08 May 2017
© Vince Massimo and Peter Eeles
Citation: Massimo, V. and Eeles, P. (2017). Notes and Views, Issue 8 - September to December 2016 [Online]. Available from http://www.dispar.org/reference.php?id=128 [Accessed April 16, 2024].

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Abstract: This edition of Notes and Views provides a summary of interesting items posted on UK Butterflies and other media between 1st September and 31st December 2016.

There have been several sightings of Long-tailed Blue:

• A female was photographed at Dawlish, Devon on 11th September by Luke Harman. Reported on Twitter here.
• Another female was seen at Boscombe, Dorset on 12th September. Reported on the Dorset BC website here.
• Another individual was photographed at Warnham Nature Reserve, Sussex on 13th September by Judith Alford. Reported on the Sussex BC website here.
• On 14th September a male was photographed at Tide Mills, Newhaven, Sussex by several people. Reported on the Sussex BC website here.

Long-tailed Blue Image © Peter Eeles (Library Photo)

A continental Swallowtail (Papilio machaon ssp. gorganus) was photographed at Pagham Spit, Sussex on 18th September. Reported on the Selseybirder website here.

Continental Swallowtail Image © Neil Hulme (Library Photo)

A very late sighting of a Large Skipper (female) was reported on 3rd October in Broadbridge Heath, Sussex by Judith Alford. This is regarded as a rare second-brood individual. A photograph and report is available on the Sussex BC website here.

Large Skipper (female) Image © Vince Massimo (Library Photo)

A Camberwell Beauty was sighted in Ipswich, Suffolk on 6th October. Reported on the Suffolk Butterflies Twitter feed here.

Camberwell Beauty Image © Peter Eeles (Library Photo)

Several Holly Blues were seen near Heathrow, Middlesex on 31st October, including an egg-laying female. This was reported by Dave Miller in his personal diary here.

Holly Blue Image © Dave Miller

A continental Swallowtail was photographed near Stubbermere, close to the Sussex/Hampshire border on the South Downs on 13th November. Reported via Lynn Lane on the Sussex BC website here.

Late-flying Common Blues have been reported at Southwick Basin, Shoreham, Sussex through the first half of the month. The last sighting was on 15th November by Dave Cook. Details are on the Sussex BC website here.

Common Blue Image © Vince Massimo

A late Holly Blue photographed in Brighton, Sussex on 15th November by John and Val Heys. Reported on the Sussex BC website here.

Holly Blue Image © John and Val Heys

Late-flying Clouded Yellows continue to be reported at Southwick Basin, Shoreham, Sussex during the first half of November. One was sighted on 16th November by Trevor Rapley, and another slightly further inland by Colin Brooks on 17th November. Details are in a UKB Personal Diary here and the Sussex BC website here. On 30th November a Clouded Yellow was seen by Mike Gibbons at Southbourne Undercliff in Dorset as reported on Twitter here.

Clouded Yellow Image © Vince Massimo

There was hardly any activity to report in December and is a significant contrast with the number of reports which came in from December 2015. A freshly emerged Small White was photographed by Barry Warrington in East Yorkshire on 2nd December (apparently in an urban location).

Small White (male) Image © Richard Carter

A Clouded Yellow sighted at Southbourne Undercliff near Bournemouth on 4th December by Mike Gibbons. The microclimate on this very sheltered south-facing coastal site can often result in winter sightings of this species and it is also well positioned to receive early migrants from the continent. This was reported on UKB sightings forum here. Another Clouded Yellow (a male) was then photographed at the same site by Mike Gibbons on 29th December as reported here.

Clouded Yellow Image © Mike Gibbons

There were quite a few sightings of Red Admiral (via Twitter) in the run up to Christmas and the New Year.

Red Admiral Image © Mark Colvin (Library image)