East Lothian sighting August 2015

[ricowells]

Guided ranger walk at John Muir country park today organised by Scottish Wildlife Trust. 1 small tortoiseshell at the car park, 1 peacock at edge of woods, circa 12 meadow browns spread around plus a couple of green veined whites. 2 common blues amongst the dunes but no dark green fritillaries though the ranger said she had seen them recently. Perhaps the wind was making them keep their heads down. Most numerous beastie was what I was told were cinnabar moth caterpillars on ragwort (?) scores of them. There was another moth posing nicely on the same plant but unsure of ID.

[IAC]

Antler Moth I think...that would be typical for this time of year, they always seem to be attracted to Ragwort.

Iain.

[ricowells]

Thanks Iain, had not got around to looking at ID charts yet.

[georgehogg]

Three Torness transects on Saturday.
Gorse Bank..22 Meadow Bn, 3o fly by whites, 15 small torts, 11 green veined, 3 ringlet, 1 wall, 2 peacock.

Seawall Moat..34 meadow bn, 10 shaded broad bar, 197 cinnabar cats, 12 six spot burnets, 2 fly by whites, 1 green veined, 3 small torts, 2 small heath, 1 common blue.

Wildlife Crop/carpark area..18 meadow bn, 13 shaded broad bar, 4 fly by whites, 1 small whte, 4 peacocks, 6 small torts, 1 green veined.

Not great , but not bad considering the "summer" !

Interestingly not one narrow bordered five spot burnet where there had been over a thousand.

[IAC]

Wall Brown George...just the news I was looking for. Everything is just a wee bit later than normal. No Walls down here to report just yet, though I am sure they are about somewhere.


Iain.

[georgehogg]

Iain,This years best was 4th June,hardly any since

[IAC]

Yes George it has been a poor year for Wall. Some cool spells denied a more general emergence of this species that thrives in much warmer conditions. I am hoping that we see a more leveled out emergence of Wall over the next few weeks. Weather looks okay for the next few days...we will see.

Iain.

[briart]

I havnt made a diary entry for butterflies since 3rd July, seems to be just Scotland I can hardly bare to look at Matthew Oates twitter stream anymore everything seems rosy down south, glad i have other hobbies or i would go slightly mad ! er reading Peter Marren s Rainbow Dust helping a wee bit check it out.

[georgehogg]

Opened up a rat bait box today to find a hiding Peacock,lots of wing flashing,but I still can never hear the alarm noise they are supposed to make.

In the wee quarry west of Gullane species were fewer but numbers and activity still high,mainly meadow brown with some common blues and small heaths.

Had a nice Comma in the Braid Hills yesterday.

[georgehogg]

Skateraw transect, Meadow Brown 35, Green Veined White 28, fly by whites 20, Small Torts 5, Small Copper 2, Peacock 5, fly by burnets 2, Ringlet 4, Wall min2,max 7,

they were doing their usual flying forward to be met with again. I suspect maybe 4 .

The stretch with the walls is along the high path east from the lime kiln