Another alternative view of a moth, an Elephant Hawkmoth from Mark’s Motcombe trap on 10/07/25. He tells us:
Elephants seem to be prolific this year, a couple of weeks ago I had 31 in the trap!
I’m sure Mark means moths and not actual elephants😂
Brown Hairstreak (male). Photo: Mark Pike
Brown Hairstreak (female). Photo: Mark Pike
Two more photos from Mark’s trip to Alner’s Gorse on 08/07/2025 – male and female Brown Hairstreaks, both more than likely just emerged.
Silver-washed Fritillaries. Photo: Mark Pike
Purple Hairstreak ab infraflavomaculata. Photo: Mark Pike
Two photos from Mark, both taken at Alner’s Gorse yesterday, 08/07/2025 and sent in with the following comments:
Three Silver-washed Fritillaries and Purple Hairstreak ab infraflavomaculata where the usual orange colouring on the eyelets is replaced by yellow.
Comma. Photo: Mark Pike
Mark was rather surprised to see this butterfly in his Motcombe garden earlier today, 11/11/2024 and he sent us this photo saying:
It is pretty rare for me to be sending you any images at this time of year but this Comma actually came to me today.
I was in the sitting room this morning when I spotted this individual come past the window and crash into the side of the house and it just stayed there! As I write this it is getting dark and it is still clinging to the side of the house!
Mark ran his Motcombe moth trap on 1/09/24 and had a couple of micro moths, a Ringed Brown China Mark and a very tiny micro moth ,Caloptilia robustella to show us.
The former is single brooded May- October and the latter, double brooded in the south , May-August and early October.
Small White. Photo: Mark Pike
Small White. Photo: Mark Pike
Two photos from Mark sent in telling us:
Suspect these will be last shots I send in 2024 (worst for 20 odd years for me) as I turn my attention now to fungi. There have been quite a few Small Whites around over the last few days in my area, these two were taken in the front garden at Motcombe this afternoon, 03/09/2024
Adonis Blue. Photo: Mark Pike
Adonis Blue (female). Photo: Mark Pike
Two more photos from Mark taken at Ballard Down on 25/08/2024.
Small Heath. Photo: Mark Pike
Common Blue. Photo: Mark Pike
Mark sent in these photos taken on another visit to Ballard Down yesterday, 25/08/2024 telling us:
This time I counted 11 nice fresh Adonis Blues, another lovely marked female Common Blue and a pair of Small Heaths. A tad better than my last visit a couple of weeks ago but still not the numbers of any species one might expect.