Helping BBC Nat Hist Unit film piece on Iris for a forthcoming 1 hour BBC2 prog on British Butts. Now, we believe strongly that the PE bit must be the best part of the hour, so I'm under Maximum Pressure to ensure that happens..... Transmission: winter 2010-11.
Alice was at her stupendous best, with males constantly in view sallow searching in late morning in the Straits. At one point 4 sallow-searching males were in view. Then a good session from a cherry picker at Goose Green, with a male in George's Glade attacking everything in sight - including Nithatch and Great Splatted woodpecker and the Tit family..... Some interesting female behaviour incl more egg laying.
We also filmed, from on high, various frolickings involving people wearing nothing but One Sock - all of which will be broadcast.
I remain, determined to finish this bottle of sack before starting the port....
M.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Here Come The Girls
Having failed to see Matthew's iole at Alice Holt on 30 June (although there was plenty of great PE action) I headed home, as I had one or two mundane matters to deal with. As I passed through Midhurst I was suddenly overcome with the urge to see more Emperors. A quick diversion to Botany Bay, a sprint through the woods on my Japanese Commuter Bicycle, and I was back on the butterflies. Although it was well past 5 pm there was still plenty going on both in the air and on
the deck. 3 different males were working one ride, and I spent some time chatting to local enthusiast Nick Broomer, as we stalked them between doggy poos.I was in the process of leaving at 6.30 pm when I spotted a newly emerged female Emperor drying off in the long grass, just below a sallow. We spent some time watching her as she made her first clumsy attempts at flight. At least she would avoid the attentions of the amorous males that had just retired for the night. I doubt that her virginity would have lasted until noon today.
Japanese Commuter Bicycles
This season's must-have accessory for the Lady or Gentleman of Purple is the Japanese Commuter Bicycle. These allow rapid (although quite dangerous) transportation between Emperors. The 'now-Purple' Hannah joined me at Botany Bay on 29 June, to test how effective and dangerous they are - highly. We had 5 males on the deck, one of which Hannah delicately teased onto her finger.
The remarkable run of dark aberrations this year continued, with our sighting of an extreme ocellata Silver-washed Fritillary. Dark Emperors, White Admirals and Commas are showing up with regularity on many sites across the South of England.
In the heat of the day many Emperors are sitting around twiddling their tarsal joints. However, as the afternoons cool off quite a few of these butterflies are coming to ground again - so don't restrict yourself to the classical 9-11am period for photo opportunities.
Botany Bay Bonanza
Planning and leading field trips for Butterfly Conservation members can be fraught with difficulties, not least due to the vagaries of the British weather, and seasonal variations in the timing of emergence. However, the outing I led to Botany Bay on the Sussex/Surrey border on 28 June 2009 will forever be remembered as the 'perfect job'! I had billed the event as an opportunity to see iris up close and personal.
20 participants congregated at the meeting point; all hopeful of seeing Him, with 8 never having had the pleasure previously. I lay down a couple of 'Hau Loc' belachan baits just inside the main gate at 8.55 hrs. At 8.58 hrs a pristine male descended to sample the pungent shrimp sauce, and as the outing started, 8 people became 'Purple'. Soon a ring of bodies surrounded the Emperor, who seemed oblivious as he overloaded on salts.
From then on things just got better and better. The entire party saw 5 individual, scale-perfect males on the deck that morning, with some coming to ground on more than one occasion. One of the party walked a little further into the woods and saw another 2. Those that stayed on into the afternoon were treated to an eight different butterfly.
I will be repeating the walk next year.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Iole, iole, iole
Robert Coleman forwards this picture of a magnificent iole from the current season. Waiting on further details.
Congratulations, Bob.
More From Alice Holt
Back in Alice Holt, initially in unsuccessful pursuit of that Iole male. Neil Hulme ventured over the border to join the search - only to learn that another pristine Iole male had been photoed on his home patch. Hulme needs to be put on strong blood pressure pills. Never twitch an aberration.
