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..
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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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)
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.
I would do the count but being in Belgium would rule me out i think.
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
Hail the sailors of the skies
lycaena of the gramin seas
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