Recap of 2022

As we're approaching the xmas break, time to wrap up 2022! Obviously, this year was never going to be as good a year for new species as last year, when we saw 24 new species (9 new butterfly species and 15 new damsel/dragonfly species). 

But we did see some new species! 

Butterflies first. We saw a total of 37 species (exactly the same number as last year), which included four new species: dingy skipper, essex skipper, lulworth skipper and duke of burgundy. The 'poster' below shows which species we saw this year (species names in red means we saw them in a previous year, but not this year).

And then on to damseldragonflies. A total of 26 species (one more than last year), which included three new species: willow emerald damselfly, white-legged damselfly and ruddy darter. Here's the 'what we saw this year' poster (again, red names mean we have seen the species before, but didn't see them this year).

So still seven new butterdamseldragonfly species in total, and one more species overall compared to last year! Nevertheless, numbers per species were clearly lower than last year, and the season just felt shorter. No doubt the heat and drought over the summer played a big role in that ...

In terms of our garden list, we saw fewer species (and clearly lower numbers) compared to last year: only 11, as shown in the table below.

Among those was this gorgeous peacock, sunning itself.

Not much point to publish a table of damseldragonflies seen in the garden this year, as that was just a single large red damselfly.

I mentioned before that I regard hawk-moths as honorary butterflies. We saw hummingbird hawk-moths in several places (but so far haven't managed to get a picture of one) as well as a caterpillar of a lime hawk-moth on the leaves of a lime tree in Dorchester.

What will 2023 bring? One way to find out!

Wildern LNR, one final time this year

 As it was a beautiful calm morning, and given the fact that sightings of small coppers had been posted on the Friends of Wildern LNR Facebook page over the last week or so, we decided to spend some time there today. For some reason, small coppers had managed to avoid us all year ...

Didn't take us long walking around Wildern Moor to see a small copper flying around!

Other than that, we saw a speckled wood, and several common darters at Coltsfoot Pond. Very few species this late into the season, but mission achieved!

Almost surely the final tables in 2022 (one = 1; few = 2-4; several = 5-9; many = 10+):

Wildern LNR again, hoping for a new species ...

Back to Wildern LNR today, about two months after we were last there. Coltsfoot pond was still struggling with a low water level, but a lot of invasive water plants had been cleared, creating more open water.

As we arrived, it was overcast and quite chilly. Accordingly, there was no damseldragonfly activity at all .... Until we saw a male southern hawker, hanging in the bushes, trying to warm up. Great opportunity for a close-up picture!

We walked around the pond several times, not seeing any further odo's, until the sun broke through the clouds, and it warmed up noticeably ...

Common darters came out, mating and ovipositing, and so making sure there will be common darters next year.

Pair of migrant hawkers also became active, with the female ovipositing in various places. 

The title of this blog post talks about a new species, right? Here's the story of that one. We were given a tip that willow emerald damselflies had been seen repeatedly for over a week around Coltsfoot pond. Seemed a shame not to give seeing a new species a try! It wasn't until it warmed up that we first saw a damselfly shoot across the pond, and shortly after we saw one hanging from a birch branch. Took a quick picture just as it launched itself from the branch. 

We did see it a bit later on in the rushes bordering the pond: most definitely a willow emerald damsel! Unfortunately, it didn't settle long enough for me to take a picture of it there, and we didn't see it back again. Surely our last new species of the year, and a good one!

Here the usual tables, quite likely the last ones for 2022 (one = 1; few = 2-4; several = 5-9; many = 10+):

Old Winchester Hill - back for adonis blues ...

When we spent a day butterflying on Old Winchester Hill a few weeks ago, we saw several silver-spotted skippers, but no adonis blues ... Even though the forecast predicted broken clouds in the morning, and thicker clouds in the afternoon, we decided to try our luck once more, in probably our last chance to see a few adonis blues this year.

Forecast was correct: broken clouds indeed, but still enough sun and warmth for decent butterfly activity: chalk hill blues ...

