2018 in butterflies

The butterfly-lights of last year!

 And what a year it was. I went from fairly keen to enthusiast and the count went up from 17 to 26 species. But the star of the show was the weather. We actually had a great Summer!! I can't remember the last, though they say it was 1976. It was freakishly Summer-like weather for loads of May, June and July and I was out taking photos of our fluttery friends, who, like myself, do not work very well in the rain. It was outstanding!

Spring was late in arriving. The Winter seemed to go on and on and the crocuses got at least 2 burials in snow before the Winter receded. So it was a late Spring and halfway through April before I saw any butterflies. (First in 2017 was a Small tort on 9th March.) Apart from on facebook, where the folk down South had been unhelpfully posting butterfly pics for weeks before. My first sightings were in Aberdeenshire on the 15th April; 2 Small torts and a Peacock, (no photos worthy of posting here) while we were visiting Mary's mum and sister. I was more excited about the birds visiting their feeders as I hadn't seen a great spotted woodpecker up close before.

20th April and during a run through the Hermitage I came across this Comma

and Peacock both enjoying the Spring sunshine.

first encounter with bee-flies

Small tortoiseshells courting, Gullane

6th May Pressmennan Woods

In 2017 I had been happy to record butterflies as I came across them while out running. I realised it might be possible to see more exotic species by reading books, checking material online and consulting or hanging out with experts. On the 7th May I cycled out to the Pentlands to meet Victor the ranger who was leading a survey to check out numbers of Green Hairstreak. The weather obliged and we found, at 2 different sites, reasonably healthy colonies of this diminutive beauty, the UK's only bright green butterfly. Quite tricky to see and to follow in their preferred foodplant, Blaeberry. The first of nine species new to me for 2018.

Green hairstreak

On the 10th May I caught a train to Dunbar and ran inland up the local hills. There was an explosion of whites before I even left the town, the local gardens full of Green veined (above), Small and Large (below). I didn't have any definitive photos of Large whites from 2017 so this was my 2nd new species for the year.

On the way out of town I stopped to photograph the first Speckled woods of the year just after the A1 underpass. (A fortnight earlier than 2017.) They like to bask in sunny spots near trees and are a personal favourite. Difficult to say why exactly, but they hang out in sun-dappled woods and aren't skittish. Often quite happy to pose for pics. Quite territorial and will defend their spot against all-comers.

A couple of miles inland near a broken down cottage and some untended land full of flowering nettles and scrub, dozens of whites, including Orange tips were all partying like it was 1999. I only got 1 photo an Orange tip in 2017. This year they were everywhere, although not always accommodating about landing; I have chased some for hundreds of yards fruitlessly.

(female) Orange tip

Green-veined white

During the same run I passed through Woodhall Dean. It is a delightful place but not great for butterflies. In fact there was nothing there but one reluctant Comma, and I ended up talking to this beetle for company.

2nd Speckleds, Dalkeith Country Pk, 13th May

14th May. A week after the first Green hairstreak survey there was a second chance to visit the Pentlands with Victor and check out 2 more venues. The weather was great (again!) so I went along. One of the sites was right beside gorse bushes which the GHs used as vantage points. This made the chaps (most likely males carving out territory and defending it - chasing each other in tight fast circles like maniacs!) easier to spot and photograph. I was determined to get better pics than the last time and the flowering gorse really helped.

Orange tip (male)

Green-veined white

shelducks

I went looking for Small coppers at Dalmeny but didn't find any. There were plenty whites, esp Orange tips, but no coppers.

Small blue, the UK's smallest butterfly

17th May and word came from Butterfly Conservation (E Scotland branch) that Small Blues had been spotted along the coastal path North of Berwick-upon-Tweed. These quite rare specimens were on my list of must-see, so I made contact with Iain Cowe of Butterfly Conservation who gave me a shopping list of potential butterflies (and caterpillars and wildlife) to look out for on the coastal path between Berwick and St Abbs, and where exactly I would see them.  5.5 miles North of Bewick I had found the Small blues at exactly the co-ordinates he had given me and spent a great day ticking off the items on his list.

