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Butterfly Blog

More Blues

24/7/2020

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The weather for Thursday's transect was warm with varying amounts of sun and cloud, and with a noticeable SW breeze. Overall, the count was quite similar to that of last week but with a few changes to the species recorded: Meadow Browns continue to head the list, we saw a higher number of Gatekeepers and Common Blues but fewer Marbled Whites and Small/Essex Skippers. Missing from this week's list were Dark Green Fritillaries, Purple Hairstreaks, Small Blues, Clouded Yellows, Small Tortoiseshells and Commas but we gained a second-brood Dingy Skipper and a Green-veined White.
108 Meadow Brown
  77 Gatekeeper
  35 Common Blue
  27 Marbled White
  10 Small White
    9 Chalkhill Blue
    7 Small/Essex Skipper
   (incl. 1 confirmed as a Small Skipper)
    5 
Ringlet
    5 Brimstone
    3 Brown Argus
    3 Small Heath
    2 Speckled Wood
    2 Small Copper
    2 Silver-washed Fritillary
    2 Peacock
    2 Holly Blue
    2 Large White
    1 Dingy Skipper
    1 
Red Admiral
    1 Green-veined White
 
Click on butterfly names for more info.
Total number counted: 304 across 20 species.
Picture
Green-veined White, Fames Rough
Picture
Male Common Blue, Hither Field
Survey by Graham H, Graham K and Brian Gardner
​submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS). 
​Report by Brian G.
​Pics by Graham K.
 
​Click on pics to enlarge.
Female Common Blue underside, Fames Rough
Female Common Blue, Fames Rough
Mint Moth, Fames Rough
Silver-washed Fritillary, Fames Rough
Speckled Wood, Barn Field
Worn male Common Blue, Fames Rough
Worn Gatekeeper, Fames Rough
Worn Ringlet, Barn Field
Picture
Worn Meadow Brown, Fames Rough
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First Small Blue

18/7/2020

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We thought that our Week 15 species count was a special one, but yesterday's topped it by three with a massive total of 22 species. The species count was boosted by finding a single Small Blue (our first one of the year) on the scattered Kidney Vetch in Hither Field,  two Clouded Yellows (our first sightings for two years), three newly emerged Chalkhill Blues and two second-brood Holly Blues. We saw a higher number of Gatekeepers but the Ringlet numbers have plummeted in only four days since our last transect.  
Here you can find the butterfly count spreadsheet detailing the season so far, along with the details of previous years' figures.
Today's very favourable weather brought out a total of  293 butterflies:
103 
Meadow Brown
  43 Gatekeeper
  36 Marbled White
  32 Small/Essex Skipper
  14 
Small White
  13 Common Blue
  10 Brimstone
    7 Ringlet 
    6 
Large White
    4 Peacock
    3 Red Admiral
    3 Chalkhill Blue
    3 
Comma
    3 Dark Green Fritillary
    3 Purple Hairstreak
    2 Clouded Yellow
    2 Holly Blue
    2 
Small Copper
    1 Large Skipper
    1 Small Blue
    1 Small Tortoiseshell
    1 
Silver-washed Fritillary
Picture
Small Blue, Hither Field
Picture
Butterfly moon: the rear end of a Silver-washed Fritillary
Survey by Graham H, Graham K, Brian Gardner and Roger Vye
​submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS). 
​Report by Brian G.
​Pics by Graham K.
 
​Click on pics to enlarge.
Picture
Common Blue?
Picture
Gatekeeper, Fames Rough
Picture
Silver-washed Fritillary on Blackberry, Fames Rough
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New sightings this week

