Sunday, 17th May 2020
After returning from the Isle of Wight, a whole week elapsed before we were on the road again supporting our hero's quest.It was that time of year when High brown fritillaries are on the wing.
Like Glanville fritillary this rare butterfly is found only in a limited number of locations. Our choice seemed to be between an area around the Southern Lake District or Dartmoor.
The Lakes seemed, to us, the more attractive and easier place to get to.
We had been to look for this butterfly in previous years. On those occasions we went to Arnside Knott. Although we had some success, we had only found a couple on three visits, a change of site was proposed. On a warm sunny day off we set, early, to Whitbarrow Scar, which our hero had singled out as a site where it was present.
We arrived at the selected car park, took one look at the hill in front of us, and decided that for at least two of us either the ascent or descent would be beyond the capabilities of our rickety knees.
The guide was hastily consulted and an alternative (easier) approach to the hill was found. Off we set again following some lovely narrow roads through the countryside until we reached The Howe. We then followed the road as it climbed the hill only for it to appear to peter out into a private track.
Our hero got out to investigate, whilst we made our way, downhill, back into the village and looked for somewhere to park.
In the village we were lucky enough to meet a lady walking her dog. She was able to tell us that we could follow the track and there would be somewhere to park as the track entered the woodland.
We returned, picking up our hero, who had found the car park and was returning to tell us, and continued uphill to the designated spot.
All we had to do now was make the final ascent which, fortunately was not too steep.
The top was a vast plateau, a mixture of sparse low vegetation and bare rock. And, judging from the shape of some of the trees, quite windswept.
It did not look like High brown fritillary habitat. Nevertheless we had a look around. Although insects of interest were hard to find we did manage to spot this male scorpion fly Panorpa germanica.
Towards the edge of the plateau there were a few Junipers.
What better than to find a Juniper shieldbug on a Juniper.
Hey presto! A quick beat of a Juniper yielded this specimen:
This was all very nice but there were no butterflies.
An area of longer vegetation was spotted in a shallow hollow which promised shelter from the prevailing wind. We headed there.
Almost immediately we saw a fritillary.
But which one?
Dark green and High brown are very similar and they are often found together so getting close to the butterfly to confirm its identity is critical.
However our first butterfly did not hang around long enough for us to say it was anything other than a "fritillary".
We descended into the hollow and continued our search.
And were rewarded.
Not with a High brown fritillary but a Northern brown argus.
Number 37: Northern brown argus
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| Photograph: Bob Kemp |
After much more searching we found a fritillary that had settled.
Take a photograph, worry about the identification later!
The underwing of this butterfly lacks the row of small silver dots, each with a brown ring, between the outermost two rows of pale patches on the underside of the hindwing. In addition the darker markings on the edge of the outside pale markings are greenish rather than brown. This makes it ...
High brown fritillary?
No, alas, it is:
No. 38 Dark green fritillary
Two species added to the list.
The trip was a success!
But, no, we had not found the elusive High brown. The search continued.
We separated for a while, each checking out areas that interested us.
On regrouping I heard that a High brown fritillary had been seen and photographed.
Flushed with success we started to make our way back, stopping to take a look at a small pool .
We chanced upon a basking four-spotted chaser.
And nearby a Greater butterfly-orchid.
As we took the return path we came across a couple who were looking after the cattle that grazed on the hill.
"Did you find anything of interest?", they enquired.
"High brown fritillary" was the boastful reply.
What fateful words.
After a splendid meal at a local hostelry, the journey back was uneventful.
Why, you may ask, is there no title "Number 39: High brown fritillary" and photograph?
After all you did find it.
Ah … well …
The following day I received an email letting me know that the photograph of the High brown was, on closer inspection, a Dark green fritillary.
So ...
And! O that we had not bragged about our find.
Our hero's fret level for this butterfly was now at 9 out of 10.
Dartmoor was discussed, but our hero, taking his quest very seriously, diligently studied internet resources, with some help from friends, and eventually found that there was a nearer site that we could try. However, the continued search for this butterfly will have to wait for another day.
Yesterday I took advantage of the change to the "stay at home" restrictions and headed for the summit of Little Hill to check if, for the tenth year in succession, the hoverfly Callicera rufa is still in residence. Apart from a few people circumnavigating the Wrekin the path to the top was deserted, as was the top itself allowing me space and time to check for the hoverfly.
But I did not need much time as there, as if deciding which way to go on the Shropshire Way, was the hoverfly.
In case you cannot see it, it is between the two signs slightly preferring the one on the left.
Here is a closer view of the insect.
As in previous weeks people have been kind enough to send me photographs which I now include for your delight.
To start, something unusual. A photograph of a microscope slide of a mildew found on gooseberries. The red liquid is the stain used in preparing the slide.
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| Photograph: Les Hughes |
Ants on a Peony bud:
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| Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett |
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| Photograph: John Martin |
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| Photograph: David Williams |
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| Photograph: Bob Kemp |
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| Photograph: David Williams |
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| Photograph: Peter Hodgkinson |
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| Photograph: Peter Hodgkinson |
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| Photograph: Peter Hodgkinson |
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| Photograph: John Martin |
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| Photograph: John Martin |
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| Photograph: David Williams |
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| Photograph: Bob Kemp |
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| Photograph: Bob Kemp |
A moth that did not quite make it to the mothy trap in our garden, a Small phoenix:
A visitor to our small meadow that used to be our back lawn, A Silver-Y
As mentioned in an earlier dispatch we are embracing "No mow May" and have been rewarded with the appearance of a Cuckoo-flower. Unfortunately I could find no Orange-tip eggs on it.
And finally. If you follow this link and watch the video "Looking at Invertebrates" you may recognise some of the people involved.
Keep well.
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