Small blue - Cupido minimus.

3rd new species

Checking out Blakie Heugh, (no Small blues here on this occasion) I came across the first Painted lady of the year. I had only seen one very ghostly, tattered and well-travelled example in 2017 (even more knackered than this one), though they were fairly abundant in 2016. Despite the faded colours this was still a strong flier and I had to creep up slowly after it settled.

I then ran down past Eyemouth and along to St Abbs where, as predicted by Iain, I got the first pics of Small coppers of the year. It was a great season for the coppers and they began to appear in places I'd never seen them before.

first Small copper of the year

another favourite; neat, copper coloured beauty, dazzling when fresh

Similarly Wall butterflies. (Only got 2 photos last year in E Lothian!) There were a few on this trip but later in the year they were every hundred yards up this same stretch of coastal path. A handsome and decorative sort, like an orange Speckled wood, but much more twitchy and liable to fly off at a range of around 12'.

Wall

Small copper on the John Muir Way (a first sighting here for me)

The warm weather produced a super-abundance of insects, although this was not always welcome as the pic of a blizzard of greenfly (above) in Aberlady, shows. Later that same day we came across 4 spotted chasers beside Marl Loch. I took a couple of photos of what I thought were buff coloured dragonflies until I got home and realised they were shimmering golden beauties. Never seen these here before in maybe 8 years of regular visits. Have they always been here in smaller numbers? It kick-started a real enthusiasm for odonata (damselflies and dragonflies) and I would look for ponds, streams and standing water on maps when planning runs. Like the butterflies they appear more readily in sunny weather, requiring the heat of the sun to start their motors.

4 Spot chaser

damselfly

p-b f

The fourth new species for 2018 was a Pearl-bordered fritillary. Another rarity and in perilous decline especially in England, this is a spectacular medium-sized fritillary, and one of our prettiest natives. A book suggested Linn of Tummel near Pitlochry and I read up much about where, and when, and what food plant, and what habits. Bought a train ticket and set off into unknown territory in search of an unknown quantity. I had heard they were very skittish and reluctant to settle long for photos. It seemed like it could be a fools errand but I planned a 25 mile run past a couple of potential sites. 

I found them 6 miles out of Pitlochry, and sure enough they proved nearly impossible to get a decent photo of. Man they were jumpy. Or just didn't land. Possibly the trickiest subjects I have come across. Feeling frustrated I continued the tour coming across many other delights on a long day out under the blazing sun. Eventually I returned to the original site where, at 4.30 in the afternoon they were less skittish, immediately prior to disappearing for the day. I got the best pics of the day all within that 5 minutes.

Specklie

green tiger beetle

Linn of Tummel - beautiful place to visit

It was a long day out in very warm weather. But I was extremely pleased to have tracked this rare quarry down using books and native wit. The difficulty of getting half-decent photos adds to the reward, though it was such a glorious part of the world on such a lovely day that it wasn't exactly great hardship! I returned home light-headed with sunstroke and success.

Pearl-bordered fritillary 

A running pal, Derek, had recommended Saltoun Big Wood and it's ponds for odonata. A square mile of mature trees and diverse wildlife, I fell in love with the place, even though on the 3rd June it was not particularly sunny and there were no dragonflies. There were Palmate newts (broad tail and webbed back paws) lacewings, damselflies, a million tadpoles and lots of insects and birdsong. I put it down for a re-visit next sunny long run. First of many trips there.

lacewing

4 Spot chasers again at Marl Loch

Cinnabar moth, Aberlady

Each year I look forward to the return of the Common blues at Aberlady. First one I saw in 2018 was 23rd June. (2017 was 25th June.) They are just dazzlingly blue when freshly emerged and the word common does not do them any justice. I always expect them to be as pleased to see me, as I, them. However they are not, and will dive into the long grasses they inhabit, making photos tricky. The females, which are even more hidey, have an interesting and varied upper wing colour, making photos of them even more desirable. Mary is often left standing drumming fingers while I scramble through the long grasses cursing like a frenzied maniac, and saying "just five more minutes" while a bright blue postage stamp evades the camera and my clumsy attempts to sneak up unnoticed.