14/7/2020

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Monday's midday walk around was in warm and partly sunny weather. We got off to an immediate good start on Section 1, Hither Field (where sightings are usually scarce). We counted butterflies from ten species including three Small Coppers, two Dark Green Fritillaries, and one Red Admiral. Although this week's total count of 232 was much reduced from last week's, it was the Meadow Browns and Marbled Whites that were the most common sightings across all sections but Ringlet numbers have crashed  to only 14. We recorded our first-of-the-season sightings of a Silver-washed Fritillary, Gatekeepers, Brown Argus(es) and Purple Hairstreaks plus second brood Common Blues. So, despite total numbers being reduced, we gained by counting butterflies from an impressive 19 species.
Count details:
87 
Meadow Brown
40 Marbled White
16 Small/Essex Skipper
14 
Ringlet
14 Small White
10 Large White
  9 Brimstone
  7 Small Copper
  7 Gatekeeper
  6 
Dark Green Fritillary
  5 Common Blue
  4 
Comma
  3 Purple Hairstreak
  3 Brown Argus
  3 
Red Admiral
  1 Peacock
  1 Small Heath
  1 Large Skipper
  1 Silver-washed Fritillary
Click on butterfly names for more info.
Picture
Purple Hairstreak, Hill Wood Field - GK
Picture
Silver-washed Fritillary, Fames Rough - GK
Survey by Graham H, Graham K, Brian Gardner and Roger Vye
​submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS). 
​Report by Brian G.
​Pics  by Brian G & Graham K.

Click on pics to enlarge.
Brimstone, Fames Rough - GK
Gatekeeper, Harholt - GK
Brown Argus, Fames Rough - GK
Female Common Blue, Fames Rough - BG
Marbled White Fames Rough - BG
Peacock, Fames Rough - BG
Ringlet, Harholt - BG
Small Copper, Hill Wood Field - GK
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Red Admirals sail in

4/7/2020

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Because of the changeable and largely unfavourable week's weather we held out for Friday being the best day for our transect, and in doing so we inadvertently skipped week 13 as we passed the Wednesday to Wednesday transect-calendar week. 
 
Our walk-around started in the face of strong gusty wind, cloudy sky and barely suitable temperatures but it obviously didn't deter our butterflies because in Section 1 (where sightings are usually sparse) we counted five Marbled Whites and ten Meadow Browns. We went on to have a very successful transect seeing butterflies from 15 different species, including five Red Admirals and our first Silver-washed Fritillaries of this season. As in previous weeks, we saw no Blues (Small, Common or otherwise) on our walk but maybe we'll see a second brood from the Common Blues and, of course, we're only two or three weeks from the start of the Chalkhill Blues' flight season.
Count details:
146 
Marbled White
102 Ringlet
  99 Meadow Brown
  24 Small/Essex Skipper
    5 Red Admiral
    4 
Comma
   4 Dark Green Fritillary
   4 Large Skipper
   2 Silver-washed Fritillary
   2 
Small Copper
   2 Small White
   1 Speckled Wood
   1 Small Heath
   1 Brimstone
   1 Peacock
 
Total: 398 Butterflies from 15 species.

Click on butterfly names for more info.
Picture
New bloom: Marjoram, Hill Wood Field
Survey by Graham H, Graham K, Brian Gardner and Roger Vye
​submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS). 
​Report by Brian G.
​Pics  by Brian G & Graham K.

Click on pics to enlarge.
Red Admiral underside, Harholt - Brian G
Red Admiral upperside, Harholt - Graham K
Comma, Harholt Plantation - Graham K
Marbled White on Field Scabious, Fames Rough - Graham K
Ringlet on Bramble blossom - Brian G
Dark Green Fritillary, Fames Rough - Graham K
Small/Essex Skipper, Coneyboro Hill - Graham K
Large Skipper, Fames Rough - Brian G

Bonus creatures

Picture
Common Darter, Fames Rough
Picture
Grasshopper, Fames Rough
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Busiest count so far

24/6/2020

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With a total of 517 butterflies counted acoss 12 species, Tuesday's Transect No. 11 was our busiest count this year, but we've certainly got a long way to go before we match our record of 1,207 butterflies for week 14 of 2019. Tuesday's perfect conditions yielded a much higher number than last week's of Marbled Whites (216) and Meadow Browns (169). The Dark Green Fritillaries are most commonly seen in Fames Rough but for this transect they were also spotted on Coneyboro Hill, Hill Wood Field and Great Parson's Field. Similarly, the Small/Essex Skippers were also more widely spread than on previous weeks. No Blues were found. 
Report from Brian G.
Here's this week's count:
216 
Marbled White
169 Meadow Brown
  58 Small/Essex Skipper
  25 
Ringlet
  25 Small Heath
    9 Dark Green Fritillary
    5 Speckled Wood
    3 Small Tortoiseshell
    3 Large White
    2 Large Skipper
    1 Brimstone
    1 Small White
Click on butterfly names for more info.
Picture
Fames Roughnecks: Brian G, Roger V & Graham H
Survey by Graham H, Graham K, Brian Gardner and Roger Vye
​submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS). 
​Pics  by Graham K.
Click on pics to enlarge.
Dark Green Fritillary, Fames Rough
Large Skipper, Coneyboro Hill
Marbled White, Fames Rough
Small Tortoiseshell, Coneyboro Hill
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A White Admiral visits

