Another hot one

Transect 19 was our second hot Friday survey in succession: the temperature was a couple of degrees short of last week's high but this week it was more humid and oppressive. However, the butterflies didn't seem to mind. We spoke with an elderly gent (of about our age) in Section 1 (Hither Field) who was admiring the wild flowers and added that it was a pity there were so few butterflies around – strange, as we were standing in a swarm of Meadow Browns at that time. 
 
In fact, the Meadow Browns were out in the highest number that we've recorded so far this year, whereas the Common Blue and Gatekeeper numbers had dropped back a few points from last week's count. All of our previous sightings of Clouded Yellows have been in Fames Rough (Sections 3 and 4) until this week's transect when, just for change, we saw one in Section 11 (Stagbury Field).

  202 Meadow Brown
    89 Common Blue
    44 Gatekeeper
    15 Chalkhill Blue
      8 Small Heath
      6 Small White
      4 Brimstone
      3 Speckled Wood
      2 Small Copper
      1 Clouded Yellow
      1 Silver-washed Fritillary
 
 Click on butterfly names for more info.

Our total count was 375 butterflies (59 more than last week) from 11 species, two fewer than last week.

Survey by Graham H, Brian Gardner and Graham K ​submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS). 
​Report by Brian G. Pics by Graham K. 
​Click on pics to enlarge.

Common Blues on Marjoram, Hill Wood Field

Faded Common Blue, Fames Rough

Blurred Clouded Yellow, Stagbury

Bonus creatures

Fox at the edge of Barn Field

Burnet Moth on Scabious, Fames Rough