Green-veined Whites

I saw my first 4 Green-veined Whites of the year yesterday flying near Coylton bowling green, I also saw a Peacock yesterday and 2 Peacocks and a Small Tortoiseshell today in the Rankinston area.

Emperor Moth

Have you seen an Emperor Moth in Ayrshire?

Emperor Moths are superb creatures that are emerging now and can be found in many habitats including hedgerows, but especially on the moors. You can find them sitting on top of heather for instance until the end of May. We have only 20 sightings for Ayrshire recorded and would like to find out more about it's distribution.

Cinnabar Moth Survey 2010

This survey, which began last year, is continuing through 2010.

Like many of the commoner moths, the Cinnabar has undergone a long-term decline in recent decades (83% over 35 years, based on Rothamsted trap data) and at the UK level is now regarded as a vulnerable species (see ‘The State of... Britain’s Larger Moths’ report). It remains widespread across England & Wales, but is much scarcer in Scotland, where it is most often seen in coastal areas. Butterfly Conservation, with support from the Moths Count team, wants to learn more about where it occurs and this is most easily done by spotting the colourful orange and black caterpillars which feed on ragwort leaves, often in such large numbers that they strip the plants completely. The caterpillars can be seen in July and August; the equally striking adult moth has a long flight season, starting in late May and, because it is easily disturbed during the day and will fly when it’s sunny, may also be recorded during the same period.
Postcards showing both the larva and adult were widely distributed in 2009 and further publicity is planned for this year. People are being asked to send in any sightings using either the postcards or directly by e-mail to Barry Prater , the Moth Recorder for Berwickshire.

There was a pleasing response from BC members and others and the map shows all the 2009 records received; if you know of more from last year do please send them in.
One of the objectives of the survey is to highlight the issue of moth conservation in the context of the overall pressure on biodiversity. The reliance of Cinnabar larvae on the widespread but controversial plant ragwort, known to be toxic to horses, may raise conflicts of interest, but a very helpful leaflet ‘Ragwort Friend or Foe’, prepared jointly by Butterfly Conservation, Plantlife and the British Horse Society is available from the BC Scotland page of the main BC website. The leaflet outlines the benefits and problems of ragwort and gives advice on its management.
Anyone who lives here or others who visit the area during the summer can help by taking part in the survey.

First bumblebees in Monktonhill

I know it is slightly outside the normal scope of this site, but I saw my first bumblebees in our garden at Monktonhill today. I only got close to one (out of at least three), and that appeared to be the usual Bombus terrestris.

We still have 11 Small Tortoiseshells hibernating in our porch.

Roger Hissett

First butterfly of the year

Earlier this morning I saw my first butterfly of 2010, it was a Small Tortoiseshell fluttering between a handful of Dandelions in the lovely sunshine near the former location of Littlemill Colliery just outside Rankinston.

Late Red Admiral

This afternoon I saw a Red Admiral flying around in the autumnal sunshine on the outskirts of Rankinston, it is the first butterfly that I have seen for about a month despite there being quite a few warm and sunny days since the start of October.

Possible Migrant Hawker

Had a possible Migrant Hawker at Garnock East today - 'possible' because I only watched it for about 30 seconds. After having made hundreds of sightings of Common Hawker at the site over the summer, this insect's behaviour immediately struck me as being different from your typical Common Hawker: it zoomed back and forth only a few inches above a brackish saltmarsh pool, changed it's altitude significantly a few times in a very short space of time, often reching quite a height, and was much more graceful in flight than your average Common Hawler - i.e. it didn't move like a'rigid toy aeroplane' the way Common Hawker does. Moreover, my immediate impression when first laying eyes on the insect was that it was a darter - it took me a couple of seconds to realise it was a hawker. Unsually when I see Common Hawker there's no mistaking it for a darter. As with last year's Migrant Hawker, the size difference between this individual and Common Hawker was very apparent.

Annoyingly, the insect flew off after about half a minute, before I could get a satisfactory look at is - so I shan't submit it as a definite record.

On the butterfly front, things have, of course, quietened down. The 'Painted Lady' explosion never really happened around the Ardeer area, with 6 butterflies along a 300m stretch of track at Garnock East a few eeks ago the highest count I made. I've noticed quite a few Red Admirals flying about since the fine weather started. Yesterday, 3 were nectaring on Aster beside the upper Garnock estuary. A couple of Painted Ladies were at the Ardeer Brownfield land too, along with a worn Small Copper. Another Small Copper was at Ardeer Fen.

On Sunday, a Common Blue was still on the wing at the Ardeer Brownfield land.

Today, a sunny patch of Sedums in a garden in my street in Stevesnton had 3 Red Admirals, a Peacock, a Small Tortoiseshell, and a Painted Lady.

