Norfolk Butterflies and Moths (3 Viewers)

[HarassedDad]

I'm etting some remarkable late records for Essex skipper. gatekeeper and meadow brown. There ought to be a reasonable chance of a second brood of white admirals later in the month - holkham I'd suspect would be the best chance for them. Several newly emerged commas today, and some high counts of red admirals reported yesterday, suggest emergence continues at the moment.

 

[ben_lewis]

No hint of a second brood of Swallowtails this year, I assume it is too late now anyway.
I believe I am right in thinking this means there should be a good first brood next year which would be good.

 

[Paul Eele]

I have just heard that there were willow emeralds ovipositing at Titchwell on September 8th through a link from the UK Dragonflies website. There are no location details, anyone out there heard about them?

Paul

 

[HarassedDad]

I suspect Titchwell was a typo for Strumshaw.

The concept of first and second broods for Swallowtails is a casualty of climate change. What we tend to see nowadays is that the offspring of early emerging May swallowtails overlap with late emerging first brood, so that we have a near continual flight. Here's a chart of sightings plotted against days for the period 1990-2010. You can see how the gap tends to disappear. (You'll also notice how poor our records were in the 90's!)

 

[firstreesjohn]

Admiral Admiral Admiral Admiral , , ,

The photo depicts the highlight of my tour to Wells Woods, today.

Many Speckled Woods remain, with Red Admirals dotted around.

 

[NoSpringChicken]

The photo depicts the highlight of my tour to Wells Woods, today.

Many Speckled Woods remain, with Red Admirals dotted around.

No mention of the Commas in the shot? What have they done wrong?

Ron

 

[Tideliner]

Two very late sightings reported from Swanton Novers today. A very worn silver washed fritillary ( a photo supplied ) and a purple hairstreak.

Last week gatekeeper and Essex skipper still flying.

 

[HarassedDad]

I'll try again: not sure why it didn't upload yesterday.

 

[firstreesjohn]

Andy: it looks like your image size is too small. (I do not write as an expert.) It’s either that, or your thumb is microscopic.

Try converting your original to a PDF. I use http://www.cutepdf.com/Products/CutePDF/writer.asp, which is simple to use (important for me) and quick, once installed.

 

[ben_lewis]

Interesting graph, it does show how variable the 'broods' can be from year to year, the end of season changes are the most pronounced and the early 90's as you say was pretty pants for records!

 

[Lightthiscandle]

First of a few?

A Clouded Yellow flew through the Kelling Heath campsite at 1.30 while I was selling meteorites! (So no camera!) Excellent views, though!

 

[HarassedDad]

The image was grabbed from the production files of the new atlas. Unfortunately the master image is sitting on the external drive the cat sat on, and won't be available till I've rebuilt it from backup disks. (Why are cats so attracted to computers?) So that's the size I have at the moment I'm afraid.

 

[Penny Clarke]

Saturday 16th September

Tons of butterflies at Walsey Hills NOA, the most I have seen on one day this year so far! Mostly Red Admirals, approximately 30+, 1 Tortoiseshell, 2 Commas, 3 Peacocks, 3 Small Coppers, 2 Common Blues and loads of bees and hoverflies buzzing around the Ivy at the end of the bottom path.

Full update on blog.

Penny:girl:

 

[firstreesjohn]

The westernmost track at Warham Greens held around 40 RAdmirals, 10 Commas and a Small Tort. These are all becoming less active and are sunning themselves on the ivy or path as the sun weakens, even though most of them seem to have recently emerged.

The Comma below is starting to show a little wear.

The female Migrant Hawker announced her presence by rustling her wings against the stems and I was able to get off a few shots, before she wizzed away.

 

[MICK SAUNT]

Clouded Yellow scooted south along the seaward side of dunes at Winterton early afternoon but didn't linger.

Mick

 

[HarassedDad]

Two late reports have arrived that might be of interest. A Large Tortoiseshell from Pigney's Wood on the 6th, and a Long-tailed Blue successfully reared from a caterpillar found in a bag of sugar-snap peas bought at Tesco (marked product of Mozambique). Amazing what you can get at supermarkets these days.

 

[Paul Woolnough]

Two commas make a full stop?

Both on the same bramble near the telephone wires along the top path at Whitlingham today.

 

[peter hill]

Still plentey of butterflys at walsey on saturday loads of red admirals 1 comma and 1painted lady my 2nd of the year ,feediong on the ivy

 

[ben_lewis]

This beauty was on the floor near the railway crossing at Strumpshaw yesterday. My first convolvulus hm at Strumpshaw, a welcome reserve tick and quite a surprise to find by my foot while waiting for tools!

 

[Tideliner]

Ben there may have been a small influx. I saw one close to Swanton Novers last week and a mate saw a very large grey hawk moth buzzing around his car headlights , so big it could have only been a privet or convolvulus and its the wrong time of year for privet. I suspect there may be more of them about than we realise at this time of year. There is a guy who planted tobacco plants in his garden ( convolvulus love the flowers ) and gets them every year. He got his son who lived in Scotland to do the same and the first autumn the plants came into flower he too had convolvulus comming into them.