Monday 22nd. July 2013

A catch up on the weekend and today started with a late afternoon visit to High Elms on Saturday , in a small window of brightness that didn't last long , in final preparation for Sunday's Kent BC visit . I must admit that very little was found on the wing , being so late in the day , but passing the Ragwort

that was covered in Cinnabar Moth caterpillars , revealed much of the plant devoured and many more larger sized caterpillars about . No Silver-washed Fritillaries were seen , until I got to the bottom of

Burnt Gorse , when I spotted one on another Ragwort , but it didn't look right from distance . When I got up close the reason was revealed , it was being sucked dry by a Crab Spider that probably

grabbed it as it nectared on the flowers. I did however find four nice fresh Commas on the way

round , and mentally logged their positions , hoping that they would be in the same areas for the walk . Sunday morning as I left for the walk , it was drizzling and overcast . The drizzle did stop before we set off , but in the overcast conditions very few butterflies were on the wing . I decided to take the group first to the area where I had found good numbers of Marbled White , Small Skipper and 6 Spot Burnet Moths . It was a good decision as there was plenty to look at and search for , all the time I was hoping for the sky to clear . When ready we moved on up the bridleway to the glades below Burnt Gorse , finding the first SWF and White Admiral , two of the target species on the way . I told the group that I hadn't seen the third target , White-letter Hairstreak so far this year , but although getting a sunny spell whilst in their favoured glade , none were seen . I checked the glade where the SWF lay their eggs , but found nothing , but we did find two females nectaring on Burnt Gorse . I showed the group the Yellow Birdsnest and the remaining Birdsnest Orchids on the way to the Orchid Glade , where we had another couple of SWF and WA sightings . Arriving back at the car park , nearly four hours later , many common species were missing from the day's list , including Peacock , SM. Tortoiseshell , Sm.Copper , Brown Argus , Common Blue and the Commas that I had seen the day before . So we finished with two of the three target species and they seemed to have enjoyed it , as they have booked up next year already . No pictures from the visit , I was too busy trying to find interest to show them .
This morning , another early visit up on the Commons in search of Purple Hairstreak , meeting fellow enthusiast Terry in the car park , who was on the same quest . Twice the chance of finding the PH , but still they didn't show , but it was good to catch up with Terry . Only interest found was a

Harlequin Ladybird larvae on the Brambles where the PH should have been . I decided to go on from there to High Elms , to try and get some shots of the female SWFs , but , typically they were nowhere

to be seen on Burnt Gorse , nor was a male sighted . Some compensation came from a very freshly

emerged male Brimstone , and several very fresh female Large Whites , this one too nectaring on the abundance of Field Scabious that is in flower all over the reserve . I checked the glade that the female SWFs like to use to lay their eggs on the trunks of trees , but they weren't there either . But , a

movement caught my attention and that turned out to be a female Ruddy Darter , identified as such by size , waisted abdomen and all black legs , the Common Darter having a yellow stripe down the legs .
The Orchid Bank was very quiet , but I did spot a 6 Spot Burnet Moth , taking ages to line up the

landing on a seed head , giving time to grab an in-flight shot . I finally found the SWFs in a woodland glade and within minutes , a mating pair flew in , but then flew into the trees to complete the union . I

only had the 100mm. macro lens with me , so grabbed a shot with that . Whilst they were busy , at least four single males clashed over ownership of the sunlit Bramble patch , but this one seemed to be

'the Daddy' , and when able nectared on the Bramble flowers before the next battle . At least three White Admiral also passed through the glade whilst I was there , one chancing a nectar top-up whilst

the SWF wasn't looking . And finally , a very active moth seen on Burnt Gorse , and with the wind , very difficult to get any shots . I have tried all the 'White -' and '- Whites' without any success .

About the size of a Cinnabar Moth , any suggestions please . Many thanks to Mike Easterbrook , the Kent Butterfly Recorder , for identifying the moth as Sitochroa palealis , a member of the Pyralid family . We came across it , or a relation , again on the High Elms butterfly walk on Sunday .