Country Park Butterflies

Gatekeeper, Pyronia tithonus.  Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018.

Crowborough Country Park is a small but scenic area managed by our local ranger.  It was a clay quarry as recently as 1980, and has since been improved as an amenity and nature reserve.  I walked round today and saw many butterflies.  We have had two weeks of hot dry weather, and yesterday a thunderstorm gave everything a thorough wetting.  The sun's back today and the butterflies love it.

The top photo is the first Gatekeeper I have seen this year.  It was in a pleasant glade.

Holly Blue, Celastrina argiolus. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018.

On the way up to the glade I saw this Holly Blue on the path.  I had to follow it round to get this photo.  That is true of almost all my butterfly photos and all the day-flying moth shots, too.

Speckled Wood, Pararge aegeria. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018.

The glade was being shared by Meadow Browns, Ringlets, Speckled Woods like this one, Gatekeepers like the one at the top, some white butterflies - some definitely Large Whites, some might have been Small Whites but they didn't stop near enough for me to tell.  And this big orange beauty feeding on a Marsh Thistle:

Silver-washed Fritillary, Argynnis paphia.  Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018.

A male Silver-washed Fritillary.  It was keeping high and I could not get really close, but this photo shows it nicely.  These Fritillaries are not really rare, their population is fairly stable, but they are still marked as of some concern, so it's good to see them. 

Also in the glade was a small moth, a Straw Grass-veneer:

Straw Grass-veneer, Agriphila straminella.  Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018.

Properly called Agriphila straminella.  This and other similar moths do not fly by day by choice, but they are very easily disturbed and they fly around to look for another resting-place.

On my way out I passed one of the park's ponds and photographed this Large Red Damselfly:

Large Red Damselfly, Pyrrhosoma nymphula.  Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018.

There were no dragonflies there at that time, but I had seen one earlier and I was told there were nymphs in the pond, so I'll probably see more later.

Filming at Downe Bank

Irene Palmer and Tony Robinson being filmed on Downe Bank.  6 July 2016.

Back in July I watched Irene Palmer and Tony Robinson being filmed for a section of his "Britain's Ancient Tracks with Tony Robinson" series.  Now it has been broadcast, my photos are out of embargo.

Irene, our local orchid expert and also currently chair of the Orpington Field Club, was showing how Darwin investigated the way orchids are pollinated, and she was able to collect pollinia from a Common Spotted Orchid  using a pencil as Darwin did.  From this distance all you can see is the pencil, and in the film itself the little pollen packet was only just visible.

All the photos I took during the actual filming were taken from a distance – I was warned away so that my camera clicks didn't spoil the sound track.  Absolutely all of my photos suffered from the high contrast caused by the brilliant sunshine.  Look at the cameraman's arm in that first photo.  The sequence was filmed in the shade to avoid this contrast problem, and so that the participants wouldn't squint all the time.

Irene Palmer and Tony Robinson being filmed on Downe Bank.  6 July 2016.

I also took a few shots at the top of the bank before the filming, and there I was able to use Photoshop to tone down a lot of the contrast.  Raw photos taken on a good camera allow a lot of latitude for adjustments.

Irene Palmer and Tony Robinson before filming on Downe Bank.  6 July 2016.

Here, Tony Robinson is apparently sorting out some sun-block.

But during the filming I also spent some time looking for butterflies on orchids.  I saw a lot of Marbled Whites on Pyramidal Orchids, which will have disappointed them as those orchids have no nectar.

Marbled White, Melanargia galathea, on Pyramidal Orchid, Anacamptis pyramidalis.  6 July 2016.

This butterfly, with a golden band along the leading edge of its wings, is a female.

Marbled White, Melanargia galathea, on Pyramidal Orchid, Anacamptis pyramidalis.  6 July 2016.

This one, browner and without the golden band, is a male.

I also spotted this pretty little Small Skipper on a Bird's-foot Trefoil. Much more rewarding!

Small Skipper, Thymelicus sylvestris, on Common Bird's-foot Trefoil, Lotus corniculatus.  6 July 2016.

That was the second time I have watched Irene being filmed explaining about orchids on Downe Bank.  The last time it was about the pollination of Fly Orchids, and as an assistant I got a whole 3 seconds of screen time (non-speaking) on The One Show!  So I'm a star.  But not as much of one as these butterflies.

