Cooling Marshes, Kent, 7th December 2014

Monday 30 July 2012

Photoblog: Butterflies

I took these photos at Cuckmere Haven in East Sussex last week, during a quick visit to the south coast. I haven't been there for a long time although I have fond memories of going there regularly as a kid. It was great to see so many butterflies on the wing, in fact I've never seen so many in one place in the UK as on this occasion. The flower-rich chalk grasslands, sheltered by steep cliffs overlooking a floodplain created by the meandering River Cuckmere, were teeming with life - a welcome sight after weeks of jetstream induced misery. It is thought that 2012 could prove to be a devastating year for butterfly populations with several exceedingly wet months likely to affect breeding success. Finger's crossed things improve.

Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)
A pretty butterfly that is, teasingly, not a 'White' but a member of the 'Brown' family.
This was the first one I've seen this year. Cuckmere Haven, East Sussex, 26/7/12. 

Dark Green Fritillary (Mesoacidalia aglaja)
This butterfly came beating past me and I instantly knew it was something a bit different. I followed it up and down a path, no doubt getting strange looks from the numerous dog walkers and tourists nearby, until it finally alighted on some Red Clover. I could see it was a Fritillary from the colour and pattern on the upperside of its wings and I had an inkling what it was. But it was only when I got home to check my book that I could be more certain that it was a Dark Green Fritillary. Fairly common in some areas but with some decline of its range, this is the first one of these I've seen. I saw a few more of them that afternoon. 

Essex Skipper? It's pretty hard to tell Small Skippers and Essex apart without a good view but I wonder if the lack of orange on the antenna here (seen when zoomed) would indicate that this is an Essex Skipper?

Chalkhill Blue (male) (Lysandra coridon) wings partially open (top) and closed (below)
Identifying blue butterflies can be a bit of a headache, especially since they are often to be found in the same habitats and locations, a good look often helps. Been a while since I saw one but I think the dark trim to the forewing and the frayed markings on the hindwing here, mark this out as a male Chalkhill Blue - a butterfly of calcareous grasslands in southern England.

Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) on Field Scabious.
A common grassland butterfly around the country, I often see these in  parks and gardens around central London.

Six-spot Burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae)
An attractive, common day-flying moth with a quality latin taxonomic name. There were LOTS of these flying about, in a somewhat 'heavy' or lethargic fashion. This pair appear to be mating on top of an old Burnet moth cocoon (the pale yellow 'sack' attached to the grass stem). Interestingly the cocoon seems to contain the remains or shedded parts of a departed moth. Could it be that a male literally pounced on a female as she emerged?

Greater Knapweed (Centaurea scabiosa)

Got 15 minutes spare in the next week? Why not take part in this year's Big Butterfly Count here, only a few days left...

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