Northern Brown Argus

Fifth new species in 2018

Iain C, butterfly whisperer, was leading a walking group along the coastal paths from Burnmouth to Eyemouth on 24th June. The main specimen we were looking out for was the Northern Brown Argus, a relative of the Common blue and about the same size. A rich brown colour and with a white spot on either (upper) wing. We had hardly gone far enough to exchange names with our neighbours (there was a good attendance of about 20) when Iain was off the path and into the undergrowth, drawing our attention to a small thing atop a plant that we queued up to photograph. I realised why I might have been up and down this path a dozen times and still never seen one. 

It was a the start of an excellent day outdoors. The highlight was returning to Blakie Heugh, a clifftop suntrap shaded from the wind, which was just aflutter with butterflies and moths, though you had to remain alert as it would have been easy to back off a long drop into the sea while focussing a camera.

nba

Small heath

nba

Large Skipper

6th new species

I believe the high result count continued into Eyemouth, but I had a secondary plan, so left the group to it, and ran back to Burnmouth. From there I ran a handful of miles over towards Chirnside because I had heard there were Banded demoiselles at Bluestone Ford. A large, exotic and totally science fiction damselfly. Tip off from George, a local runner and very keen wildlife enthusiast.

Meadow brown

Bluestone Ford turned out to be just fabulous. A very picturesque river running between banks of reeds, with butterflies and insects buzzing about while mums and kids splashed barefoot in the summer sun. George turned up and I managed to get a couple of pics of these outlandish creatures, looking far too tropical for Scotland. When I saw the results once home I knew I'd have to have a return trip. As Iain said these crazy looking insects are addictive.

banded demoiselle (male)

Small pearl-bordered fritillary

7th new species

The next Pentland ranger-led survey was in search of the Small pearl-bordered fritillary. I could see how the Pentlands could have hidden the tiny Green hairstreak from me, in 18 years of running there, but I was looking forward to the ranger pulling these beauties out a hat somewhere on a range of hills I was intimately familiar with. Most I ever came across was an occasional Red admiral looking a bit lost. However Victor once again proved that knowledge of when and where is everything, and after visiting a couple of less successful sites we eventually (after a mile of leaving the path and climbing a fence, going round the back of a marsh) came across a field of dozens of these delicate paintings.

This was 26th June and the fritillaries, only a shade smaller and blacker than the Pearl-bordereds, had been out for a while and were past the first flush of youth. There had been a successful survey the week before although I think word had got out about the fabulous weather and the S P-B Fs had emerged quite a bit earlier than usual. The surveys try to cover possible emerging dates by having one earlier and one later. So note to self: start looking mid-June if the weather is similar in 2019.

Cinnabar moth

D G F!

At last, the first sighting of a Dark green fritillary. Usually these magnificent specimens appear in ones and 2s at Aberlady. Not particularly user friendly, but very dazzling from any distance, the 30th June was the first one I saw this year and near to where I first ever saw them, out on the savanna in the nature reserve. And there were LOADS this year! There is little to rival the sight of a spanking new DGF. Except they are not very keen on landing nearby and posing for a photo. Not keen at all. Non-butterfliers will ask why dark green when it is clearly orange with black frilly knickers? And the answer is because it's not high brown like the pretty much identical High brown fritillary, nor silver washed like the not-very-silvery-washed Silver-washed frit. Look if you want accurate descriptive names try moths, ok?

