to Bison Hill. Chalkhill BlueDark Green Fritillary
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Post by lizb on Jul 18, 2015 16:57:37 GMT
Lots of butterflies on buddleia at Lopwell Dam near PLymouth. Saw at least 6 Silver washed Fritilleries. Also my first painted Ladies. And Red Admirals. And yet another Humming-bird Hawk moth. And some amorous damselflies. Also saw Ringlets and Meadow Browns nearby and quite a few other interesting things for me to puzzle over next week!
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Post by aeshna5 on Jul 18, 2015 18:30:57 GMT
I was leading a walk for 2 societies today at the local Ruislip Woods. Amazed to get 20 species of butterfly there today, though my personal tally was 18 as I missed the brief Painted Lady + Small Copper was seen by just one person,though can be plentiful in Poor's Field.
Good to see a few lingering Marbled Whites amongst the 5 brown species. We had about 4 Purple Hairstreaks plus a dead one on the ground so good to examine this closely, 2 White Admirals (scarce here this year), 2 Purple Emperors + my BOTD- a male Silver-washed Fritillary. This was my first here but small numbers do get recorded each year.
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Post by htcdude on Jul 19, 2015 20:55:13 GMT
Had my first Gatekeeper of the year in my garden this morning and then again in the afternoon Nige
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Post by htcdude on Jul 21, 2015 12:07:17 GMT
Good numbers of Gatekeeper on a walk before work this morning.
Also had several Meadow Brown, a Large White and a Ringlet.
Nige
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Post by aeshna5 on Jul 23, 2015 16:30:13 GMT
A mating pair of Holly Blues in the garden when I got home from work.
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Post by petecollins on Jul 25, 2015 17:15:21 GMT
I saw my first Silver-washed Fritillaries of the year today, three of them, all at Pulpit Hill in Bucks. I thought the first two sightings could possibly have been the same butterfly, but when I got home and looked at the photos the first was a female and the second was a male. The third was another male. Silver-washed Fritillary (f) Silver-washed Fritillary (m) Silver-washed Fritillary (m) There were lots of other butterflies about today as I walked about 12 miles in the Chilterns, south of of Wendover. I came across at least a dozen Chalkhill Blues at one point, there was a Comma where I saw the second Silver-washed Fritillary, a Green-veined White, Small Skippers, Small Tortoiseshell, possibly a Painted Lady, Large Whites, lots of Meadow Browns and a Marbled White.
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Post by aeshna5 on Jul 26, 2015 16:45:08 GMT
Just noticed I put my BOTD yesterday in the wrong section which was an unusual whitish form of Gatekeeper. Today before the rain started just before 9 I did see a few butterflies in the gloom- 3 Gatekeepers, a female Meadow Brown + my BOTD- 2 Green-veined Whites perched on flowers showing their intricate underwing pattern.
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