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Norfolk Butterflies and Moths (1 Viewer)

Following a serious illness I have been unable to do the BC Butterfly survey this summer. Typical as from being one of the poorest starts to the butterfly season I have seen its developed to the of the best.

I am just starting to get mobile again and this week I have seen silver washed fritillary , white admiral, lots of commas and peacocks ( almost back to the old days ), red admiral , Sm tortoiseshell , Lg, Sm and Gv whites , brimstones , meadow brown , ringlet , gatekeeper , speckled wood , common blue , brown argus , lots of purple hairstreaks , Sm , essex and large skippers plus a single small copper. 21 species of butterfly in three short walks - R Wensum valley at Fakenham , a waste ground field , in Fakenham and Swanton Novers. Add orange tip from the spring and clouded yellow thats 23 species for the year without deliberatly seeking out any of the counties rarer species and having a month recovering at a friends house in the Broads yet again I have failed to see swallowtail butterfly despite many visits to favoured places in the past in the Broads Wheatfen\ Strumpshaw\ Hickling \ How Hill and despite living in the Broads for over 25 years , until1978. I have found the caterpillers several times , but never the butterfly. I sometimes wonder if the butterflies ever exist. The times I have been to Wheatfen ect to be told yesterday swallowtails were seen yesterday or later to be told they were flying the next day I have still yet to see one.
 
A few photos from my garden yesterday. Comma, Peacock (in the conservatory), Meadow Brown and 2 Gatekeepers that were perched about a foot apart, one of which has had a very close brush with death!
 

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At Queen's Hills today: c100 Peacock (down from c400 earlier in the week, though it was pretty cloudy today), c5 Clouded Yellow, c10 Painted Lady, Purple Hairstreak, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, c5 Brown Argus, c10 Common Blue, 5 Comma, 3+ Green-veined White, Large and Small White. Also a couple of Small Copper in the week, but no sign today.
 
This big moth just appeared in our front room causing quite a stir with the kids! Initially I thought it was a Peacock Butterfly zooming around but could see it was a moth once it settled. I've had a look on the web and the nearest I can come up with is "Old Lady" - is this correct?
 

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Following a serious illness I have been unable to do the BC Butterfly survey this summer. Typical as from being one of the poorest starts to the butterfly season I have seen its developed to the of the best.

I am just starting to get mobile again and this week I have seen silver washed fritillary , white admiral, lots of commas and peacocks ( almost back to the old days ), red admiral , Sm tortoiseshell , Lg, Sm and Gv whites , brimstones , meadow brown , ringlet , gatekeeper , speckled wood , common blue , brown argus , lots of purple hairstreaks , Sm , essex and large skippers plus a single small copper. 21 species of butterfly in three short walks - R Wensum valley at Fakenham , a waste ground field , in Fakenham and Swanton Novers. Add orange tip from the spring and clouded yellow thats 23 species for the year without deliberatly seeking out any of the counties rarer species and having a month recovering at a friends house in the Broads yet again I have failed to see swallowtail butterfly despite many visits to favoured places in the past in the Broads Wheatfen\ Strumpshaw\ Hickling \ How Hill and despite living in the Broads for over 25 years , until1978. I have found the caterpillers several times , but never the butterfly. I sometimes wonder if the butterflies ever exist. The times I have been to Wheatfen ect to be told yesterday swallowtails were seen yesterday or later to be told they were flying the next day I have still yet to see one.
I am very sorry to hear that you have been so ill, Tideliner, but I am pleased to hear that you are on the road to recovery.

I am amazed to hear that you have been so unlucky finding Swallowtaild, given the amount of time that you have spent in their habitat. Hopefully next year will be much kinder to you and you will be back to full strength and finally spot that elusive butterfly.

Ron
 
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Thanks for the comments NSChicken and I do hope for better luck in the future with swallowtails. Still to make up for that I saw a surperbe SW Fritillary yesterday at close quarters at Swanton Novers.
 
This big moth just appeared in our front room causing quite a stir with the kids! Initially I thought it was a Peacock Butterfly zooming around but could see it was a moth once it settled. I've had a look on the web and the nearest I can come up with is "Old Lady" - is this correct?

Yep - reckon you are right with this ID! Nice one.
 
An almost fully-grown and rather impressive Swallowtail caterpillar was seen from the boardwalk at Barton Broad this morning and nearby, there was a Purple Hairstreak at Irstead Staithe.

Still on the Purple Hairstreak theme but much closer to home, there were five at Smockmill Common near Saxlingham Thorpe (TM218981) this afternoon and a good range of butterflies here also included two Brimstones, 12 Comma's, two Common Blues, Small Copper, Speckled Wood, three Small Skippers and one Large. However, the best sighting of the day was saved till last when a smart CLOUDED YELLOW put in a brief appearance - only my third ever local record. Unfortunately it only hung around long enough to obtain a poor record shot, before zooming off, never to be seen again, although I will pop over there sometime tomorrow on the off-chance that its still there.

Steve.
 
Glad to hear you are back with us Tideliner.

Could anyone please provide directions to Queen's Hills? I am particularly interested in seeing Clouded Yellow and the Small Red-eyed Damsels.

Cheers,
Jim.
 
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North Tuddenham Common yesterday played host to at least 30 Purple Hairstreaks - there were some on almost every oak. Four Small Copper included one Cearelopunctata form, Gatekeeper, ringlet, meadow brown, speckled wood (healthy numbers here in what has been a poor year for them.) All three whites, Peacocks (of course), Silver Y's and 2 bloodlines.

