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<blockquote data-quote="Jos Stratford" data-source="post: 3606747" data-attributes="member: 12449"><p><strong><u>12 August. One Day Heatwave.</u></strong></p><p><strong><u></u></strong></p><p>Hottest day of the year, 35 C, but a massive reduction in overall butterfly numbers.</p><p></p><p>Started off at a favoured site in the southern border zone - two weeks earlier, 510 Marbled Whites at this site, 46 Meleager's Blues and many hundreds of Map Butterflies, Ringlets, Peacocks, Scarce Coppers et al. Today, a mere 14 <strong>Marbled Whites</strong>, single male and single female<strong> Meleager's Blues</strong> and a meagre four <strong>Map Butterflies</strong>, one <strong>Ringlet</strong> and dozen or so <strong>Peacocks</strong> and <strong>Scarce Coppers</strong>.</p><p></p><p><strong>Brimstones</strong> and <strong>Small Whites</strong> remained in their hundreds, but reductions too in virtually all other species, fewer browns, fewer fritillaries, just one <strong>Swallowtail</strong>, just one <strong>Camberwell Beauty</strong> and on it went. Fast forwarding towards the end of the season.</p><p></p><p>Fortunately, a few species were going the other way - in a good year for them, <strong>Chalkhill Blues</strong> had increased to at least 70 at this locality, so too an increase in <strong>Common Blues</strong> (about 60 present), <strong>Small Heaths </strong>(about 25) and<strong> Small Tortoiseshells</strong> (about 35). Other species of note, a couple of <strong>Queen of Spain Fritillaries</strong>, one <strong>Reverdin's Blue</strong> and two <strong>Silver-spotted Skippers</strong>. One<strong> Large Grizzled Skipper</strong> too.</p><p></p><p>Pretty much the same picture at my next locality, <strong>Marbled Whites</strong> down from 65 to a lone single and drops of 95-99% in many other species, <strong>Peacocks</strong>, assorted fritillaries and <strong>Essex Skippers</strong> included. Again though, a slight rise in <strong>Chalkhill Blues</strong> and a notable rise in <strong>Common Blues</strong>. As at the earlier site, also a single <strong>Reverdin's Blue</strong>, a single <strong>Swallowtail </strong>and a single <strong>Camberwell Beauty</strong>.</p><p></p><p>Far too hot to be lamenting the lack of butterflies as I wandering around withered flowers and thistleheads now shedding masses of airborne seeds, I departed and headed home. Stopped aside a lack midway, two <strong>Pallas's Fritillaries</strong> a nice surprise (only my fourth this year, all the others in mid-July), plus several<strong> Red Admirals</strong> and three <strong>Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries</strong>.</p><p></p><p>Recorded 36 species this day, 14 lower than two weeks earlier at the same sites.</p><p></p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong><u>13 August. Army Day.</u></strong></p><p></p><p>Into the restricted access military zones, a few square kilometres of habitat that supports the only <strong>Tree Graylings</strong> in the Baltic States. A near continual pop pop pop of gunfire signalled it was perhaps wise to proceed with caution. Meandered through pine forest to arrive at the spot I wanted - open sandy dunes with stunted tree growth. But darn, military exercises were close - between the firing, I could even hear the guys shouting. Having no wish to get caught, I concentrated my search on one small area of heath in the lea of a ridge ..<strong>.Rock Grayling</strong>, <strong>Grayling</strong>, two <strong>Swallowtails</strong>, <strong>Silver-studded Blues</strong>. No <strong>Tree Grayling</strong>.</p><p></p><p>Excellent habitat before me, but way too open - I would surely have been spotted. So near, so far - I guess this will be a species I miss this year.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Jos Stratford, post: 3606747, member: 12449"] [B][U]12 August. One Day Heatwave. [/U][/B] Hottest day of the year, 35 C, but a massive reduction in overall butterfly numbers. Started off at a favoured site in the southern border zone - two weeks earlier, 510 Marbled Whites at this site, 46 Meleager's Blues and many hundreds of Map Butterflies, Ringlets, Peacocks, Scarce Coppers et al. Today, a mere 14 [B]Marbled Whites[/B], single male and single female[B] Meleager's Blues[/B] and a meagre four [B]Map Butterflies[/B], one [B]Ringlet[/B] and dozen or so [B]Peacocks[/B] and [B]Scarce Coppers[/B]. [B]Brimstones[/B] and [B]Small Whites[/B] remained in their hundreds, but reductions too in virtually all other species, fewer browns, fewer fritillaries, just one [B]Swallowtail[/B], just one [B]Camberwell Beauty[/B] and on it went. Fast forwarding towards the end of the season. Fortunately, a few species were going the other way - in a good year for them, [B]Chalkhill Blues[/B] had increased to at least 70 at this locality, so too an increase in [B]Common Blues[/B] (about 60 present), [B]Small Heaths [/B](about 25) and[B] Small Tortoiseshells[/B] (about 35). Other species of note, a couple of [B]Queen of Spain Fritillaries[/B], one [B]Reverdin's Blue[/B] and two [B]Silver-spotted Skippers[/B]. One[B] Large Grizzled Skipper[/B] too. Pretty much the same picture at my next locality, [B]Marbled Whites[/B] down from 65 to a lone single and drops of 95-99% in many other species, [B]Peacocks[/B], assorted fritillaries and [B]Essex Skippers[/B] included. Again though, a slight rise in [B]Chalkhill Blues[/B] and a notable rise in [B]Common Blues[/B]. As at the earlier site, also a single [B]Reverdin's Blue[/B], a single [B]Swallowtail [/B]and a single [B]Camberwell Beauty[/B]. Far too hot to be lamenting the lack of butterflies as I wandering around withered flowers and thistleheads now shedding masses of airborne seeds, I departed and headed home. Stopped aside a lack midway, two [B]Pallas's Fritillaries[/B] a nice surprise (only my fourth this year, all the others in mid-July), plus several[B] Red Admirals[/B] and three [B]Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries[/B]. Recorded 36 species this day, 14 lower than two weeks earlier at the same sites. [B][U]13 August. Army Day.[/U][/B][U][/U] Into the restricted access military zones, a few square kilometres of habitat that supports the only [B]Tree Graylings[/B] in the Baltic States. A near continual pop pop pop of gunfire signalled it was perhaps wise to proceed with caution. Meandered through pine forest to arrive at the spot I wanted - open sandy dunes with stunted tree growth. But darn, military exercises were close - between the firing, I could even hear the guys shouting. Having no wish to get caught, I concentrated my search on one small area of heath in the lea of a ridge ..[B].Rock Grayling[/B], [B]Grayling[/B], two [B]Swallowtails[/B], [B]Silver-studded Blues[/B]. No [B]Tree Grayling[/B]. Excellent habitat before me, but way too open - I would surely have been spotted. So near, so far - I guess this will be a species I miss this year. [/QUOTE]
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