(Photo: Red Admiral on Aster)

Stevenston Moths

Taking advantage of a window of dry weather, I conducted my first remote mothing session for a while on some scrubby coastal heathland. No rarities, but highlights included Canary-shouldered Thorn, Treble-bar, Ear Moth, and Antler Moth.

(Photos: Canary-shouldered Thorn, Antler Moth, Treble-bar)

Ardeer Spit

My first trip to the peninsula for a month or two produced 12 Dark Green Fritillaries, a Small Copper, 2 Peacocks, 150+ Common Blues, plus dozens of Graylings. A Drinker Moth had just emerged from its chrysalis.

(Photos: Dark Green Fritillary; Drinker Moth)

Second Generation

Had my first second generation Small Tortoiseshells at Ardeer Fen about a week ago. Today I had my first Peacock and Small Copper, both on the Ardeer Brownfield land. Also, 3 Small Tortoiseshells at Ardeer Fen today.

Ardeer Brownfield land

A walk around the woodland at Ardeer produced 11 encounters with male Common Hawkers, both along the woodland tracks and over the woodland ponds. A couple of Four-spotted Chasers and 4 female Common Darters were also seen. A Dark Green Fritillary was in a lush area of grassland beside the wood. A Red Admiral was on Bramble at the edge of the wood; another one was at Ardeer Fen.

Ardeer Brownfield land

A walk through the Ardeer Brownfield land produced 110 Common Blues and 71 Graylings. 2 Common Hawkers and a Common Darter were at the woodland edge, as was a Red Admiral nectaring on Bramble flowers. I encountered another Red Admiral flying down my street in Stevenston.

Ardeer area

Yesterday, the first Red Admiral I've seen for a while was resting on a t-shirt on my washing line. An evening walk on the Ardeer Brownfield land produced a Grayling and 3 Painted Ladies. Owing to the rain, my moth trap out at Ardeer produced very little, but a Poplar Hawkmoth was a pleasant surprise.

(Photos: Poplar Hawkmoth; Grayling; Red Admiral)

Ardeer moth trapping

Some of the more visually impressive moths attracted to a portable moth trap in my first out-of-the-garden trapping session were True Lover's Knot, Sallow Kitten, Grass Emerald, and Green Carpet. Gill Smart had a Grayling at Ardeer today - the first I've heard of this year.

(Photos: Sallow Kitten, Green Carpet, Grass Emerald)

Ardeer Brownfield land

Yesterday, I saw my first Common Hawker of the year flying along a woodland track. Further up the track I saw my first Cinnabar caterpillars of the year on Ragwort. A Brimstone moth was nearby. 3 Painted Ladies were the first I'd seen for a while. I also had one randomly flying through Stevenston and a couple more today. I could just be randomly seeing more than usual, or perhaps there's a slight increase in migration activity.

Ardeer Brownfield land

Despite being exceptionally hot and humid, there was a significant breeze and so most of the active butterflies were in and around the woodland at Ardeer. A Dark Green Fritillary briefly nectared on some Red Clover. Also along the woodland tracks and roads were 4 Common Blues, 8 Ringlets, and 2 Meadow Browns.

(Photos: Common Blue)

Six-Spot Burnet Distribution

Hi,

Here's the latest 2km distribution map of Six-Spot Burnet to complement the Chimney Sweeper the other day. I suspect it should be found in the majority of coastal areas. There is an odd gap between S Largs round the coast to Port Glasgow.

Hopefully we can fill in a few more dots...

Neil

Stevenston Dunes

I counted 56 Six-spot Burnets at Stevenston Dunes. Also, there were 12 Small Heaths, a Meadow Brown, 6 Yellow Shells, and my first Common Blue of the year.

(Photo: Six-spot Burnet moths)

Chimney Sweeper Distribution

Here's the current distribution at 10km resolution of Chimney Sweepers in Ayrshire. Hopefully we can fill in a few more 10km records this year.

Neil Gregory

Garnock East

A lot of browns today with 23 Ringlets and 7 Meadow Browns at Garnock East. Also, 5 Small Heaths and 3 Small Coppers, but still no Common Blues. 3 Chimney Sweeper moths were in a mating frenzy in the horse field at Garnock East. A 30m wade through some Pignut revealed another 11 Chimney Sweepers.

(Photos: Chimney Sweepers; Small Copper; Meadow Brown; Ringlet)

Meadow Brown

Taking a shortcut through Ardeer Quarry today, I disturbed my first Meadow Brown of the year from long grass. Also, 4 Four-spotted Chasers were at the small Ardeer Quarry pond.

Ringlet

Heading out to Stevenston Dunes in the unexpectedly sunny conditions resulted in less than expected: 3 Small Heaths, 2 Small Whites, a Yellow Shell, and a Silver-y. However, at Ardeer Quarry I had my first Ringlet of the year. Also, at Ardeer Quarry I disturbed Clouded Border and Common White Wave moths from damp woodland.

