Numbers of Butterflies

Bijdezee

Are you noticing a big upsurge in the numbers of butterflies in this hot spell? Most I've seen here so far. Not much room on the Echinacea broom right now..

Hostafan1

I've not noticed butterfly numbers up, but I've never seen so many dragon/damselflies .

Jellyfire

Lovely @Bijdezee, I love commas, and I agree there is a definite increase here, I can see at least 4 or 5 on the wing everywhere I look. Far more than usual. I Took a few seconds video on the wildflowers yesterday as there were so many. Difficult to see any other than the whites on it, but there were skippers, meadow browns, gatekeepers, ringlets all fluttering around on this one little patch 

purplerallim

In the Midlands, where I live in a village surrounded by fields, this year is slow. The whites are starting to appear , but the little blues have disappeared.  No sign of peacock or red admirals yet.

Jellyfire

We always do the Big Butterfly Count every year, so that will be a good chance to see if they are up or not. Well worth signing up for or downloading the app for anybody intersted. 
It starts on 20th June until 12th August, and you can do as many counts as you like within that period 

https://www.bigbutterflycount.org

(actually looks like you can do counts now on the website)

Bijdezee

That's lovely JEllyfire, all those wild flowers. Ive seen ringlets and holly blue plus the usual small and large whites, painted lady, red admirals and loads of peacock butterflies. I think its because there is a bank of nettles behind our back fence along the dykes.

Reminds me that i must drag hubby out for a walk around the area, see what else i can find. He says im obsessed with it, probably right. 

Bijdezee

I would do the count but being in Belgium would rule me out i think. 

Jellyfire

Ah yep maybe not then Bijdezee, although you can still use the app to log sightings in belgium, so who knows, you could have your own little niche survey! 

For anyone not seeing many at the moment, it could be that the 'June Lull', which is a quiet period between broods, is late this year after the cold late spring, you might find they pick up a lot in the next couple of weeks

Fire

Hail the sailors of the skies

lycaena of the gramin seas

sails unbattened over waves

 

Hail the wide hespirid skipper

seeking gorse shores clouded yellow

over dappled heath and heather

 

Ho the silverwashed flotilla

the pierid wash of shine fritilla

 

Hail the pearldown chalkhill fleet  

over speckled wood, meliae,

ivy, holly, ash and alder

 

Over march and marsh and mallow

light the argus meadow sweet

Guernsey Donkey2

We have had red admirals, meadow brown, speckled wood, white (not sure which), the small common blue, holly blue, painted lady and a fritillary (not sure which one).  I am hoping to see some wall browns but none so far.

Bijdezee

I havent seen a fritillary here yet Guernsey. They are lovely.