Ypsolopha alpella. Photo: Paul Harris
Paul had a nice surprise when he checked his Weymouth garden moth trap back on 9/08/18. He found this rare micro moth, Ypsolopha alpella, FL. 7-9 mm, very local in Dorset and a new species for Paul’s garden records.
It is single brooded ,July/October and Oak trees are the caterpillars foodplant.
Paul often posts moth photos on twitter and @paulUpwey in the Twitter search box will find him.
Posted on: 8 December, 2018
Large Skipper. Photo: George McCabe
When George was walking the Nottington path near Weymouth on 20/06/18 he came across this lovely sight. A female Large Skipper in the company of a flower beetle, Oedemera Noblis.
This is one of the largest of our “golden” skippers and, like these other skippers, the male has a distinctive sex brand on its forewings containing specialised scent scales.
Posted on: 8 December, 2018
White-letter Hairstreak. Photo: Caroline Stringer
Caroline sent us this photo of a White-letter Hairstreak which she photographed at Alners Gorse at the end of June 2018.
This is a particularly lovely shot allowing us to clearly see its markings as this is one of our more elusive butterflies often found flitting high in the treetops, and appearing as a dark speck against the sky. It gets its name from the letter “W” that is formed from a series of white lines found on the underside of the hindwings.
Posted on: 8 December, 2018
Silver-spotted Skipper. Photo: Mark Pike
Mark found this beautiful Silver-spotted Skipper at Fontmell Down on 3/08/18 and posting it in December to the winter gallery will remind us of the hot, sunny days of summer.
Fontmell Down is the only place in Dorset where this species can still be found, and well worth a visit as there are also other species on the wing in August September and the scenery is superb.
Posted on: 8 December, 2018
Clouded Yellows. Photo: Shona Refoy
Clouded Yellow. Photo: Shona Refoy
Shona came across these Clouded Yellows at Ballard Down on 2/11/18 which is rather late in the season to see this species in this location. However this year seems to have been an exceptional year for late butterfly sightings in general.
Shona tells us that this pair did not mate, despite the males’s frequent attempts, and you can see in the above photo, the female is presenting in the mating refusal position. Maybe as it was so late in the year she decided it was not worth the effort as it would be highly unlikely the caterpillars would survive and find enough to eat before they would need to overwinter as pupae. As this is a migrant species, the pupae rarely succeed in overwintering due to damp and frosts, though on the Undercliff at Southbourne they are occasionally successful.
Posted on: 30 November, 2018
Orange Tip. Photo: Alison Copland
Alison photographed this lovely Orange Tip female on 4/05/18 at Lytchett Matravers.
This one is nectaring on Cuckoo flowers which is one of the favourite foodplants of the Orange Tip caterpillar and one which this female is likely to have laid eggs on. (more…)
Posted on: 30 November, 2018
Peacock and Tortoiseshell. Photo: Paul Griffiths
Paul photographed this Peacock and a Tortoiseshell on 30/7/14 in his garden at Bearwood.
It would be interesting to know if Paul was lucky enough to see this sight in 2018, as Tortoiseshell butterflies were sadly rarely seen in Dorset this year nor were the usual numbers of Peacocks seen. Let us hope we will still see sights as lovely as this in future years and the lack of sightings this year was just a one off, due maybe to the intense heat we suffered during their usual flight period.
Posted on: 30 November, 2018
Small Whites mating. Photo: Paul Griffiths
Paul noticed these Small Whites mating on a buddleia in his Bearwood garden on 12/07/18.
This year the ‘Whites’ were some of the most frequently seen species in gardens.
An interesting fact is that it is believed that this butterfly can fly up to 100 miles in its lifetime although, undoubtedly, most butterflies will only travel a mile or two. Evidence of the mobility of this species comes from a misguided introduction in Melbourne in 1939. three years after its introduction, the species had reached the west coast of Australia some 1,850 miles away in only 25 generations.
Posted on: 27 November, 2018
Merveille du Jour. Photo: Mark Pike
Mark tells us:
I was busy photographing fungi in Delph Woods near Broadstone today (25/11/18) and came across this superb Merveille du jour just sitting quietly on a fallen Beech trunk, complete with water droplets on its head! It is a tad late for these as their flight time is generally Sept/Oct.
What a super find Mark,thank you for sharing it with us.
Posted on: 27 November, 2018
Brown Argus. Photo: Peter Salmon
Posting this on a very wet grey day, this beautiful Brown Argus is a lovely reminder of sunny days! Peter spotted this butterfly in his garden at Alderney on 19/07/18.
The adults emerge first in central and southern England in early May, peaking at the end of May and beginning of June, and giving rise to a second brood that emerges at the end of July and into August.
Posted on: 27 November, 2018
Common Grayling, Photo: Alison Copland
Alison has sent us her photograph of a Common Grayling which she spotted whilst walking at Morden Bog on 22/07/18.
This butterfly, one of our largest ‘browns’,loves hot weather and can be very difficult to see when it rests on leaf litter, bare earth or gravel to bask in the sun.
This butterfly also has a curious technique for regulating body temperature by leaning its wings at different angles to the sun.
Posted on: 26 November, 2018
Large White Caterpillar. Photo: Ann Barlow
Ann tells us that on 2/11/18 she noticed this Large White Caterpillar in her garden, looking like it was ready to pupate. All its foodplants had died in the overnight frosts so she is hoping it will survive.
Posted on: 6 November, 2018
Common Blue. Photo: Andy Martin
Andy tells us on 2/11/18 at Southbourne Undercliffe, the temperature was 14c and sunny when he saw this Common Blue along with lots of Clouded Yellows, a Red Admiral, a Small Copper and Small and Large Whites.
Quite amazing to see this many species in early November.
Posted on: 6 November, 2018
Red Admiral. Ab. Photo: Shona Refoy
While Shona was looking after her friend’s rabbit in Broadstone on 25/10/18, she noticed this Red Admiral which has an extra white spot on the red band on the forewings . This aberration is known as Bialbata.
Shona says she has only started taking an interest in butterflies this year, so well done for noticing this small detail Shona ,a great observation!
Posted on: 6 November, 2018
Speckled Wood. Photo: Penny Hawes
Penny caught this atmospheric autumnal shot on 24/10/2018 in the little wood at Sharford Bridge. She says it was a lovely warm day and there were lots of Speckled Woods about.
Posted on: 4 November, 2018
More photos: Gallery Archive