Ringlet is kinglet

these chaps had a very good year and were everywhere

5 spot Burnet moth

About the first 2 weeks of July the Burnet moths (5 spot and 6 spot) are about. Daylight flying moths, apparently they are poisonous to eat, so don't need to evade predators or camera toting fools. And have these fabulous iridescent cloaks. 2 reasons to be cheerful. For a couple of weeks they are sat on the tops of flowers lining the JMW (usually 5 spotters) and over the bridge into the nature reserve (both 5 and 6 spotters)

D G F

6 spot Burnet moth

Common blue

Stonechat

2nd July and I went to another favourite haunt for butterflies and odonata: Tentsmuir. Just North of St Andrews, between Leuchars and Tayport, it is very similar to the coastline of East Lothian and host to lots of great wildlife.

male common blue

female common blue

large red damselfly

Ringlet

DGF

Found these on the coast: well camouflaged Grayling

8th new species

Small heath

DGF

The day out at Tentsmuir was hugely rewarding. I had hoped to see some of the larger dragonflies but it was the butterflies who knocked me out. Towards the end of yet another sunkissed day feeling tired and thirsty from chasing through fields chock-a-block with my favourite butterflies and with a camera full of photos, I headed across the duckboards back to the station. But then got lured off the paths and into a knee-deep field of reeds where huge fat dark green fritillaries floated into trees to roost as the sun set, and a couple of Small pearl-bordereds fluttered in and out the tall grasses. It was like a twilight zone dreamscape and quite the best drugs I've experienced in a long time. I must fish out and edit the video I shot.

s p-b f finding a perch for the night

Right those demoiselles at Bluestone Ford!
July 4th: another scorcher! Hoping they'd still be there I jumped on a train to Berwick then cycled the 9miles to the ford. Not only were they still there, they seemed even more abundant. They were in all the reeds up and down the riverside, both sides near the ford. The best way to photograph them was to change into sandals, and using a stout branch in one hand like a walking stick, wade into the river. I knew a slip and fall would mean the end of the camera so was fairly cautious. I spent around 3 hrs walking up and down the banks in ankle- to thigh-deep water. I still find it hard to believe we have such exotic creatures in Scotland...

large red damselfly

banded demoiselle, male

banded demoiselle, female

Small skipper 6th July

Small skippers appeared at Aberlady in the first week of July. These are quite small but have a charming character and hold their wings in such a distinctive way, you can recognise them instantly. Fairly user friendly. There is not a lot of difference in size between small and large skippers; the large have more shading on the wings.

last of the Aberlady DGFs

6 spotter

Cinnabar caterpillars

Always far more of these visible than the imagos.

damselfly at Balgone

Small tort in town

Garden tiger moth

I spent the day of the 18th July at St Abbs. Iain and pals had set up and monitored an overnight moth trap, and in solidarity I had missed a night's sleep cycling 50 miles there to arrive at dawn. Another beautiful sunny day was spent looking at the moths collected overnight, then wandering around Mire Loch taking pics of possibly the greatest concentration of butterflies I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing. All the good ones were there! It was so uplifting it gave me sufficient boost to cycle home.

Small copper ab. ceruleopunctata

(the blue spots on hind wings)

Meadow brown

DGF and Small tort

Speckled wood

Grayling

Small tortoiseshell

Small copper, Dalmeny 22nd July

Scotch argus

9th new species this year

I asked Iain where was a good place to bump into Scotch Argus and he directed me to Melrose. A very specific area just off the golf course in the Eildon foothills. This was the 3rd August and although the day started a little drizzly and unpromising it turned into a very jolly outing full of delightful insects. If memory serves I think Iain had a bad back at the time otherwise he would have come along. Before I even got to the rickety fence where the search was to start, I had seen my first Scotch Argus. They are pretty much the last butterfly of the season to emerge but make up for this by being one of the more impressive, especially when newly emerged, having a deep brown black velvety colour (the males darker) and a number of spots on an orange band. Their appearance differs greatly as they age and fade, and the number and size of spots varies quite a lot. There was a huge colony of them at Melrose and it was easy to spot them, however as I approached they would flitter-flutter off with short fast wingbeats dropping back into the un-photographable depths of congested undergrowth, making life much harder than I felt necessary.

While down in Melrose I took a wander round the Eildons and past a couple of nearby ponds I had seen on the map, hoping to see winged things. There were very lively Peacocks, some Painted ladies, hundreds of whites, and some obliging (emerald?) damselflies at Eildon Hall Loch.

