Birds eschewed my local gravel pits at Swineham this weekend for the east coast, judging by reports from afar. But I still managed two patch ticks from the world of
lepidoptera in the form of a Hummingbird Hawkmoth, feeding manically on honeysuckle in a hedgerow, and a Clouded Yellow butterfly, looking a bit out of place cruising the gardens of suburban Wareham.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHjmnVvUBUiLqRzK_H0ngZ8dVZ5RLP2cLonZvuRktVjdNfGVJlJZ9yJHA4A2o56xaaauFppCjE0D8GWGN2aN5d3HsaLmE7CVEWeaOzETMVAvZb6DDnK7_T5KqvYxNpRjDM4m_jRzZyss/s400/BG+HH.JPG) |
Hummingbird Hawkmoth, Swineham 22nd September 2012 |
A few years ago Hummingbird Hawks seemed to be everywhere - we even had one in our garden in Kent - but I certainly haven't seen as many of them in the last couple of years. Similarly with Clouded Yellows - I usually manage to see one or two most years but seem to have found it a bit harder in the last couple. A good excuse, then, to dig out one of my favourite Clouded Yellow pictures - taken on St Mary's in October 2006.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiyN_GZjhEv81AGvQyM-7EztVIkPgvGZ0gfvzIc-EZA4VKFkcxJxhAU6dASbnmodKfywpNolwc3AoDxeE_xAMnclty7IoXVLSXIOkqWdtmBTIWl0S4JxHyrb8SpkHcfaAgTKDK0Z512zA/s400/Clouded+Yellow+(Colias+croceus)+St+Mary's,+Isles+of+Scilly.JPG) |
Clouded Yellow, St Mary's, October 2006 |
October 2006 was a classic for butterflies on Scilly, with a Monarch, a couple of Long-tailed Blues, a Queen of Spain Fritillary and an invasion of Clouded Yellows including a few of the rare
helice form. Although I dipped the Queen of Spain, the highlight for me came on the 9th when I found my own
Long-tailed Blue - a near perfect specimen - and an hour or two later caught up with my first
Monarch feeding on ivy on the Garrison. Happy days...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwlx4sxWhIVP6-ulYJJX2fVsizlvwndZuQzb1thjPjpb4GwoB8R3ozl_zT9mlj5qAQYugEgrTZwk1Ss5dUJtptT8t1zgF5YOHg7PKelnNQywjIo5D-NjM6ikZ6VZV-rjNDYtsCaPztcus/s400/Long-tailed+Blue+-+female+underside+(Lampides+boeticus)+St+Mary's,+Isles+of+Scilly,+9th+October+2006.JPG) |
Self-found Long-tailed Blue, St Mary's, 9th October 2006 |
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