Middleton Down Nature Reserve

10-09-2022

Clouded Yellow (6)

Large White (3)

Small White (2)

Small Copper (10)

Brown Argus (8)

Common Blue (19)

Adonis Blue (7)

Speckled Wood (1)

Meadow Brown (40)

Small Heath (16)

 12.30 - 13.45. Most butterflies seen in Lime Kiln Bottom half of the reserve. MB include 2 mating pairs. Nice to see good number of SC - not as many as usual for Middleton, but faring better than elsewhere, Mostly seen basking on dried cow pats. Lots of ClY sightings. 4 simultaneously in view at one point, then ~250 metres further on at the northwest corner of the reserve 2 more seen together. Pretty sure they were not the same as seen earlier - conditions meant butterflies were not that mobile. Indeed, one of the four seen at first was helice [I assume, and not Pale ClY - photos uploaded in case someone who is more familar with them can confirm] and in the 15 minutes I watch it/chased it for photos, it didn't move more that ~20 meters. So I reckon 6 individual ClYs. Not as many wild flowers as usual in the reserve, but still more than most places 've been recently. ClY were favouring anything purple - devils bit, small scabious, stemless thistle - but the helice only seemed interested in yellow flowers.

Simon Crampin