Lullingstone Butterflies

Small Skipper, Thymelicus sylvestris.  Lullingstone Country Park, 4 July 2016.

A few butterflies that I saw in Lullingstone Country Park, all on differently coloured flowers.  It was a sunny morning and I saw dozens flying around the meadows. 

The Small Skipper above is a male.  The diagonal mark on the wing is known as the sex brand, and it's the origin of its pheromones. 

Common Blue, Polyommatus icarus.  Lullingstone Country Park, 4 July 2016.

This Common Blue, conversely, is a female.  Female Common Blues are often brownish, sometimes nearly all brown except for a blue tinge to the body hairs.  The males are always a bright blue, so at least the name is partly right - unlike the Small Blue butterfly, in which both sexes are always completely brown.

Small Tortoiseshell, Aglais urticae.  Lullingstone Country Park, 4 July 2016.

I only saw this one Small Tortoiseshell, feeding on a Field Scabious.  It was the most colourful butterfly of the day.

Marbled White, Melanargia galathea.   Lullingstone Country Park, 4 July 2016.

On one of the meadows, these Marbled Whites were everywhere.   I also saw Meadow Browns and Ringlets, but didn't get any photos; and I saw a few Fritillaries.  Lullingstone is known to have Dark Green Fritillaries, but I could not get close enough to tell the species, and they never seemed to come to rest, even though I blundered around the grassland for 15 minutes following them.  I finally took this blurry shot below, which is enough to show that my object was a Fritillary, but not which species.  This is just a slice of the photo.

Grassland with flying Fritillary.  Lullingstone Country Park, 4 July 2016

Hutchinson's Bank

Wild Strawberry, Fragaria vesca.  Hutchinson's Bank, 24 May 2016.

As you walk onto Hutchinson's Bank from a convenient parking spot, the sides of the path are lined with wild strawberries.  These should be fruitful later on.  The fruits are small, but tasty.  However, I am wary of eating fruits which are positioned where dogs can be walked.

Beefly, Bombylius major.   Hutchinson's Bank, 24 May 2016.

In the chalk cutting, there is what looks like a discarded piece of concrete, though it might have some purpose; this is a well-cared-for spot and rubbish would have been removed.  This Beefly was basking on it.  It might look a bit like a bee, but closer up it can be seen to have a fly's antennae and only two wings.

Beeflies lay their eggs in the holes made by solitary bees, and their larvae eat the bee larvae when the eggs hatch.   That long proboscis is not a sting.  It is used by the fly to eat pollen while hovering above a flower.

Horseshoe Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa.  Hutchinson's Bank, 24 May 2016.

Horseshoe Vetch and the rather similar Kidney Vetch grow here.  These are the larval food plants for Chalkhill Blue and Small Blue butterflies.  The butterflies are only found in association with these chalk-loving plants.

Sainfoin, Onobrychis viciifolia.  Hutchinson's Bank, 24 May 2016.

Along the top path is a stretch rich in Sainfoin, a plant in the pea family that looks similar to a Lupin. 

Woodruff, Galium odoratum.  Hutchinson's Bank, 24 May 2016.

A triangle of woodland at one end of the bank has several ancient woodland indicator species, including lots of Woodruff, its white flowers making light patches in the shadier spots.

Wood Sanicle, Sanicula europaea. Chapel Bank, 24 May 2016.

Across the road is another special site, Chapel Bank.  The path leads through an area rich in Sanicle, another ancient woodland indicator species.

Grizzled Skipper, Pyrgus malvae.  Chapel Bank, 24 May 2016.

On a chalk slope on Chapel Bank I photographed this Grizzled Skipper, another butterfly with a limited distribution. 

An unusual feature of Chapel Bank is a swathe of Marsh Thistles on one of the slopes.  When mature they can overtop me, and en masse they can be quite imposing.  At the moment they are still quite immature.  There is a much smaller stand of these plants in Beacon Wood, and even they were impressive.

Bank of Marsh Thistles, Cirsium palustre.  Chapel Bank, 24 May 2016.

Glanville Fritillary

Glanville Fritillary, Melitaea cinxia.  Female.  Hutchinson's Bank, 24 May 2016.

