East Lothian sightings July 2019

[NickMorgan]

Reports were coming in thick and fast of hundreds of Painted Ladies being seen all over East Lothian. They still appear to be arriving on the coast and are moving inland in a very determined fashion.
As with last year, there are also hundreds of Small Whites being reported in various places. Interestingly, I haven't received a lot of reports of them being seen along the coast, which may suggest that the majority of them are home grown.

[NickMorgan]

I have just completed my best ever transect!

4 Small Skippers
4 Large Whites
18 Small Whites
41 Green-veined Whites
2 Small Coppers
129 Painted Ladies
1 Small Tortoiseshell
7 Peacocks
1 Comma
2 Speckled Woods
7 Meadow Browns
1 Ringlet

I don't think I have ever had so many species or such a large total number previously.

[jpgn]

Painted Lady numbers are definitely dropping off now along the EL coast - but fortunately Peacocks are now emerging to replace them. Was down to only about 40 Painted Ladies on my postal round today (on the sunniest morning of the week) compared to 250+ on Monday and Tuesday - but got well over 20 Peacocks, including 9 on a single Buddleia.

Had 17 Peacocks, 10 Painted Ladies, 3 Red Admirals and 2 Small Tortoiseshells at Waterston House (SOC HQ) in Aberlady early afternoon - and also a couple of second-generation Walls closer to Gullane