Snippets of Wealth - Thursday 20th June 20129 - Hutton Roof - Dark Red Helleborine/Peacock butterfly/Angular Solomons Seal/Epipactis Atrorubens/Painted Lady Butterfly

Peacock butterfly full grown larvae on Stinging nettles (Click over to enlarge)

Photo: Hutton Roof on 20th June 2019

At this time of year I find it of interest to check out any stinging nettle that maybe bordering fields because as a rule I will probably see evidence of the Peacock Butterfly or I should say the Peacock's larvae like here in this photo. I have seen this both at the Plain Quarry car park and also in fields close to the Clawthorpe Road. It's just the right time for the full grown larvae and we should start to see their butterflies from late July and through August..

Its lovely to see the emergence of Wild Thyme and I expect to soon start seeing the Dark Green Fritillaries taking advantage of the crop

Tymus polytrichus (Wild Thyme)

Photo: Hutton Roof on 20th June 2019

Although quite windy today, it's kept fine and I have been able to see one or two butterflies. It was nice to see a couple of Painted Lady's together in Lancelot Clark Storth, I did manage a sort of photo. I have seen a lot of these flying about over this week and wondering if they have had one of their special (every few years) mass migrations! if they have I have not noticed it.

Several years ago whilst with a late friend we witnessed the mass migration going over the Beetham Caravan Park when we saw hundreds of them heading North with odd individuals going through at the rate of one per every two minutes or so and flying at a low down 25-30ft height. It was great to see.  It's spot on with the timing for them, let me try and explain.

I remember many years ago whilst in Minorca, it was May 8th, its easy to remember because it's the wife's birthday, when thousands upon thousands of them I witnessed crossing passed us in groups of 20 plus some were hitting the gable end of the villa with such a clout, you think they would have killed themselves, but no, they just dropped a little whilst they adjusted their routing and set off again but this time much higher to clear the building.  We also watched them coming in off the sea in hundreds.  Sadly lots were road casualties all over the place, it was sad, but I guess on the amounts coming through the casualties were probably minimal by ratio. They had arrived here from the Atlas Mountains and were passing through here on their way to France. This huge passage must have involved millions if not billions and lasted over a couple of days. It was said that by early to mid June they would have reached Britain and sure enough they had.

Also 2 Small Pearl Bordered Fritillaries having a quick chase before heading their separate ways.

Also had Tree Pipit, Garden Warbler, several Willow Warblers, a couple of Chiffchaffs, a pair of Mistle Thrush, Marsh Tits

Found some more Lily Of The Valley, and I checked on some of our regular Polygonatum odoratum (Angular Solomon's Seal), of interest is how the plants get attacked every year without fail a beetle munches into it and you can see the holes it leaves, but eventually it will take it down to a skeleton or frame just like "filigree".  Here are a couple of photos to show you how it starts off....

 Polygonatum odoratum (Angular Solomon's Seal)

Photo: Lancelot Clark Storth (CWT) on 20th June 2019

  Polygonatum odoratum (Angular Solomon's Seal)

Photo: Lancelot Clark Storth (CWT) on 20th June 2019

 Polygonatum odoratum (Angular Solomon's Seal)

Photo: Lancelot Clark Storth (CWT) on 20th June 2019

Our orchids are just about holding on this year and it will be very interesting just to see how things are going to turn out, but again today I have found out that we have lost my very first Schmalhauseneii hybrid Specimen No. 1 which has given up the ghost and not even tried to come through.  Although considering it has completed 6 previous years I guess we cannot complain, because hybrids I have noticed rarely get passed this age anyway and the stronger plants like hybrids etc are prone to problems especially after severe drought situations. 

Here is a couple of shots for you of one of our atrorubens coming on nicely