Local year firsts of large skippers (18) and meadow brown (3). Best were a rather faded Painted Lady on Gird Lane and a Common Blue which is a real scarcity up here (prob about my 4th in more than 25 years).
I think I saw the same Wall Brown as Mark, along the footpath opposite Smithy Lane Farm. Also a Small Copper here. Elsewhere Speckled Wood, Green-veined White and Orange Tip.
Similar butterfly species seen as Andy, only had one Wall Brown down Smithy Lane and Small Heath seen in the adjacent field. No Lizard for me though, must keep my eyes open.
A very decent morning with 10 species of butterfly, a couple of macro moths, and first ever common lizard up here. Butterfly highlights were first small copper (2) and small heath of the year, and the best Spring showing of Wall Brown for longer than I can remember. Definitely 4, (2 x 2 seen at different spots), and perhaps up to 7. Moths included single Mother Shipton.
1 Wall Brown was a surprise find on the bank opposite Hillside Farm. Andy's record from the quarry on 19th is about 300 metres away so this is probably a second individual, which might suggest a small colony of an insect now thinly scattered in the north west.
The unexplained decline of Wall Brown is illustrated by a quote from the Butterfly Conservation newsletter "Wall Brown was the 6th most widely recorded butterfly in 1985 [in Cheshire] but by 2014 had fallen to 25th position. Amazingly in 1985 it was recorded in more tetrads than Meadow Brown".
Other butterflies were singles of Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Green-veined White and Speckled Wood.
Surprised to add to my 2015 butterfly list today with a Wall seen in the quarry area. Also red admiral , green-veined white, small white, speckled wood, 4 small totoiseshells and (almost an apparition) 3 peacocks together (Gird Lane). For the moths, one silver 'Y' and a large yellow-underwing. Two southern hawker males at pond. One rested on dry land, and I got so close (lying on my stomach) that my binoculars wouldn't focus down (and they do to 0.6 meters). Hopefully some good photos came of it. Singles of common blue and emerald damsels might be the last this year (sadly).
-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Saturday 19th of September 2015 09:04:04 PM
7 Gatekeepers. Fairly tatty now. 2 Small Tortoiseshells. Fresh and pristine. 2 Green-veined Whites
A pair of Common Hawkers, with male clasping female, repeatedly flew up to about 20 metres. Each time the female attempted to complete the coupling they tumbled spectacularly like a rapidly spinning pinwheel almost to the ground before gaining height again.
Green-veined White 36 Large White 1 Gatekeeper 11 Meadow Brown 14 Small Copper 1 Small Tortoiseshell 7 Small Heath 3 Small Skipper 3 Painted Lady 1 Speckled Wood 1
Common Hawker 11 Emerald Damselfly - many Black Darter c20 Common Blue Damselfly c15
Emperor dragonfly Common Hawker (pond above quarry) Black darter (one teneral) Common Darter Brown Hawker Emerald damselfly (15+) all at pond above quarry. Common blue damselfly
Small copper only butterfly not previously seen (since first brood)
An emergence of Gatekeepers since my last visit plus 2 Small Skippers.
Also Green-veined Whites, Meadow Browns, Small Tortoiseshells and a single Small Heath. Emerald Damselflies seem to be doing well with some paired in tandem.
Cheers John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Thursday 31st of July 2014 08:19:40 AM
Ten species of butterfly today including brimstone (a first for the Ludworth sites) and a Wall Brown, still hanging on at about one sighting per year in the last 4 years.
Excellent yesterday, especially around Brown Low, with the years first small heaths, and my first small copper and holly blue up here. Also still the same green hairstreak (on the same bramble patch). A Mother Shipton moth was a first for here, and a cinnabar plus three common heaths also seen. Perhaps pipping them all were at least 4 broad-bodied chasers, all spanking new copies!! Also found small heaths in the quarry area with another Mother Shipton in the SBI area. Some places up here continue to hang onto their semi-wilderness despite the best efforts of landowners. Orange tips and green-veined whites everywhere.
2 Green hairstreaks the pick of things. 1 near Brown Low (not really accessible), but one up the path east of Larkhill as well (just over half way up where the bilberry is very evident). Also lead belle moth near quarry was a first for me (at least locally, I think). Disturbed a sleeping fox also in the Brown Low area.
-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Friday 16th of May 2014 08:44:59 PM
Late sightings for last Saturday, 27th July included a 4-spotted chaser on the pond (only 2nd or 3rd ever here), as well as 3 teneral black darters, and a brown hawker on the lane nearby. Butterflies included 3 small heaths and a red admiral ('rare' this year).