Red Admiral, 5th Aug, New Winton

Back at Saltoun Big Woods, 5th Aug

Black Darter (male)

Never come across these before this year, then lots!

I had been talking about a trip West to see the butterflies and dragonflies the other side of the country offers. Oh and also Mary's sister and family. They live near Taynish, a nature reserve where most of the bigger dragonflies in Scotland hang out. Unfortunately I left it a bit late in the year and although I had a great time wading through swamps and climbing trees, the best of the weather had already come and gone and with it some of the more interesting insect life.

Golden ringed dragonfly

emerald damselflies

grayling

Wall, an unfamiliar visitor to the JMW near Gullane, 11 august

Painted lady, Aberlady

Comma 15th Aug

Back to the Berwick coastal paths for loads of Walls, 16th Aug

Rads on flowering Buddleias

not enough grasshopper action this year, must try harder

Commas on flowering buddleias, 21 Aug

seeing Small coppers in the Lammermuirs for the first time, 22 Aug

Painted lady, Pentlands, 29 Aug

29th Aug:

There was a rumoured partial second brood of Small pearl-bordered frits up country, so I checked out the local sites in the Pentlands foothills. No sign of any, but lots of other butterflies and a few dragonflies about.

Black darters

Common hawkers (?) quite large!

note spider top right

4th Sept

Last trip to Saltoun Big Wood to see if there were any dragonflies there. Good selection of odonata with the Hawkers patrolling the edges of the pond. I was beginning to realise that some of the tiny damselflies are far more interesting to photograph than the hefty brutish dragonflies. My eyes are no longer super sharp so I don't always see the fine details until I have the pics back home on the large screen. A tangy orange Comma turned up and I quietly followed it around a few perches until it landed by some berries. THANK YOU!

I saw this Hawker on a sapling support and crept forward very slowly - they have great eyesight and can spot an approaching camera from a football field away. However this one must have been exhausted from a day of terrorising the pond and just sat there while I got right up in it's face. Reluctantly it flew off into a nearby tree where I got a more naturalistic shot, then stopped hassling it.

hoverflies in the botanics

Painted lady and Admirals on the Fife Coastal Path, 7th Sept.

Ear Moth at Aberlady
because it has ear logos on it's wings

This was my unlikeliest scoop in September. On a run on Sept 8th I saw this lonely Common Blue out nectaring just before the beach at Aberlady, probably wondering where all it's pals were. I think it might have been a solo second brood: it was certainly relatively fresh and not just a survivor from back in June/July. It may have been a solitary time for this chap but it cheered me up hugely and I was elated for the rest of the day out, which was pretty fab anyway with these Specklies in Gullane and a fleet of Admirals on the buddleia at Archerfields.

RA on sea buckthorn

black headed gulls at Cramond

And so the butterfly season came to an end. I return to taking pics of birds and other wildlife that crosses my path out running and cycling while waiting for the return of the butterflies. First one in 2018 was April 14th and last was October 28th. So about 6 months, although there are outliers and Winter-wake-ups. It's a long cold Winter without these small friends, these flying paintings brightening up the outdoors. And makes their return in Spring all the more welcome. Time to plan trips and adventures for Summer 2019. There are a handful of Scottish butterflies left to see on my tick-list but I am more excited about planning a trip to the Lakes and Morecambe Bay around July in search of rare large fritillaries. Can the weather possibly match 2018? It seems unlikely. Fingers crossed!

A Jay on Corstorphine Hill

28th Oct. The last butterfly of the Summer, Botanics

Water of Leith, Roseburn
(Hang on that's not a butterfly!)

Tick list of 2018

Comma

Common blue

Dark green fritillary

Grayling
Green hairstreak
Green-veined white
Large skipper
Large white

Meadow brown
Northern brown argus

Orange tip

Painted lady

Peacock
Pearl-bordered fritillary

Red admiral

Ringlet

Scotch argus
Small blue
Small copper
Small heath
Small pearl-bordered fritillary
Small skipper
Small tortoiseshell
Small white
Speckled wood
Wall