Only three days left ...

[Padraig]

Another thing that St P. banished from Ireland?

That would be an ecumenical question, ff.
Glad you liked the flower.

[Ian Thumwood]

Staggered to see a thread about butterflies and moths on this site!

I was a member of Butterfly Conservation until a couple of years ago when I stopped as I found that I never had time to read the magazine.

With regard to the butterflies this year, I feel it has been poor. There are loads of whites around (assume they are usually large whites but find them difficult to distinguish with the green-veined varieties) yet I've seen little of anything else. In fact, it wasn't until this afternoon that I saw the first Holly Blue of the year. Anna might be interested to know that there are actually two butterfly reserves near Winchester where I live - Yew Tree Hill and Magdelen Hill. Both usually have an abundance of blues though I've been to neither this year. In my village there is also a small area of grass land which is often full up with marbled whites, chalkhill blues and Small skippers. Not seen anything this year albeit I have only been out birdwatching once along the river. The Magdelen Hill site is the only place where I have seen green hairstreaks which I understand are supposed to be common. I've never seen them anywhere else despite looking. They are one of our smallest butterflies. You won't find orange tips at the moment as they are generally a spring butterfly like the green haristreak and the brimestone - the brimestone that you might be seeing at the moment are a second generation. Not seen too many tortoiseshells, red admirals or peascocks. I think the former have been seriously impacted by the the flies which predate the caterpillars - at one point I read that they would be extinct in the UK within five years. (Butterfly Conversation figures.)

Last week a grayling flew in through the window of my site cabin. This is the first time I have seen this butterfly and can be added to the ringlet that I saw for the first time whilst on holiday in France this year too.

Moths are a nightmare to identify. I had a magpie moth in my garden the other week and have seen an number of other curious moths that I have tried to look up in the guide I have with the excellent illustrations by Richard Lewington. I always struggle with this as so many of them are very similar. There are a few easy moths like the black arches or buff tip moth that I can identify but even when you see a brunett moth, I struggle to count if it has five or six spots on it's wings!!

Hope that this helps.

Ian

[Ian Thumwood]

French Frank

the blue butterfly on your buddleia was probably a Holly blue

[french frank]

French Frank

the blue butterfly on your buddleia was probably a Holly blue

Thanks, Ian. It may not have been a vintage year, but it must surely be better than last year when the rain went on and on.

[Richard Tarleton]

Has anyone seen the more 'exotic' ones such as a Monarch?

I've seen one in 40-odd years of watching butterflies. We're approaching the season they're most likely to be seen - the autumn N American hurricane season, when they get displaced across the Atlantic. They have one of the most awesome life stories of any wild creature. Spending the winter in Mexico, they migrate north up the N American continent, taking 4 generations to reach Canada. The great-great grandchildren of the butterflies that left Mexico that spring then begin the return migration that same autumn, only this time doing it in one hit. Some of these get caught in Atlantic low pressure systems, a few make it right across the Atlantic.

I saw mine on a westerly coastal headland in Pembrokeshire in late September a few years ago. It flew up from rough grass and heather near my feet, a huge butterfly far bigger than any I've seen in Europe. There had been a run of Atlantic weather systems, and a gale was on its way in a day later. I followed it for a while with my binoculars, then lost it.

Sadly their winter quarters in Mexico are under threat from logging.

[amateur51]

I've seen one in 40-odd years of watching butterflies. We're approaching the season they're most likely to be seen - the autumn N American hurricane season, when they get displaced across the Atlantic. They have one of the most awesome life stories of any wild creature. Spending the winter in Mexico, they migrate north up the N American continent, taking 4 generations to reach Canada. The great-great grandchildren of the butterflies that left Mexico that spring then begin the return migration that same autumn, only this time doing it in one hit. Some of these get caught in Atlantic low pressure systems, a few make it right across the Atlantic.

I saw mine on a westerly coastal headland in Pembrokeshire in late September a few years ago. It flew up from rough grass and heather near my feet, a huge butterfly far bigger than any I've seen in Europe. There had been a run of Atlantic weather systems, and a gale was on its way in a day later. I followed it for a while with my binoculars, then lost it.

Sadly their winter quarters in Mexico are under threat from logging.

Fascinating story, RT - many thanks!

And very good to see you back

[french frank]

According to Patrick Barkham, there are 59 'regular residents', the Monarch, of course, not being one (and he didn't see one in his year of butterfly spotting). One that I was always fascinated by from seeing it in my butterfly books as a child was the Camberwell Beauty. Alas, it seems that is also no longer a visitor.

[Richard Tarleton]

According to Patrick Barkham, there are 59 'regular residents', the Monarch, of course, not being one (and he didn't see one in his year of butterfly spotting). One that I was always fascinated by from seeing it in my butterfly books as a child was the Camberwell Beauty. Alas, it seems that is also no longer a visitor.

A real beauty, that one. Known as the "Mourning Cloak" in N America. I've seen it once in N Spain, and a few sightings while doing the Tour of Monte Rosa (Swiss/Italian Alps).

[french frank]

A real beauty, that one. Known as the "Mourning Cloak" in N America. I've seen it once in N Spain, and a few sightings while doing the Tour of Monte Rosa (Swiss/Italian Alps).

What a wonderful trek that must have been - and to see the CB into the bargain. One of my favourite regions (though not quite as high up!) - Graubünden - and with that local steinbock lording it on the ridge

[Richard Tarleton]

What a wonderful trek that must have been - and to see the CB into the bargain. One of my favourite regions (though not quite as high up!) - Graubünden - and with that local steinbock lording it on the ridge

Had its moments - we had a memorable night here, which I am very sad to see has since been destroyed by fire. Never was sight more welcome - we were doing the trek in July, were caught in a thunderstorm on the ascent, and arrived soaked. Descending to Zermatt past the Matterhorn unforgettable.

[french frank]

Descending to Zermatt past the Matterhorn unforgettable.

Descending to Zermatt? I took the Brig-Visp-Zermatt train once up to Zermatt. It was full of Japanese tourists, and the loco was called the Mount Fuji!!! Back on topic, sort of, I also once took the Arosa Express from Chur to Arosa which was memorably overtaken by a butterfly (it used to be advertised as the slowest express train in the world).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Wow! What a picture. I've always wanted to see a real, non-virtual Camberwell beauty. I photographed a clouded yellow in the garden this morning, but I had the wrong lens on, so could get close enough.

[french frank]

Wow! What a picture. I've always wanted to see a real, non-virtual Camberwell beauty. I photographed a clouded yellow in the garden this morning, but I had the wrong lens on, so could get close enough.

Is anyone still using SLR and film for macro photography? I know I should switch to a proper digital camera to get reasonable results but I can't bear to think my old OM1 + lenses are now redundant

[umslopogaas]

I used to do a lot of macrophotography with my Canon F1, but that was in pre-digital days. It has languished unused in a drawer for many years until for some reason I recently wanted a photo and had a sudden panic at the thought I might not be able to buy film any more. Anyway, rushed to Boots and found that I can, though the choice is much more limited than it once was. I have a book on digital photography, but it sits unread on the shelf and I have never invested in any equipment. I think it would have to be very expensive and high resolution stuff to give better results than my FD 50 mm macro. So no, at least for the moment the old SLR kit is still perfectly usable.

[AmpH]

Is anyone still using SLR and film for macro photography? I know I should switch to a proper digital camera to get reasonable results but I can't bear to think my old OM1 + lenses are now redundant

I still use my OM4Ti + lenses - the spot metering remains superb , but not as much as I used to now that I have acquired a Nikon digital SLR + lenses.