(Photos: Ringlet; Clouded Border)

Pinbain Burn and Bennane Head

Another 3 firsts earlier today - Dingy Skipper, Northern Brown Argus and Common Blue.

Pinbain Burn
1 Large White, 12 Green-veined Whites, 4 Northern Brown Argus, 5 Common Blues, 14 Painted Ladies and 11 Wall Browns.

Bennane Lea / Bennane Head
1 Dingy Skipper (Bennane Head), 3 Large Whites, 2 Small Whites, 23 Green-veined Whites, 2 Northern Brown Argus, 1 Small Copper, 25 Painted Ladies and 16 Wall Browns.

(Photos: Wall Brown; Common Blue; Northern Brown Argus)

Ardeer

9 Small Coppers, 5 Painted Ladies, and 2 Cinnabars were on the Ardeer Peninsula. 13 Small Heaths, 4 Small Coppers, and 9 Painted Ladies were in Stevenston Dunes. The dune's thistles were the first I've seen in bloom and were evidently popular with the Painted Ladies.

(Photos: Painted Lady; Small Heath)

Garnock East

7 Four-spotted Chasers were in scrub at Garnock East - I get the impression there are more than usual this year. A couple of Mother Shipton moths were together in some wildflower-rich grassland. Both yellow and brown forms of Yellow Shell were disturbed from vegetation. 8 Small Coppers were on my route through the site, including 5 in the horse field. 3 Drinker Moth caterpillars were also on my route.

(Photos: Four-spotted Chaser; Mother Shipton; Yellow and brown Yellow Shells; Drinker Moth caterpillar)

First Fritillaries

The past week has been an excellent one for butterflies in the Rankinston area, on Monday 1st June I saw my first 6 Dark Green Fritillaries of the year in the Bow Hill area (NS4312, NS4412 and NS4512) and then on Thursday 4th June I saw my first Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (NS4413). This and the surrounding area must surely be one of the best places in Scotland to see both these species in good numbers as I recorded 40+ Dark Green Fritillaries and 20+ Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries multiple times here during 2008. Other butterflies seen were:-

Large White - 2 on 01/06 and 3 on 02/06
Small White - 2 on 02/06
Green-veined White - loads everyday but 300+ on 01/06
Orange Tip - a few every day but 20+ on 01/06
Green Hairstreak - 4 on 01/06
Red Admiral - 2 on 01/06
Painted Lady - a few every day but 20+ on 01/06 and 04/06
Small Heath - a few every day but 14 on 02/06 and 18 on 04/06

Painted Ladies in Kilmarnock

News from Alistair Simpson

Wed, 3 Jun 2009
Painted Lady (2) in Townholm, Kilmarnock
Another in Wardneuk garden, Kilmarnock

Tue, 2 Jun 2009
Painted Lady at the Rugby Club, Kilmarnock

Mon, 25 May 2009
Orange-tips at Borland fishery, Cumnock

Further Painted Lady news from last weekend

News from Angus Hogg

Sat, 30 May 2009
It's not often (if at all) that you can point to Glen App as the scene of an invasion but, between mid Glen App and Girvan, there were at least 80-100 Painted Ladies today, with 30 past in 20 minutes at Ballantrae. As if that wasn't enough, not 1, but 3 Red Kites drifted NE together over the glen at around 10.30, all of them untagged, 2 being immature (2nd cal yr) birds, the other an adult. Also present in the glen were a single Common Crossbill and a Cuckoo, Kilantringan Loch had at least three 4-spot Chasers along with several Large Red Damselflies and Common Blue Damselflies - and a newly emerged Small Heath.

Sun, 31 May 2009 Still they come!
Another day full of Painted Ladies - not quite 702, but close on 100 spread between Drumlamford and Barjarg at one end and Pinwherry at the other. Several Orange Tips still on the go too - and a Small Copper at Barjarg. Other insects of note included 4-spot Chasers at Corwar House, Barwinnock and Barjarg.

Wed, 3 Jun 2009
Wednesday morning in Galloway Forest Park near Loch Riecawr provided 45+ Four-spotted Chasers at one site, a single Golden-ringed Dragonfly and a basking Adder in one of the rides.

Stevenston Dunes

My first 6 Small Heaths of the year were at Stevenston Dunes today, along with a Cinnabar moth and a Painted Lady laying eggs on thistles. I didn't see any Green Hairstreaks at Ardeer Quarry, but single Lead Belle and Silver Y moths were near the Gorse.

(Photo: Lead Belle)

Green Hairstreak

Alistair Murdoch, one of North Ayrshire Council's rangers, had a single Green Hairstreak beside Gorse at the south of Ardeer Quarry yesterday (1st June).