16/6/2020

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The weather for this week’s butterfly count was a repeat of last week’s. After a fine start, it clouded over by the time we started Section 4 (the second part of Fames Rough).  
Despite the encroachment of thorny scrub (previously reported),  Fames Rough remains the high point of every week’s transect – it rarely disappoints. It was where we saw most of this week’s butterflies, notably Meadow Browns (57) and Marbled Whites (32) and when we stepped off the transect route into the shade for a tea-break we were visited by a White Admiral – the first we’ve seen in four years of counting for the BCT (and certainly the first I’ve seen). It glided in and settled in a sunny spot on the ground, posing while we took our photos, took off, circled a few times and then returned for more sunbathing before its final departure.
We checked for the Small Blues but they were once again absent, as were their Common cousins. 
Report from Brian G.
Here's this week's count:
57 Meadow Brown
32 Marbled White
  9 Small Heath
  7 Small/Essex Skipper 
  5 Large Skipper 
  4 Dark Green Fritillary
  3 Ringlet
  3 Small Tortoiseshell
  2 Brimstone
  1 Small Copper
  1 Small White
  1 Large White
  1 Comma
 
Total: 126 from 13 species.
Click on butterfly names for more info.
​

Survey by Graham H, Graham K, Brian Gardner and Roger Vye
​submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS). 
​Pics  by Graham K.
Click on pics to enlarge.
Dark Green Fritillaries mating, Coneyboro Hill
Ringlet, Fames Rough
White Admiral near Fames Rough.
White Admiral underside
Large Skipper, Fames Rough
Small/Essex Skipper, Stagbury Field
Picture
Transectuals finding the path near Harholt.
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Missing the Blues

10/6/2020

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Picture
This week's transectuals in Fames Rough, l-r: Graham Kenward, Roger Vye, Brian Gardner, Graham Harris.
Report from Brian G.
​
Yesterday morning four of us (shown above), walked this week's transect. Although we got off to a warm and sunny start, the weather soon deteriorated to cool and cloudy conditions. We saw 90% of the butterflies while the favourable conditions lasted (while we were walking the first four sections). Meadow Browns were the only species that were out in any number, we counted 35 (three more than last week), but also saw two Marbled Whites (the first of this season). The Large Skippers are still hanging on. And, despite Bill Downey's success in finding his lone Small Blue at the Lagoon over the weekend, we didn't manage to find one, although we had a thorough look at the KV patches. In fact, we didn't even see a Common Blue, which in previous years have been plentiful about this time. All in all it was a poor week: we saw fewer butterlies from fewer species than last week when we saw 88 butterflies from 11 species. 

This week's count:
35 Meadow Brown
  9 Large Skipper
  7 Small Heath
  4 Dark Green Fritillary
  4 Small Tortoiseshell
  2 Marbled White
  1 
Brimstone
  1 Green Hairstreak
  1 Small Copper
 
Total number of butterflies: 62 from 9 species.

Click on butterfly names for more info.
​

Survey by Graham H, Graham K, Brian Gardner and Roger Vye
​submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS). 
​Pics  by Graham K.
Click on pics to enlarge.
Green Hairstreak, Fames Rough
Dark Green Fritillary, Coneyboro Hill
Mother Shipton Moth, Fames Rough
Mother Shipton Moth underside, Fames Rough
Large Skipper on Birds-foot Trefoil, Fames Rough
Small Copper, Fames Rough
Pyramidal Orchid, Hill Wood Field
Small Tortoiseshell, Fames Rough
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A thorny problem

3/6/2020

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Report from Brian G.
​
GH and I walked our transect on Tuesday morning as the weeks of fine warm weather were forecast to break the following day. Conditions for the walk were ideal but we didn't see the higher numbers of butterflies that we were hoping for (details below). This may be down to the 'June Lull'.
 
