Denbies Hillside Walk

Here are a few pictures from todays walk.
A web of Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars was found on a nettle patch.

The freshly emerged Buff Tip moth was still expanding its wings.

A couple of interesting moths were also seen, including some nice micromoths  [
Small Purple-barred Phytometra viridaria]
and Lace Border

Dingy and Grizzled Skippers were flying about lots of Dingys, and only a few of the Grizzled below.

The last butterfly seen in the afternoon sunshine was a Brown Argus, again had only just hatched, and one of the wings not fully expaneded, looks like it was a slightly deformed pupa on the wingcase.

Hutchinsons Bank Holly Blue

A visit to Hutchinsons Bank today, looking for butterflies, the Glanville Fritillary caterpillar was still eating its plantain leaf.

Many Brimstones were flying along the nature trail, the females looking for egg-laying sites, one settled for 7 seconds on a Buckthorn and laid an egg.

A Holly Blue female was also egg-laying on the flowerbuds of Dogwood.

Green Hairstreak, Dingy and Grizzled Skippers

Lots of first sightings for the year today at Hutchinsons Bank, 3 Green Hairstreaks, 2 Grizzled Skippers,a Dingy Skipper and a Holly Blue were all seen on various parts of the reserve. A Fully Grown caterpillars of Glanville Fritillary was seen again in one of the scrapes.

Green Hairstreak and hoverfly eye to eye.

Dingy Skipper

 Grizzled Skipper

Fully Grown Glanville Fritillary Caterpillars

This afternoon i photographed fully grown caterpillars of Glanville Fritillary in the scrapes. They should be pupating in the next day or two.

They are now in smaller groups, there are 6 caterpillars in the bottom picture and three in the top one.

New scrape at Hutchinsons Bank

We have put 2 new scrapes in the bottom paddock at Hutchinsons Bank.

 A Small Tortoiseshell was feeding on Hairy Violet in one of the old scrapes.

 Ideal habitat for the Glanville Fritillary and Small Blue in a few weeks time.

Glanville Larvae wake up

Our colony of Glanvilles is still on the go. Overwintering larvae have now woken up, due to the warm weather, and have been eating for about two weeks, they have just gone into the 6th instar, as seen below the ones with the bigger heads. Hopefully the Glanville will be seen flying on its Croydon site in May and June, as it has for the last 3 Years.

2014 Surrey & SW London Butterfly Walks

Listed below and right are the first three months of this years Butterfly Walks

APRIL 2014
23 Wed Ham Riverlands TQ169731, TW10 7RS: car park south of Thames at
north end of Ham Street, Petersham. MORNING ONLY
Early flyers, e.g. Brimstone, Peacock Leader: Malcolm Bridge

27 Sun Merrow/Pewley Downs, Guildford TQ022500, GU1 2QP: car park on
right at top of High Path Rd or Grove Rd, off A246 Epsom Rd.
Early flyers, hopefully Green Hairstreak, spring Skippers Francis Kelly

MAY
4 Sun Denbies Hillside TQ141503, RH5 6SR: Ranmore NT car park east.
STEEP! Green Hairstreak, spring Skippers Phil Boys

6 Tue Sheepleas, West Horsley TQ088525, KT24 6AN: car park behind
St. Mary’s church, south side of A246 between East & West Horsley.
Green Hairstreak, spring Skippers Francis Kelly

7 Wed Hutchinson’s Bank TQ377619, CR0 9AD: Farleigh Dean Crescent,
off Featherbed Lane.
Downland species, incl. day-flying moths Malcolm Bridge

11 Sun Oaken Wood SU993338, GU8 4PG: branch reserve entrance via west
turning off Plaistow Rd. Wood White & early flyers Malcolm Bridge

18 Sun Blatchford Down, Abinger TQ114494, RH5 6SL: car park on west side of
Whitedown Lane, 600m south of Ranmore Common Rd.
Green Hairstreak, spring Skippers Francis Kelly

25 Sun Denbies Hillside see May 4: STEEP!
Adonis Blue, Green Hairstreak, spring Skippers Phil Boys

29 Thu Norbury Park TQ146543, KT23 4BP: cul-de-sac end of Downs Way,
Fetcham, south of A246 Leatherhead to Guildford road. Park sensibly in
residential road. Downland species Mike Weller

JUNE
1 Sun Newlands Corner/Pewley Down, Guildford TQ043492, GU4 8SE:
car park west of A25. 9km return walk. Small Blue Francis Kelly

8 Sun 10.30 Howell Hill TQ236622, SM2 7HS: outside St Paul’s church at
roundabout junction of busy A232 and Northey Avenue, East Ewell.
Park considerately in residential roads (church service likely).
MORNING ONLY. Small Blue, orchids Peter Wakeham

11 Wed 10.30 Fairmile Common TQ117617, KT11 1BL: car park on right of road
to Cobham International School off A307, 200m SW of A3 flyover.
MORNING ONLY. Silver-studded Blue Mike Weller

15 Sun Hutchinson’s Bank see May 7: Small Blue Malcolm Bridge

18 Wed Brentmoor Heath SU938613, GU24 9PY: Red Road car park B311,
1st-left turn 275m west of A322 roundabout. MORNING ONLY.
Silver-studded Blue, Dartford Warbler
Steve Proud & Mike Weller

22 Sun Box Hill TQ179513, KT20 7LB: NT car park opposite shop.
Beware cyclists! Dark Green Fritillary, orchids Mike Weller

24 Tue Mitcham Common TQ291678, CR4 1HT: Mill House car park,
Windmill Rd. White-letter Hairstreak Malcolm Bridge

26 Thu Whitmoor Common SU987542, GU3 3RN: car park at Jolly Farmer pub
(intended for Common & pub); from A320 north of Guildford, take
Burdenshott Rd NW for 1km.
Silver-studded Blue, Silver-washed Fritillary, White Admiral Francis Kelly

29 Sun Norbury Park TQ158524, RH5 6BQ: Crabtree Lane car park, 1.2km NW
of Box Hill & Westhumble station. Also access by train or bus (465 stops
Westhumble, A24, 1.6km walk). Down & woodland species Mike Weller