Norfolk Butterflies and Moths (1 Viewer)

[Paul Eele]

I walked out to Gun Hill on Sunday afternoon looking for butterflies. Had a successful afternoon with 19 species including 25-30 dark green frits at the north end of the seawall feeding on thistle, good numbers of painted lady plus single white admiral and purple hairstreaks at the west end of Holkham Pines.

On my way out, between the 2nd and 3rd gate from the parking area by the A149 I saw what looked like a 'very large tortoiseshell'. It looked large enough for me to get the book out to check if it was a Large Tortoiseshell but it didn't fit the illustration and I assumed it to just be an odd small tort. It was too flighty to get any photos but the words bug*er have sprung to mind having looked at the yellow legged tort photos.
Sadly it will have to go into the 'one that got away' category but worth a look for if you are heading that way.

Oh well

Paul

 

[David142]

Anymore precise direction for Costessey scarce tort?

 

[HarassedDad]

Sorry,just got back from work. Same site as the clouded yellows last year apparently.There were directions posted on this thread at the time if you page back.

 

[James Emerson]

General directions for Queen's Hills are on page 58 of this thread (over several posts). Interestingly BirdGuides have put up that access may be arranged for Saturday and Sunday, inferring that the Scarce Tortoiseshell is in a part of the estate that is normally off-limits.

 

[ashley banwell]

Spent a couple of hours looking at Queen's Hills this afternoon but as it now sounds, probably in the wrong place. Would have been good of them to have said its in a private area if thats the case, anyhow it was a poor turn out of observers for a potential first for UK, just 4 of us looking!!

 

[tonyfenn]

They are now saying access from 10am tomorrow.Spoke to staff at Minsmere today and they are saying theirs is a second for Britain.

 

[ChrisBish]

Either way it would have been nice to know about, living so close!

Have had good numbers of Diamond-backs and Silver Ys in my moth trap in Dereham, so penetrating inland!

I think I'm slightly closer David, I could walk to the area that had Clouded Yellow last year in 15 mins! Frustratingly, work looks set to get in the way of an easy twitch if access is arranged, unless it hangs around for a few days (or maybe I'll start late tomorrow...)

 

[ben_lewis]

Even with access I'm not sure it'll be an easy twitch, especially with the cloud cover and cool air this morning, the sun is supposed to break through (but we've all seen forecasts recently go wrong!).

I'll be there at 10! Although from the looks of the grid ref and bing maps the car park is in the middle of an arable firld, so hopefully it'll be more obvious on the ground.

Hope it sticks! With the minsmere YL tort present too can we safely assume this is not from the local funeral release? It surely adds weight to the record IMO, ....still no Camberwell beauties reported either yet.

 

[Paul Eele]

White admiral in the carpark at Titchwell a couple of times this morning. I don't remember any other records in my time here so could be a new species for the reserve.

Paul

 

[James Emerson]

Can anyone who visited the Queen's Hills Scarce Tortoiseshell today give feedback? Is access dependent on someone being there, or is it possible to go in the evening? Was it present in the area the whole time or just showing occasionally? Did the layby fill up quickly etc etc.

Thanks,
James

 

[ben_lewis]

Hi James,
As far as access goes I'm not sure how ok it is just to go in, I'm guessing it probably will be ok. The Scarce Tort was on show from 11.25 to 12.00 and not seen before or since. The guys that ran the site said they would put it out on pagers etc if it returned, but how often they are there is unknown to me. The layby filled pretty quick as it was small but there was standard twitch parking along the road verges to accommodate everyone. Good luck, hope it returns!

 

[HarassedDad]

Stop press. We now have three in Norfolk - which makes my concerns about the release near to QH pretty moot. One was photographed yesterday and today at Burgh Castle, and another was seen at a private site near Wells. There are almost certainly more about, worth checking your local patch.

editing to add: No. 4 has just turned up: photographed in a garden in Hoveton yesterday

 

[firstreesjohn]

Stop Stop Press

3 valesina reported at Holt CP today. I saw one. The Rangers counted 30 Silver-washed on Monday: this is about 50% up on last year's maximum. Excellent.

Even worse, I've just heard of a Yellow-leg IN SHERINGHAM ! JUST UP THE ROAD (Holway Road, actually), from where I live.

And there was me searching in rather less urbanised locales.

Curses ! Will be checking in the morning.

 

[tonyfenn]

Is that yellow leg as gull or tort?

 

[firstreesjohn]

Is that yellow leg as gull or tort?

With the greatest respect, this IS a thread for Lepidoptera.

 

[HarassedDad]

Try to encourage the finder to report the sheringham sighting - It's new to me.

Bug Alert has a sighting from a layby at Taverham. I've no details, but it might be the Queens Hills individual relocating. (Taverham Garden center springs to mind.)

 

[tonyfenn]

Stranger things have been posted on here. Just making sure

 

[ben_lewis]

Given that their food plant is willow in wetlands, is a colonisation of the broads and all similar habitat a real possibility? It appears that multiples have been seen so it's also possibly safe to assume there are far more out there that have not been identified/found/reported
So a genuine question... Could scarce tortoiseshell colonise and survive in the uk or are are we too marginal and cold? In recent years we have seen willow emerald and small red eyed damselfly do similar (although, obviously not butterflies!) so are we whitnessing another major event or just a few lost leps?

 

[James Emerson]

The grid reference for access to the Queen's Hills site is a layby on the Ringland Road just south of Taverham so I think it just refers to the original location.

Bug Alert has a sighting from a layby at Taverham. I've no details, but it might be the Queens Hills individual relocating. (Taverham Garden center springs to mind.)

 

[tonyfenn]

Are there any suitable flowering plants at Sherringham in bloom at the moment? and if so what butterflies are likely to be seen? Was thinking about a visit there