Iris did not descend to the rides early on, only coming down in modest numbers during the mid-late morning period, as usual. I've yet to witness a repeat of the mass early breakfast of the 1976 heatwave, when temperatures were similar.
Good to see the first egg laying of the year (assuming she did lay - and the girls often go thru the motions without actually laying). She also rejected a male in the classic downward spiral flight describe in Ken Willmott's work. I also saw 2 other Empresses, including one being courted by 2 males at the main Goose Green territory. Result unknown.
Males were nicely sallow-searching and sailing the oak edges for an hour late morning. From 2pm they were quiescent, hardly stirring in the heat. There was a modest evening flight for 1 hour from 6pm, but activity was hindered and then curtailed by a band of cloud.
The butterfly is now officially 'well out' down south, with more females and a few males still to emerge.
Apparently it's just starting in Northants.
Enjoy...
Matthew
Gentlemen, Ladies: Tomorrow is One Sock Day.....
Iris did not descend to the rides early on, only coming down in modest numbers during the mid-late morning period, as usual. I've yet to witness a repeat of the mass early breakfast of the 1976 heatwave, when temperatures were similar.
Good to see the first egg laying of the year (assuming she did lay - and the girls often go thru the motions without actually laying). She also rejected a male in the classic downward spiral flight describe in Ken Willmott's work. I also saw 2 other Empresses, including one being courted by 2 males at the main Goose Green territory. Result unknown.
Males were nicely sallow-searching and sailing the oak edges for an hour late morning. From 2pm they were quiescent, hardly stirring in the heat. There was a modest evening flight for 1 hour from 6pm, but activity was hindered and then curtailed by a band of cloud.
The butterfly is now officially 'well out' down south, with more females and a few males still to emerge.
Apparently it's just starting in Northants.
Enjoy...
Matthew
Gentlemen, Ladies: Tomorrow is One Sock Day.....
More From Alice Holt
Back in Alice Holt, initially in unsuccessful pursuit of that Iole male. Neil Hulme ventured over the border to join the search - only to learn that another pristine Iole male had been photoed on his home patch. Hulme needs to be put on strong blood pressure pills. Never twitch an aberration.
Iris did not descend to the rides early on, only coming down in modest numbers during the mid-late morning period, as usual. I've yet to witness a repeat of the mass early breakfast of the 1976 heatwave, when temperatures were similar.
Good to see the first egg laying of the year (assuming she did lay - and the girls often go thru the motions without actually laying). She also rejected a male in the classic downward spiral flight describe in Ken Willmott's work. I also saw 2 other Empresses, including one being courted by 2 males at the main Goose Green territory. Result unknown.
Males were nicely sallow-searching and sailing the oak edges for an hour late morning. From 2pm they were quiescent, hardly stirring in the heat. There was a modest evening flight for 1 hour from 6pm, but activity was hindered and then curtailed by a band of cloud.
The butterfly is now officially 'well out' down south, with more females and a few males still to emerge.
Apparently it's just starting in Northants.
Enjoy...
Matthew
Iris did not descend to the rides early on, only coming down in modest numbers during the mid-late morning period, as usual. I've yet to witness a repeat of the mass early breakfast of the 1976 heatwave, when temperatures were similar.
Good to see the first egg laying of the year (assuming she did lay - and the girls often go thru the motions without actually laying). She also rejected a male in the classic downward spiral flight describe in Ken Willmott's work. I also saw 2 other Empresses, including one being courted by 2 males at the main Goose Green territory. Result unknown.
Males were nicely sallow-searching and sailing the oak edges for an hour late morning. From 2pm they were quiescent, hardly stirring in the heat. There was a modest evening flight for 1 hour from 6pm, but activity was hindered and then curtailed by a band of cloud.
The butterfly is now officially 'well out' down south, with more females and a few males still to emerge.
Apparently it's just starting in Northants.
Enjoy...
Matthew
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)