Butterflies & Moths 2020

Just passing the Covid time so decided to catalogue the butterflies that I see on my walks. Hopefully all will have pictures, not necessarily in good focus but good enough to show what they are. Initially these will be restricted to my local woods, river, beach and golf courses but expecting at least a dozen varieties. Hopefully later in the year I might get some of the Northern species. The blog will be updated when a new sighting comes around.

Peacock

My first sighting this year was in March and was the beautiful Peacock. Common in garden later in year but plenty around the woods and golf courses just now.

No more were spotted until April when the sun came out and the butterflies emerged. First was the Orange tip, definitely one of my favourites. One has taken our garden into its patch, first time I am aware of this. But this was taken in Shewalton Woods and plenty on Western Gailes as well.

Orange Tip Male

Then next up was another white variety, The Green Veined. Just beside the railway line going into Shewalton woods, as I write this is still the only one that I have spotted.

Green Veined butterfly

Next up was the Small Tortoiseshell. Abundant in the woods feasting on the dandelions but a few on the golf course as well. The vibrant blue edging at the bottom not showing as well in the photo.

Now the Small White. A morning walk along the golf course and was lucky enough to get this just as I was finishing.

Small White

I had read read that locally there were good views of the rare Holly Blue, a butterfly I have never spotted before. They like holly trees obviously and we have one in our garden. Sitting in my study I spotted something fluttering at said tree. Grabbed camera and ran outside, panicking the good lady and delighted to have added this stunner to my collection.

Holly Blue

Getting frustrated as not been able to my collection. However, in the woods today there was little butterfly movement with this exception. They are probably getting to the end of their first showing but a female Orange Tip. The male is pictured above.

Orange Tip Female

Now into May and after a barren spell suddenly it was all go again. I had spotted a Small Copper weeks ago but could not get a decent snap. It took quite a few walks before I spotted another and although quite numerous they are very small, a normal thumbnail and they like to sit with there wings closed. Still persevered and was rewarded with this.

Small Copper

As i walked back chuffed at getting the Small Copper I noticed an equally small butterfly or moth flying. To the naked eye it looked different but it was not resting for long and when it did it was buried in the grassy stalks and wings closed. But it did show itself and another first this year a Small Heath. Luckily it has an eyespot at the tip to give it away.

Small Heath

And then, not finished yet. Just before I left the golf course this pink/red and black moth looked spectacular in the sunlight. What a busy moth it never stopped for more than a few seconds. As soon as I raised the camera it was gone but it did stop briefly enough to let me snap my first Cinnabar moth of the year.

Cinnabar Moth

When I was walking back from Kilwinning (see blog) I detoured via Eglinton Park and was delighted to get my first Red Admiral of the year. Sadly a combination of the bright sunshine, not so good camera and my photographic skills the colour is more orange than red. 
(Replaced original with garden visit today. I have included two shots, the upper one traditional pose but the lower one is with it's wings closed and you can see the fabulous camouflage particularly if against bark.

Red Admiral top side

Red Admiral wings closed

As I came back over the golf course this small moth appeared a few times asking for its picture to be take. There are over a thousand UK moths and this one has me guessing. After research I think it is the Common heath, the feathery antennae prominent clue.

Common Heath Moth

On a roll just now as on my bike ride today I spotted a few Large Whites flying about but not stopping on any vegetation, but there again I was on a workout so i was not wanting to hang about. By chance in the afternoon one appeared in the garden for a brief period before a Red Admiral chased it off. I am sure I will get a higher quality snap as the season moves on.

Large White (female I think)

A couple of new moths around. The first spotted on the golf course just as evening approached. So focused on snapping it nearly got clobbered by a golf ball, my fault, not used to having golfers on the course.

Silver ground carpet moth

Out on Fell of Fleet there was an abundance of these but they were very difficult to snap. They would only sit on the heather for seconds before flying off a good distance. Very frustrating considering how many there were. Plus my small walking camera has difficulty focusing on items in mixed ground. I am told it might be a Sandy carpet moth.

Sandy carpet moth?

Absolutely delighted today to get my first sighting of the year and to snap one of my favourite butterflies the Small Blue. The first thing you notice is the vibrant blue colour flying around but then it lands and its camouflage kicks in, its underside being totally different to the top. Nature at its best.

Small Blue as you would expect to see it.

Small Blue underwing

Whilst clambering about in deepest Dumfries & Galloway I got a couple of new varieties for the season. The first was this Meadow Brown who was determined to not let me get a decent snap of it. As soon as I focused off it went until I got this under wing but clear what species it is.

Meadow Brown under wing

And by chance today in Eglinton Park there were quite a few flying, mostly landing with folding wings but one did let us see its upper wings.

Meadow Brown upper

My other find of the day was this Fritillary. Now there are various very similar species but I am reliably informed that this is a rather rare Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary. Having studied my reference material and online searching I was still not sure but put it out for expert verification. A stunning orange and black with the white bordering. Apparently it is all about a 7:3:0 dot pattern on the wings, chuffed.

Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary

After the thunderstorms a wee wander around Western Gailes golf course brought another couple of firsts for the season. The first is the Ringlet which I had spotted the other day in a park but it refused to pose. This one did but only for its underwing.

Ringlet underwing

The second was a a small but striking moth whose colour contrasted well with the leaden grey skies around. This is the Yellow Shell moth.

Yellow Shell Moth

In the garden the other morning I noticed movement in some shrubs, going closer it jumped out and snuggled into the grass so sorry not the best quality but first time i have ever seen one of these, a Silver Y moth, presumably named after the two marks half way down, one on each side.

Silver Y moth

The golf course is providing rich pickings with another small moth, this time the Latticed Heath moth. Well camouflaged in the grass perched on the dying seed heads, only had my phone so picture not the greatest.

Latticed Heath moth

Spotted this little beauty high up on Benn an Lochain. Distinctive black wings and a conspicuous yellow body was wrapping itself around the grass as if creating a cocoon. Beyond my ID skills but thankfully the experts recognised it as a Red necked Footman moth. Quite rare so well pleased even though picture quality not high.

Red necked footman moth