Norfolk Butterflies and Moths (2 Viewers)

[HarassedDad]

No - chalkhills were introduced to warham a few years ago: it's not a native norfolk species and afaik, it's never been at narborough.

Yet another silver-washed reported today from foxley wood: that's twitchable - it was seen midday today so should be about tomorrow. That's at least 5 in norfolk, and I'm chasing a possible 6th.

 

[Happisbirder]

Are all these Silver-washed Frits likely to be genuine or are they perhaps spreading from a captive release somewhere?

James

 

[HarassedDad]

I'm now convinced they're genuine. A release would likely produce a number of individuals in a single location, but what we're seeing is single insects in multiple, widely seperated spots. Either we have a demented breeder driving round norfolk, or they are genuine migrants. Rob Parker, the Suffolk recorder, now believes he has a breeding population in a wood close to the purple emperor release site. He saw 11 frits there last week - having seen some last year. I would speculate that they're coming from there. (How they got there originally is of course a different matter! But even if they were originally released there last year, these particular insects have emerged in the wild this year)


Editing to add we are now up to 9 individuals with 2 reported from sheringham and 2 from holkham.

 

[ChrisBish]

Whoops! Seems I wrote off the silver washed too soon. I now have a report with photo of one from STANTA, and Suffolk has two reports this week. So it looks like they're genuine, and we have a miny invasion on our hands. So check carefully any large orange butterfly you see this week!

Funny enough I got a hummingbird hawk today in a random tetrad: at TM326896
And we've just gone under 200 unsurveyed tetrads (just, we've 199 to go)

HD you've reminded me of a large orangy butterfly I had a week or so ago at my kids school near Wymondham. It flew through strongly, not stopping, and at the time I thought it looked like a frit but ended up convincing myself that it was one of those larger commas, even though it just didn't feel right. Been a while since I saw SWF and the view simply wasn't good enough but interesting nontheless!!!

Chris

 

[HarassedDad]

That makes 16 possibles or definates from 13 locations so far. Press release sent out today, so hopefully some stories in the media this weekend - and possibly more sighting reports as a result (although I'll have to filter out all the commas!).

In other news, I'm currently chasing rumours of Brown Hairstreak on the suffolk/norfolk border, and marbled white in the west of the county. Clouded Yellow reported from costessey yesterday, so lots to keep an eye out for.

 

[Irene Boston]

Hummingbird Hawkmoth

Just had Hummingbird Hawkmoth in the garden in Dersingham (TF63V)

 

[Lawts]

I'm now convinced they're genuine. A release would likely produce a number of individuals in a single location, but what we're seeing is single insects in multiple, widely seperated spots. Either we have a demented breeder driving round norfolk, or they are genuine migrants. Rob Parker, the Suffolk recorder, now believes he has a breeding population in a wood close to the purple emperor release site. He saw 11 frits there last week - having seen some last year. I would speculate that they're coming from there. (How they got there originally is of course a different matter! But even if they were originally released there last year, these particular insects have emerged in the wild this year)


Editing to add we are now up to 9 individuals with 2 reported from sheringham and 2 from holkham.

Interestingly, I saw Silver-washed at Glapthorn, Northants this year. They were discovered at the site last year, and their origin wasn't clear. Despite them being seen this year, Glapthorn isn't supposed to have the plants required by the species for egg-laying.

Work that one out.

 

[Tractorboy69]

Painted Lady in Felbrigg Park today, think that's only the second one I've seen this year with the first in early June.

Simon

 

[Happisbirder]

The weather was a bit of a mixed bag today but the sun shone as I walked the dog out and there were literally scores of Silver-Y's on the Knapweed plants along our route. Numbers of 'Browns' seemed lower but a pristine Painted Lady was welcome. In the garden later a low hum caught my attention; it was another Hummingbird Hawkmoth... ||

James

 

[HarassedDad]

Now 21 Silver-washed from 15 sites. Latest was beccles common on saturday. A very interesting report was of three seen at a spot where one was seen last year. This was "just outside Swaffham on the bridleway that passes through Beachamwell Warren TF762076 off the road to Downham Market."

Incidently has anyone checked on chalkhill blues at warham camp? Are they still there?

 

[SteveClifton]

Now 21 Silver-washed from 15 sites. Latest was beccles common on saturday. A very interesting report was of three seen at a spot where one was seen last year. This was "just outside Swaffham on the bridleway that passes through Beachamwell Warren TF762076 off the road to Downham Market."

