Review of the Year 2011

Hi all i wish you a Happy Christmas and New Year.

Its been a slack period for Butterflies and Orchids, I will be adding a review of 2011
in the next week or so will be something to look forward too.

I dont have any details of the Surrey Butterfly Walks for 2012 yet, will keep you posted.

Thanks
Martin

Chobham Common and Denbies Hillside

A quick visit to Chobham Common for the Grayling. A bonus of Sand Lizard. We stopped at Denbies Hillside on the return journey for Adonis Blue. A second brood Dingy Skipper was seen on the bottom trackway.

Chobham Common

Grayling

Sand Lizard

Dingy Skipper

Box Hill

A Dark Green Fritillary Butterfly was still around today at Box Hill Dukes, Autumn Ladies Tresses a small orchid were seen in two places on the slope. Silver Spotted Skippers were everywhere.

Female Dark Green Fritillary

Autumn Ladies Tresses

Silver Spotted Skipper

Vale End & Merrow Downs

A butterfly walk in dull conditions, although we did see 19 species of Butterfly.

 

Looking for Common Blues

Female Skipper egg-laying

Reigate & Colley Hills

A walk over the downs, Silver Spotted Skippers were seen but not photographed. 21 species of butterfly were seen in all.

Holly Blue

Chalkhill Blue

                        

Purple Hairstreak watching

Hutchinsons & Chapel Banks

Ringlet on Hutchinsons Bank

A walk over the two reserves saw the hangers on of 3 species of butterfly, Ringlet, Marbled White and Silver-washed Fritillary. A deer was seen in the field the far side of Chapel Bank. 3 Silver-Washed Fritillaries were seen in total.

Comma Butterfly feeding on Hemp Agrimony

Female Silver-washed Fritillary

Marbled White on Chapel Bank

Hutchinsons Bank Open Day

A few pictues from our open day, the Gatekeeper form hasnt been seen since Thursday, will let you know if it is seen again. The Stalls set up in the cutting, some of the moths caught last night we had on show in our butterfly tent. Broad-leaved Helleborine was in flower at the entrance.

Moth Trapping

Here are a few pictures from tonights moth trapping with Bernard Skinner.

Great Railway Journey West Gomshall to Dorking

Here are a few pics from todays walk with Butterfly Conservation Surrey Branch. The first of the second brood Adonis Blue were flying.

Looking at Hummingbird Hawkmoth on the Buddleia

Brimstone [Just Hatched from pupa at bottom of picture]

Chalk Hill Blue on Denbies Hillside

Adonis Blue on Denbies Hillside

Gatekeeper rare form returns

Our special form of the Gatekeeper butterfly has been seen again at Hutchinsons Bank Nature Reserve, New Addington, a male this time, I have photographed a female of this form in the past (1993).

Hopefully it will still be around for our 25th Reserve Open Day on Sunday 31st July.

Male Gatekeeper (2011)

Female Gatekeeper (1993)