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Norfolk Butterflies and Moths (3 Viewers)

12 on the garden alone would certainly be a record! I saw very much fewer that day. but there are still plenty around in today's sunny warm weather. Lots of happy folks connecting and clicking away, we even had two pairs mating in the nectar garden at one point! The dames violet is certainly a good plant for the swallowtails at this time of the year
 
1st large skipper sighting of the year at Swanton Novers today. A surprise when every thing else seems to be late this is my earliest sighting. Broad Boarded bee hawkmoths also showing in the past couple of days.
 
I photographed this Holly Blue in my garden today. It was spending a lot of time on my little weeping Cotoneaster tree and in this photograph appears to be laying an egg on it. Is this case and, if so, is it an unusual plant to choose?

Ron
 

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I disturbed a single meadow brown out of a grassy field at Stiffkey today. My first of the year. Also a light west movement of painted ladies on Monday with 7 singles all in direct west flight between 8 am ( it was quite cool ) and 12am and 2 later specimens basking on stone tracks around 3 pm , all at Swanton Novers.
 
My parents bought a moth trap last week and have had a couple of sessions with it. No idea if any of what they have caught is interesting one a wider scale but it has been for us. Favourites so far have been a buff tip and a pale prominent (a smart looking moth) though this mornings eyed hawk moth will take some beating. If there is anywhere that they should submit 'sightings' to let me know and I will pass it on to them.
 
The easiest way to submit sightings is via the online recorder on the Norfolk Moths website (http://www.norfolkmoths.co.uk/records.php). Once you sign up you can save a location, speeding up entry of later records. The alternative is to download a customised excel spreadsheet (also available on the website) and fill that in.

postcardcv said:
My parents bought a moth trap last week and have had a couple of sessions with it. No idea if any of what they have caught is interesting one a wider scale but it has been for us. Favourites so far have been a buff tip and a pale prominent (a smart looking moth) though this mornings eyed hawk moth will take some beating. If there is anywhere that they should submit 'sightings' to let me know and I will pass it on to them.
Click to expand...
 
Hi, the excellent Norfolk Moths website is a great resource for all things mothy in the county, including a facility to submit sightings.
The Buff-tip is a beautiful moth which mimics a broken birch twig to a quite remarkable degree, whilst the Pale Prominent is a dead wood lookalike!
All the best with your mothing, Rob.
 
Thanks for the info on how to record the moths that they catch, I have passed it on to them.

Popped round there this morning after getting a call to say that they had a couple of hawk moths. Was well pleased to see my first ever elephant hawk-moth.
 

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At Strumpshaw on sunday we came across two Red-tipped Clearwings on the path from Fen hide to the River.

I've now had reports of Ringlet, Small Skipper and Silver-studded Blues.
Dark-green Fritillaries ought to be flying by now, but I've not had any reports. Anyone on the coast spotted one yet?
 
HarassedDad said:
At Strumpshaw on sunday we came across two Red-tipped Clearwings on the path from Fen hide to the River.

I've now had reports of Ringlet, Small Skipper and Silver-studded Blues.
Dark-green Fritillaries ought to be flying by now, but I've not had any reports. Anyone on the coast spotted one yet?
Click to expand...

Theres been some seen at Winterton this week
 
Lilac beauty in the house this morning - new to moths so not sure how unusual it is but is a very smart looking moth.

EDIT - adding a coupe of photos.
 

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The first silver washed fritillary of the year was seen at Swanton Novers this afternoon with a second fritillary ( probable SWF , but a Dark green Fritillary was seen last year on site ) later but too far off the be 100% sure of its ID. They are a little early. In contrast no white admarils yet , about a week late so far. A few brimstones about in what is normaly a lull time of year. Late flying spring butterflies or early high summer individuals?
 
I've had a single report of White Admiral from Saturday. Your's is the first swf I've heard of. Brimstones are new brood I think, as are small torts and peacocks (very few of these as yet).

Reported so far this year:
Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Large, Small
and Green-veined Whites, Orangetip, Brimstone, Swallowtail, Small Copper,
Common Blue, Holly Blue, Silver-studded Blue, Brown Argus, Green Hairstreak,
Dark-green and silver-washed frits, Small and Yellow-legged Torts,Red Admiral,
White Admiral, Comma, Peacock, Painted Lady, Speckled Wood,
Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Wall Brown and Small Heath.

Probably flying but not yet reported are essex skipper, White-letter and purple hairstreaks, and gatekeeper. Shortly out will be grayling and chalkhill blue.
 
White Admirals out today at Swanton Novers (2). Several brimstones too over the past few days. Our local brimstones usually vanish in late May or the first few days of June. The new brood usually reapear in the second \ third week in July , but this year they have been continious so far with odd individuals most weeks since the spring. Likewise the common blues have been continious since early June this year. Usually there is a very small first brood in late May\early June and then a second much larger brood in August. had a good look for purple hairstreaks today, conditions were perfect , but none seen though its a tad early yet. But this year the flight periods of several species of butterflies seem all over the place. Loads of speckled woods now after a very late start ( a month ) to the flight period.

Moths ( when there are any ) are the same with some spring species lasting until well into June. The June moth catches are down by about 90% this year and often the traps are empty even on mild nights. This is unheard of at this time of year.
 
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In a "normal" year, we've usually had everything except Chalkhill Blue by the end of June. But yes, in the context of this year it's early, considering no hairstreaks have been reported yet.
 

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