Incidently has anyone checked on chalkhill blues at warham camp? Are they still there?

Not personally, but whilst on holiday last week, some friends we were on holiday with went along to see Brown Argus & Chalkhill Blue. The place was 'alive with butterflies', with around 30 of the latter (all very fresh and pristine) and only 2 BA.

By contrast, I saw only 4-5 very tatty Chalkhills there towards the end of August last year.


Steve

 

[Irene Boston]

Silver-washed Frits

In case anyone is not stuck at their desk like I am unable to get out... report on pager of 3+ Silver-washed Frits in the car park at Holt Country Park today, just in case anyone's within twitching reach!

 

[firstreesjohn]

Gateper loses kee ID feeture – I was quite Frit for a mo

Trundling slowly around Gramboro’ (after a quick trip to Holt in the quest for the never still Silver-washed Fritillaries. There were definitely THREE: one in good condition, one with the trailing edges of its hind-wings slightly tattered and the other with very tatty left wings.), I spotted an odd-looking butt.

A Gatekeeper had an anomaly with its left fore-wing: it was missing the black spot with its characteristic pair of white dots. It reminded me that I’d seen one of its aberrant cousins last week in Devon.

Pleasant to relate is that the old post office at Salthouse has now re-opened, almost three years since it closed down. It now sells food, newspapers and tourist items. Don’t tell Penny, but the owner bakes her own scones ! Since it was late afternoon, I didn’t buy one, but they looked good.

 

[HarassedDad]

Just had a report of 240 chalkhills at warham on Tuesday! 220 were males, so the majority of females haven't emerged yet.
Anyone seen a second-brood swallowtail yet?

 

[James Emerson]

I finally saw my first Painted Lady of the year, one at the start of the path to the bird screen at Whitlingham today.

 

[NoSpringChicken]

Anyone seen a second-brood swallowtail yet?

I was at Strumpshaw on Saturday and there was a Swallowtail reported on the board last Thursday. I don't know if that was a second-brood butterfly.

I saw my first Painted Lady of the year there on Saturday, on the Lackford Run, and two more over the border at Minsmere on Sunday.

Ron

 

[jimbob]

Had my first Painted Lady of the year today, on the track leading to the hide at Rockland Broad.
Cheers,
Jim.

 

[Paul Woolnough]

Gotcha!

Started the day at Walsey Hills hoping for a view of the crane (which had a bad leg or something). No sign.

Climbed the new steps and just one butterfly on the buddleia. A peacock. My first second brood record of this species in 2010 in Norfolk (where have they gone||). Upon reaching the scrubby oaks above the main road I stopped, vainly looking for the crane. Herons and little egrets not as good as a male purple hairstreak flitting about a scrubby oak at waist height.

After poor views of the hooded crow from Cley Beach Road I drove to Holt Country Park. Weather gloomy. As luck would have it a broad-bordered (not narrow!) bee hawkmoth landed on the buddleia by the car park toilet block. Near impossible to photograph.

Luckily the sun came out for a short while. A comma and large white joined the only butterfly in the cloudy weather: a small white. Then a fellow watcher saw a silver-washed fritillary fly in. Only my second Norfolk sighting after a doubtfully wild one from Bayfield Natural Surroundings on 29 July 2006 (at Bayfield three close white-letter hairstreaks that day, I digress).

Some shots for illustrative purposes only.

 

[Irene Boston]

Managed to miss the Silver-washed Frit at Holt by 20 minutes (don't ask!) after spending most of the morning staring at a buddleia with a scenic bog background. A Broad-bordered Bee Hawkmoth on said buddleia was some compensation though.

At least 20+ Chalkhills very active at Warham Camp in fairly indifferent cloudy weather.

Irene

 

[firstreesjohn]

A Hawkmoth, B Hawkmoth, C Hawkmoth ?

After about four hours at 'The Buddleia' in the car park at Holt Country Park, I managed to see the attached (poor photo, as my hands were shaking with exhaustion and excitement). It seems the afternoon is better.

For most of us present, it was a 'tick'.

A rather tatty Hummingbird Hawkmoth and 2 ragged Silver-washed Fritillaries also came and went.

No White Admirals- presumably, they're over.