Glanville Fritillaries are rare in the UK, occurring naturally in the Channel Islands and the south coast of the Isle of Wight.  There is a small colony on the Hampshire coast, probably re-introduced there, and two other sites where it has been introduced.  One of these happens to be a couple of miles from my house.

They are pretty creatures.

Glanville Fritillary, Melitaea cinxia.  Male.  Hutchinson's Bank, 24 May 2016.

I actually went there to look for Small Blues, but didn't see any.  What I did see was people in search of the Glanville Fritillary.  I knew it was there, but I did not know that this was its peak time.  There were at least half a dozen specimens flying and basking in a small chalk cutting, and I photographed three.

Glanville Fritillary, Melitaea cinxia.  Male.  Hutchinson's Bank, 24 May 2016.

I was told that they were introduced here in 2011.  Five years is the blink of an eye for a species, but so far they seem to be doing well.  This cutting catches the sun, and I have seen other scarce-ish species here; the Small Blues that I missed this year, and Chalkhill Blues.

It's a nice spot and I took some other photos too, some of which I will show in my next post.

Glanville hunters in a chalk cutting on Hutchinson's Bank.  24 May 2016.

Mixed Trap Insects from 2015

Nut Weevil, Curculio species.  In my garden light trap in Hayes on 13 August 2015

All sorts of insects that can fly end up in my garden light trap.  You would not think that this weevil could fly by just looking at it, but it certainly can.  It's probably an Acorn Weevil, but there are a few other nut weevils that look very similar.

Beetle, Dromius quadrimaculatus.  In my garden light trap in Hayes on 9 August 2015

Beetles in general can fly.  I saw a few of this small spotted one.  Their wings are protected by the tough wing cases, which are normally all you can see.

Hawthorn Shieldbug, Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale.  In my garden light trap in Hayes on 13 June 2015

This is a true bug, from a group called shield bugs or stink bugs.  It has sucking mouthparts and this one lives on Hawthorns.  I have a couple of hawthorns in my tiny garden so I see quite a few of these.  Bugs are a type of beetle, and in this group you can see the ends of the wings, which are not completely covered by the wing cases.

Orange Ladybird, Halyzia sedecimguttata.   In my garden light trap in Hayes on 18 June 2015

I also see plenty of ladybirds, including my favourite, this Orange Ladybird.  I like the generally translucent appearance, and the way the white and yellow spots are clearly on the top surface of the transparent shell, looking as though they have been dotted on with a paintbrush.  They feed on mildew and sometimes small aphids, so should be encouraged.

Leafhopper, Ledra aurita.  In my garden light trap in Hayes on 23 August 2015

I also see leafhoppers, another group that sucks plant sap.  This Ledra aurita is the oddest-looking one, with those big projections on its thorax that make it look like a tiny dinosaur.

Speckled Wood, Pararge aegeria.  In my garden light trap in Hayes on 13 July 2015

This was my biggest surprise of the year - a Speckled Wood butterfly!  I set my trap before it gets dark, so maybe it flew in during the last of the twilight.  But a butterfly attracted to light?  That sounds wrong.  Yet I did see another butterfly come to a light trap at night when out with some mothers on Keston Common.  That was a very bright light trap.  It's unusual, but not unheard of. 

Random Wisley Butterflies

Butterfly, Great Eggfly, Hypolimnas bolina, on orchid flower.
Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

Just a few more random butterfly photos from RHS Wisley's Butterflies in the Glasshouse display.  The butterfly above is resting on a magnificent orchid flower, which was not labelled.

Butterfly, Great Orange Tip, Hebomoia glaucippe, on red flower.
Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

This orange-tipped one is on a red flower, also unlabelled.

Butterfly, Zebra Longwing, Heliconius charithonia.   Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

The stripes o the wings of this butterfly have the effect of breaking up its outline in its normal environment.

Owl butterfly, Caligo memnon, just emerged from its chrysalis in the puparium.   Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

Just outside the main glasshouse were a couple of closed glass-fronted containers where pupae were hung ready for the adults to emerge.  The glass has lots of condensation, but you can see that this one is an Owl.

(Added Nov 2016:  Top three butterflies identified by the commenter SPock - thanks!)

Wisley Butterflies 2016 Part Two

Unidentified butterfly.  Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

 Here are some more tropical butterflies from RHS Wisley.  I have not been able to identify any of this group.