... common blues ...

... a single brown argus ...

... and, yes, several adonis blues! As always, really hard to capture the iridescence of the shimmering blue wings; this picture came closest.

Lots of silver-spotted skippers as well, but none was willing to pose for us .... Unlike this meadow brown.

Totally focused on butterflies, we were surprised to see a single migrant hawker hawk around; I think the first dragonfly we ever saw around the Hill. Here the tables (one = 1; few = 2-4; several = 5-9; many = 10+):

Eyeworth Pond - quick splash 'n' dash

If you're almost passing Eyeworth Pond, it would be rude not to check it out quickly for damsels and dragons, wouldn't it?

When we visited the pond last year, we saw our very first red-eyed damsel, and we sure saw them today as well.

But in terms of numbers, small red-eyed damselflies were more numerous, and we didn't see that species last year.

Few more odo's as in the tables below (one = 1; few = 2-4; several = 5-9; many = 10+), and very few butterflies ...

Hillier Gardens take 3

When we went to Hillier Gardens last week, there was mostly thick cloud cover, but we still saw 13 species of butterflies. Would we see more species now that the weather was a lot warmer? Or would the trend of the heatwave of seeing relatively few butterflies, which became obvious when we were in Wisley Gardens and on Old Winchester Hill, continue?

Turned out to be the latter: we saw ten species, with quite low numbers for all species. Few large nymphalids still, and I really like how the sun shone through the wings of this red admiral.

In terms of odo's, a few of some of the usual species, including golden-ringed dragons.

Here the tables of what may well have been the final day of butterdamseldragonflying in Hillier Gardens this year (one = 1; few = 2-4; several = 5-9; many = 10+):

Oh, and we did see another hummingbird hawk-moth!

Old Winchester Hill

Our first visit to Old Winchester Hill this year. As could be expected, the Hill looked really dry and parched ...

There were still flowers around for the butterflies to feed from, but not nearly as much as last year, and it showed in terms of numbers of species and numbers of individuals we saw. Eleven species in total, still, but missing all of the larger nymphalids, for instance (maybe they've already started hibernating?) Of the two specialties for the site, silver-spotted skippers and adonis blues, we did see several silver-spotted skippers ...

... but not a single adonis blue. Possibly, we're still a bit too early for the second brood of this species, just like what happened when we butterflied on Old Winchester Hill early August last year?

The lack of many common species, and the low numbers in several species (although the chalk hill blues were present in abundance still) does make it start to feel a bit like the beginning of the end of the 2022 butterfly season …

Anyway, here's what we did see today (one = 1; few = 2-4; several = 5-9; many = 10+):

Wisley Gardens

Compared to last year's visit to Wisley Gardens, we saw significantly fewer butterflies this year, both in terms of number of species and number of individuals. Whether it's because of the ongoing drought, or whether it's because the hot summer so far have caused butterflies to 'live faster' and so die sooner, I don't know, but it was very noticeable. Even though we saw ten species, the numbers for most species were very low.

Damselflies and dragonflies didn't seem affected at all, and we saw ten species, one more than last year. 

Here are the three usual tables (one = 1; few = 2-4; several = 5-9; many = 10+):

St Catherine's Hill

The last time we went butterflying on St Catherine's Hill was almost two years ago; for some reason, we didn't go there last year. So time to go back there again, and see what butterfly species we could encounter.

By far the most common species was chalk hill blue; it was difficult to look somewhere and not see at least one fluttering about. 

One group of three males was trying very hard to make sure there would be chalkies there next year .... poor female ...

And one male was still flying, despite having lost one hindwing and a large part of one forewing.

Besides chalkies, the most notable species included silver-spotted skipper, brown argus, and clouded yellow; first time I managed to get a picture of one!

No damsels or dragons at St Catherine's Hill, so just the one table (one = 1; few = 2-4; several = 5-9; many = 10+):