Dingy Skipper. Photo: Elaine Townsend
Elaine saw this Dingy Skipper as well as seven more at Badbury Rings on 6/05/18. She says they were flitting around very quickly and not settling for a photo. Butterfly photography can be a challenge at times for sure!
She also noticed two were dancing happily together, enjoying the sunshine no doubt.
Although their flight period is usually late April to Mid June in the UK, in hot summers a partial second brood may occur in Southern England.
Posted on: 25 May, 2018
Mullein moth. Photo: Paul Harris
Paul captured this Mullein moth in his garden trap in Upwey, Weymouth on 27/04/18.
As the caterpillar of this moth is seen more often than the moth itself, I have added a photograph of it which lovers of Verbascum garden plants will instantly recognise. This caterpillar has a voracious appetite and can consume the large leaves of this plant in no time at all. They can be seen on the host plants from May-July.
The Mullein moth, with a fore-wing of 19-24mm length, flies from late April-June, feeding on flowers at night. Though rarely seen, it readily comes to light.
Posted on: 22 May, 2018
Dyseriocrania subpurpurella . Photo: Paul Harris
Paul caught this gorgeous micro moth in his garden trap at Upwey on 27/04/18, and realised it is a new species for his garden.
His skill as a photographer has cleverly captured the bling factor of this tiny moth, fore-wing just 5-7mm length.
It is single brooded, flying in April-May in sunshine and at night. In dull weather it rests on branches and trunks of oak trees.
Posted on: 22 May, 2018
Pale Tussock moth. Photo: Mark Pike
I haven’t stopped laughing since receiving Mark’s photo of this male Pale Tussock moth which he caught in his garden moth trap at Motcombe on 20/05/18.
It is probably sleepy rather than drunk which we think it looks!
This moth has one generation May- June and the caterpillar foodplants cover a wide variety of broadleaved trees and shrubs.
The male is much smaller than the female and has feathered antennae as shown in Mark’s photo.
Posted on: 22 May, 2018
Common Blue. Photo: Nicki Maslen
Common Blue. Photo: Nicki Maslen
NIcki tells us she was doing a transit when she found this female Common Blue at RSPB Chaffey’s on 21/05/18.
They are just beginning to emerge now that we have had some decent sunshine for a while, and can be seen on the wing until late October if the weather conditions are favourable.
The caterpillar foodplant includes many members of the pea family, but commonly Birds -foot Trefoil.
Posted on: 22 May, 2018
Purple Bar moth. Photo: Mark Pike
This beautiful silky textured moth when freshly emerged was seen by Mark at Badbury Rings on 18/05/18.
There are no similar species and although a night flyer it can easily be disturbed by day. It has two generations in the south, May-early July and a partial second brood in early August-mid September.
The caterpillar foodplant is Bedstraw such as Heath or Hedge Bedstraw and it can be found in a wide variety of habitats.
Posted on: 20 May, 2018
Mother Shipton moth. Photo: Mark Pike
Mark says this Mother Shipton moth found at Badbury Rings on 18/05/18 should surely take an award for the most butterfly like moth. It is lovely bright moth and gets its name from the ‘pictures’ of the legendary 16th century Yorkshire witch displayed on each upperside fore-wing.
This species has one generation early May- early July, flies only in sunshine and is easily disturbed when it then flies short distances. It visits flowers of Oxeye daisies, Red Clover as well as other plants found in downland, heathland, flower rich meadows and verges.
Posted on: 20 May, 2018
Small Blue. Photo: Edmund Mackrill
Edmund photographed this freshly emerged Small Blue while on the Rodwell Trail in Weymouth on 19/05/18.
This diminutive butterfly is on the wing in May and June and late July to August .This is one classy butterfly, the simplistic colouring of the upper fore-wings , grey to almost black in males and dark greyish brown in females and both having pale blue undersides to hind-wings as shown here lends, itself well to that description.
If you haven’t ever seen this species it is well worth searching for it among dry grassy ,flowery places sometimes among rock.
Posted on: 20 May, 2018
Holly Blue. Photo: John Woodruff
This female Holly Blue was found hiding in the hedgerow between Fontmell Down and Clubman’s Down on 13/05/18.
The flight periods for Holly Blue is early April -June and July-August in two broods.
The dark borders on the uppersides of the fore-wings tells us that this is a 1st generation female, as the 2nd generation female would have more extensive borders on fore-wings and also on the top half of upperside hind-wings. In Spring the female lays her eggs on holly or dogwoods, but in summer she lays eggs on ivy.
Posted on: 17 May, 2018
Green Hairstreak. Photo. John Woodruff
John photographed this little female Green Hairstreak at Fontmell Down on 13/05/18. He says it was posing nicely for him!
Hairstreaks tend to rest longer than some other species, giving us a better chance of a photo.
They are difficult to spot due to the colour, but males tend to return to the same leaf after a flight defending their territory.
Posted on: 17 May, 2018
Large White. Photo: Brian Arnold
Brian took this photograph of this very smart Large White on 8/05/18 in Durlston meadows.
This specimen is looking pristine, and showing all the markings associated with Large Whites very clearly.
The flight period is March – Oct in several broods, and although quite a stunning butterfly it is thought of as a pest in vegetable gardens, hence it is common name, cabbage white.
Posted on: 17 May, 2018
Marsh Fritillary. Photo: Dave Law
Dave found this freshly emerged Marsh Fritillary at Cerne Abbas on 15/05/18. It has one brood and is generally seen in the UK May- July.
It is probably the most variable of all the European fritillaries in respect to size and ground colour of the upper sides of fore and hind-wings.
It has adapted to a wide variety of habitats in Europe but in the UK it is mostly found in grassy, flowery places which hosts the caterpillar foodplant, devils bit scabious.
Posted on: 16 May, 2018
Small Blue. Photo: Stephen Brown
Small Blue on cowslip. Photo: Stephen Brown.
Stephen did the new butterfly monitoring walk by the Weymouth Relief road on 14/05/2018 and got these lovely shots of this tiny butterfly.
This species is declining in most areas of the UK, so we are very pleased that it has decided to come to the slopes to the side of the Weymouth relief road, where a habitat friendly to butterflies was deliberately created when the road was built for the 2012 Olympics.
Posted on: 15 May, 2018
Wall Brown. Photo: Brian Arnold
This Wall Brown was seen by Brian on 8/05/18 on the coast path at Durlston. He had earlier completed the Durlston East transect walk with his wife Lerida and said they saw 4 Wall Browns , their first sightings of this butterfly this year.
The flight period of the Wall Brown is early April-October in 2-3 broods and their favoured habitat is grassy, rocky places, flowery meadows and woodland clearings.
Posted on: 15 May, 2018
Speckled Wood. Photo: Penny Hawes
Penny took this photo on 5/05/18 at Kilwood Coppice and tells us she is starting her butterfly season rather late this year, as she usually starts sending in photos in March.
This beautifully marked butterfly shows a marked preference for shady areas with dappled sunlight where males often sit on sunlit leaves with wings half open, as in Penny’s photo. They start appearing in late March when weather conditions allow and can then be seen throughout the summer until late October.
Posted on: 15 May, 2018
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