Photos from the side and the top show the full creature but are rather formal.  I rather like the more personal touch of angles like this first one.

Unidentified butterfly.  Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

Here is an orange-winged specimen feeding from one of the glasshouse flowers.  You can see its long proboscis probing deep.  In the first photo above, the proboscis is curled up in its normal resting position.

Unidentified butterfly.  Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

Another three-quarter view.  This time you can see the stance of the body and orange-tipped antennae.

Unidentified butterfly.  Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

This pretty autumnal-coloured butterfly has lost part of its near wing, and you can see part of the upper wing pattern of the wing opposite.  The upper colours look to be very similar to the lower ones.

Unidentified Swallowtail butterflies mating.  Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

Finally, a mating pair that we saw soon after entering the hot glasshouse.  The female might lay eggs, but unfortunately there will not be the right environment for a new generation to appear.

Wisley Butterflies 2016 Part One

Malachite, Siproeta stelenes.  Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

Time for a break from the rather drably coloured flies and harvestmen of the last couple of posts.  As usual, the Royal Horticultural Society gardens at Wisley released tropical butterflies into their hot glasshouse, and I took a few photos.  It's quite a spectacle.  If you go, you probably should get in early, or book a timed visit (free to RHS members).  I went in with a friend when the gardens opened at 10 am.

Some of the butterflies (like some of our native species) have underwings that are completely different from the upper patterns.  This Malachite is one; above, you can see one taking apple juice from one of the fruit stations set out along the paths.  Below, the upper view of a specimen resting on a white flower among green foliage.

Malachite, Siproeta stelenes.  Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

Here's another species that has even more of a double image.

Blue Morpho, Morpho peleides.  Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

The side view, with autumnal browns, yellows and reds, is very pleasing, but you can't see why it's called a Blue Morpho until it opens its wings.

Blue Morpho, Morpho peleides.  Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

That second specimen is resting on my friend's bag.  She put this and a couple of other shots on a post on her Facebook page.  (This is the same person whose blog is linked to at the top right of this blog, as "The Reluctant Raw Foodist." )  Maybe it was looking for food, or perhaps it thought the brightly patterned and strongly textured bag was a good place to rest.

I'll finish this post with an Owl and post some more next time.

Owl, Caligo memnon.  Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

Actually, two Owls, on a trunk which is a fairly good disguise for them.  I do not have a shot of the upper wing surface of an Owl - but if I google it, it seems to be very similar to the underwing.

More Hutchinson's Bank

Chalkhill Blue, Polyommatus coridon.  Hutchinson's Bank, 29 July 2015.

This was the photo I was second most pleased with on Hutchinson's Bank.  The Chalkhill Blue is not a common species.  It's not the rarest  butterfly to be found here - that would be the Small Blue - but it was still nice to see one.

The photo I was most pleased with was a hoverfly.

Volucella zonaria.  Hutchinson's Bank, 21 July 2015.

I have been trying to capture on of these for a couple of years, and they have just zoomed past.  This time I found one feeding on a Bramble flower.  Volucella zonaria is a large hoverfly, a hornet mimic, looking dangerous but actually completely harmless to people.

I captured some other hoverfly photos too.

Volucella pellucens.  Hutchinson's Bank, 21 July 2015.

This is Volucella pellucens, also on a Bramble.  I love photographing hoverflies,  They are colourful and varied.

Dronefly, Eristalis pertinax.  Hutchinson's Bank, 29 July 2015.

I have lots of photos of this hoverfly, Eristalis pertinax, but this was an interesting angle.  It's eating pollen from a Hogweed.

Large White, Pieris brassicae, on Creeping Thistle, Cirsium arvense.  Hutchinson's Bank, 21 July 2015.

Back to the butterflies .. This Large White, aka Cabbage White because its caterpillars love Brassicas, is feeding on a Creeping Thistle, our commonest thistle, which will grow in any scrap of waste ground.  It has a paler flower than most thistles, and they smell of honey.

Common Red Soldier Beetle, Rhagonycha fulva.  Hutchinson's Bank, 29 July 2015.

There are plenty of other insects, too.  This is the commonest beetle (visible beetle, I should probably say) at this time of year.  It's often called the Hogweed Bonking Beetle because this is how you commonly see it, and it loves Hogweed.  I suppose it must eat sometime or other, as well.