Bill Downey of BCT was specifically keen for any reports of Small Blues that he hoped would be enjoying our flowering Kidney Vetch, but I'm sorry to say that, despite giving the plants an especially long look-over, no Small Blues were seen. This is a disappointment, as over the recent seasons we've spotted them in ones or twos and were therefore expecting that, as the Kidney Vetch became more established, so would the Small Blues. These butterflies are most active from the end of May to the end of June so there's still plenty of time for them to put in an appearance – here's hoping.
 
It was pleasing to have a pair of Dark Green Fritillaries flitting up and down the length of Fames Rough (Section 3 and 4) as we were walking through. This was also where we saw the Green Hairstreaks and most of the Large Skippers. Fames Rough is where in previous years we have seen the most species in the greatest numbers. However, the area of flower meadow on which the butterflies depend is steadily being reduced by of the encroachment of hawthorn and other scrub and this might adversely affect the butterfly populations there. The hawthorn also makes it increasingly difficult to walk the route set by BCT, so we may have to consider a route change within a couple of years.


​Survey by  Graham H and Brian G,
​submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS). 
​Pics by Brian G.
We recorded:
32 
Meadow Brown
18 Small Heath
13 Large Skipper
  6 Dingy Skipper
  5 Green Hairstreak
  4 Common Blue
  3 Large White
  3 Brimstone
  2 Dark Green Fritillary
  1 Comma
  1 
Speckled Wood
 
So that's 88 Butterflies across 11 species.

Click on butterfly names for more info.
Picture
Bee Orchid, Coneyboro Hill
Picture
Chicken of the Woods fungus, Coneyboro Hill
Picture
Once was a flower meadow. Hawthorn is an increasing problem in Fames Rough.
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June drop comes early

28/5/2020

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Once again observing the required social-distancing (Treacle tried her best), Graham K and Graham H walked our transect route in yesterday's fine and calm weather, although it became cloudy before we were halfway round. There were more people about in the woods and fields but overall butterfly numbers were down compared to last week, which may be a sign of the usual June drop coming a little early. 

Total: 52 Butterflies across 13 species.
Click on butterfly names for more info.
The count was as follows:
12 
Dingy Skipper
11 Common Blue
  8 Green Hairstreak
  7 Small Heath
  3 Large Skipper
  2 Brimstone
  2 Grizzled Skipper
  2 Peacock
  1 Dark Green Fritillary
  1 Large White
  1 Speckled Wood
  1 Small Copper
  1 Meadow Brown
Survey by  Graham H and Graham K,
​submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS). 
​Pics (this year's) by Graham K.
Picture
Socially distant Treacle in Hither Field, Section 1 of the transect.
Large Skipper, Fames Rough
Dark Green Fritillary, Fames Rough
Peacock, Fames Rough
Dingy Skipper, Fames Rough
Grizzled Skipper, Fames Rough
Bee Orchid, Coneyboro Hill
Common Broomrape, Barn Field
Meadowsweet (Filipendula), Parson's Great Field
Picture
Greater Yellow Rattle, Hill Wood Field
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First transect of 2020

21/5/2020

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Because of the shutdown, the start of the transect season was delayed until week 7. While observing the required social-distancing, Graham (H) and Brian G walked our route in yesterday's fine warm and calm conditions and counted as follows:

42
Dingy Skipper
21 Brimstone
13 Common Blue
  7 Green Hairstreak
  7 Small Heath 
  2
Peacock
  1 Green-veined White
  1 Grizzled Skipper

So that's 94 Butterflies across 8 species.
Click on butterfly names for more info. 
​

In 2019 the week 7 count was 131 butterflies from 11 species  and for 2018 it was 75 from 10 species.

Survey by Brian G and Graham H,

​submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS). 
Info by Brian G.
​Last year's pics from Graham K et al.
Picture
Peacock, Coneyboro Hill
Picture
Green-veined White, Brian Gardner
Hover over pics for captions.
​Click on pics to enlarge.
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  • Home
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    • The area we cover
  • Covid-19 Guidance
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  • Our Butterflies
    • Butterfly Blog
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  • CONTACT/MORE INFO
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