So far this summer, has seen a cracking run of good weather, resulting in many of the June/July butterflies emerging as much as 2 weeks earlier than normal.
My main highlight has to be the charismatic Purple Emperors. While there are nowhere near the numbers of somewhere like Fermyn Woods, I get an enormous amount of satisfaction out of encountering one locally, plus I usually get them pretty much all to myself!
My first one this year was exceptionally early, Wednesday 21/06 to be exact. It was a typically close encounter as I paused at a crossroads of paths in Bucknell Woods. Out of nowhere, a pristine male Purple Emperor swooped down and landed on my chest, before zooming off again a few seconds later...amazing!
Certainly from an Emperor point of view, I've had my best ever year locally, in terms of number of encounters, seeing them and seeing them well nearly every visit!
Silver Washed Fritillaries also appear to have had a bumper year, with nearly every bramble bush holding several at a time it seems! A friend of mine recently completed his transect of Bucknell last week and counted over 70!
Year on year, the appearances of the beautiful Valezina form seems to increase. I've been lucky enough to see several again in 2017.
White Admirals have had a run of poor years, however in Bucknell this year, they appear to have had a resurgence this year with approximately 20 at their peak this year. Previously, you were lucky to make double figures. Wood Whites are a real Bucknell & Hazelborough speciality. 2017 has seen over a 100 at their peak in Bucknell and there were still a handful hanging on into July.
Marbled Whites a pretty numerous in the Brackley area and can be found at a number of grassland sites, as well as being quite numerous along the A43 road verges. The best site locally though is Helmdon Old Railway Sidings and this year they seem to have done particularly well. Quite a few had a tendency for basking on a large patch of Rose Bay Willowherb, offering a great photo opportunity...
Finally, last week it was good to encounter my first White-Letter Hairstreaks, always one of the trickier butterflies to find locally, religiously keeping to their treetop home. Luckily 3 came down one evening to nectar.
Purple Hairstreaks seem to be very numerous this year. I watched about 20 around one Ash tree alone, a couple of evenings ago in Bucknell. There were also plenty buzzing around some of their favoured oaks in the late evening sun. I'm still though yet to see one come down from the tree tops so far though!
I'll finish my post with a cracking, fresh Red Admiral which was aggressively holding territory in Bucknell Wood a couple of evenings ago. What a beauty!
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