Today the buddlea at the playpark behind Danby Wood held 30+ Peacocks and a single Painted Lady.
 
Queens Hill

Glad to hear you are back with us Tideliner.

Could anyone please provide directions to Queen's Hills? I am particularly interested in seeing Clouded Yellow and the Small Red-eyed Damsels.

Cheers,
Jim.

Jimbob,
Thought you might have had a reply before now so I'll help if I can.

Queens Hill is a new housing estate that is being built behind the Longwater Business and Retail Park. The sole vehicular access is therefore off the roundabout at the A47 Longwater Interchange. You go down the hill to the first roundabout and take the second exit (1st is Sainsbury's carpark). You then hit another roundabout and you take the second exit and go between the store service bays on the left and the ambulance station on your right. You arrive at a third roundabout and there is only a right turn. This is the road into Queens Hill. You go down hill into a dip and then start to rise again. You will see a brick building (water or electricity service?). You can park by this and you will see that there is a pathway that you can walk around this part of the estate. On the opposite side of the road is woodland with a small wildflower section in front of it. A walk around this part of the estate has a reasonable amount of species.

There is also a section at the back of the estate that has good species list. To get to this you carry on up the hill to another roundabout, turn right. If you then follow this road (Poethlyn Drive) round the estate you will pass some new build on the left and then hit a dead end where the road has been blocked off. If you walk beyond this barrier you will come across a small lake in front of you. You can follow this around then hit some more woodland.

I don't know where the Clouded Yellow were seen so can't be any more specific. Don't know where you coming from but can access the section at the rear of the estate on Ringland Lane. There is a sign (brown and red) for aggregate company (may be Breedon Aggregates) can park there and walk on to estate.

Hope this helps. If you need more info please ask and I will try to help.

Good luck.
 
queens hill again

Glad to hear you are back with us Tideliner.

Could anyone please provide directions to Queen's Hills? I am particularly interested in seeing Clouded Yellow and the Small Red-eyed Damsels.

Cheers,
Jim.

oh forgot to say that if you park by the brick building and follow paths there is a pool there that has red eyed around it.
 
Thanks Mister M, exactly what I needed to know. Busy today but I will certainly investigate within the next few days. Thanks for taking the time.

Cheers,
Jim.
 
Hi Had my first Dark Green Frits while walking down for Roller yesterday. One each way along the coastal path at the base of the dunes. A Grayling seen on the second set of steps up to the dunes but would only settle on a blue coat, is this strange? At the start of Nelson Head tract someone said they were waching a DGF on the buddlias,is that a likely?
 
A walk around Queen's Hills today finally paid off with a single Clouded Yellow just before I completed my second lap of the circular walk! Lots of other butterflies included 3-4 Painted Ladies, a few Brown Argus and Small Torts, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Small Copper, 1 Brimstone and lots of Gatekeeper, Meadow Browns, Common Blues, Whites and Peacocks. Also, 1 Purple Hairstreak on a small oak was distant and hard to photograph in the wind, hence the rubbish photo!

The photo of the Common Blues was taken yesterday, the rest today.
 

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Hi Had my first Dark Green Frits while walking down for Roller yesterday. One each way along the coastal path at the base of the dunes. A Grayling seen on the second set of steps up to the dunes but would only settle on a blue coat, is this strange? At the start of Nelson Head tract someone said they were waching a DGF on the buddlias,is that a likely?
I have seen them on the buddlias last week near the entrance to the dunes.only females present though.
 
A walk around Queen's Hills today finally paid off with a single Clouded Yellow just before I completed my second lap of the circular walk! Lots of other butterflies included 3-4 Painted Ladies, a few Brown Argus and Small Torts, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Small Copper, 1 Brimstone and lots of Gatekeeper, Meadow Browns, Common Blues, Whites and Peacocks. Also, 1 Purple Hairstreak on a small oak was distant and hard to photograph in the wind, hence the rubbish photo!

The photo of the Common Blues was taken yesterday, the rest today.

Nice to meet you today Chris,i spotted a cloudy as well,but too far away for any photos.
 
Queens Hill

Thanks Mister M, exactly what I needed to know. Busy today but I will certainly investigate within the next few days. Thanks for taking the time.

Cheers,
Jim.

Jimbob,

Based on the fact that todays sightings were on the circular walk then that would suggest the area by the brick building before you get to Queens Hill proper.

Hope you get to see what you want to.
 
Hi Jimbob,
The main Clouded Yellow emergence site at Queen's Hills is on an area of land with no public access (I believe at least 14 were counted here on the weekend). However, they seem to be spreading out a bit and can be seen in other areas - there was one at the "Small red-eyed Damsel" pool on the south of Queen's Hills today. Previously, I've also seen them on the flat area next to the pond at the north end of the site (see pic.twitter.com/yG0MYMK32W for a handy map marking the flat area - Thanks Simon:t: - Also, the 'Small red-eyed pond' is at the centre lower edge of the map). I reckon if you visit these areas on a sunny day, you should run into Clouded Yellow. Hope that helps in your quest..
 
Guys, many thanks to all who have provided details both here and via PM. The forum at its best.
Went this afternoon meeting Chrisbish there, who had already seen a Clouded Yellow! No such luck for me though, although conditions were at times overcast and breezy. I was pleased to see so many Small Red-eyed Damsels though, some consolation! Other bits and pieces included Common Blue, Brown Argus and Painted Lady. A great site and hopefully I will get another crack at those Yellows before I go on holiday.
Thanks again,
Jim.
 

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