| "Frits About" 2009-07-29 |
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Summary:
Look out, rest of July into August & onwards, for:
Below is a round up of reports received since last edition on 28th June.
Pearl-bordered Fritillary.No further reports since last "Frits About". Flight period over.
Small Pearl-bordered FritillaryAnglesey:No new reports received. Brecknock:No new reports received. Caernarvonshire:No new reports received. Carmarthenshire:Above Llyn Brianne: - Richard Pryce: "At least 7 SPBFrits on the Carms side of the Brecs border yesterday (29th June) on our way back from the BSBI AGM in Builth (SN804490)". Pembrey Country Park: - Wendel Thomas & Malcolm Holding reported 2 (S)PBF (via Carms Bird Club website) on 25th June. Ceredigion:No new reports received. Denbeighshire:Clare Williams: "Just to let you know …I undertook two weeks of monitoring for the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary in Clocaenog Forest (Denbighshire) between 22 June – 3rd July. Nearly 50 sites within the forest are now monitored with the SPBF recorded at the majority of these in 2009. There also appeared to be more butterflies dispersing away from the breeding sites than the previous two years, presumably a result of the very good weather". Glamorgan (Bridgend):No new reports received. Glamorgan (NPT):No further reports. Glamorgan (RCT):Tonyrefail: * No further reports. Hirwaun:* - Mark Evans reported: "I saw a single SPBFat Blaencynon SAC (Cors Bryn y Gaer), this afternoon (28th June)". - Richard Wistow's previous input omitted "One more SPBF record that I missed/forgot to send in was a single seen on June 9th 2009 from Hirwaun at SN943057". Cwm Clydach: Ben Williams reports "On 4.6.09 I saw about 20 SPBFs at Cwmclydach". Glamorgan (Swansea):No further reports. Glamorgan (Vale):No new reports received. Gwent:No further reports. Gwynedd:No new reports received. Merionethshire:George Tordoff thought we might like a quick summary of the surveys which he's been doing for the Tir Gofal project in NW Wales, so here goes: "Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary has been recorded on a number of farms in Snowdonia during surveys carried out by Butterfly Conservation as part of a Welsh Assembly Government-funded project to evaluate the effectiveness of the Tir Gofal (TG) Agri-environment Scheme for priority wildlife species. Small PBF surveys were carried out between 11th June and 14th July, with the butterfly being recorded on 17 out of 19 TG Farms. This is excellent news and shows that the species remains widespread in Snowdonia (particularly central and northern Merionethshire). Large populations were found on a few farms, where grazing levels are light and Marsh Violet, the larval foodplant, is abundant in marshy grassland areas. However, several farms with superficially suitable habitat were found to support only small populations, mainly due to sheep having grazed out most of the violets from the marshy areas." Pembrokeshire:Maggie Humble has been very busy with sightings:
Radnorshire:Julian Jones
Marsh FritillaryBrecknock:No further reports. BBNP: No new reports received. Carmarthenshire:No new reports received. Ceredigion:No new reports received. Glamorgan (Bridgend):No further reports. Glamorgan (Neath Port Talbot):No further reports. Glamorgan (RCT):Tonyrefail: * - No further reports. Hirwaun/Penderyn: Mark Evans "I saw one female MF at Blaencynon, this afternoon (28th June)". Glamorgan (Swansea):No new reports received. Gwent:No further reports. Gwynedd:No new reports received. Merioneth:No further reports. Pembrokeshire:Bob Haycock (in his e-mail dated 27th July) reports "Marsh frit webs are also now appearing. A brief search of a small area of Castlemartin Range on Saturday 25th July produced a dozen or so in a small area searched in less than five minutes, and this was not the main core area either - so it is looking quite good so far! I won't be doing timed-searches for a couple of weeks or so." Powys:No further reports.
Dark Green FritillaryAnglesey:Mike Howe reports "DGF abundant at Tywyn Aberffraw on Anglesey on 28th June. In excess of 100 counted when normally see only a handful". Brecknock:Clare Williams: " 15 DGF on 10.07.09 on the disused railway line at Ogof Ffynnon Ddu NNR (Powys). Carmarthenshire:Pembrey Country Park: - Wendel Thomas & Malcolm Holding reported 15 DGFs (via Carms Bird Club website) on 25th June. - Mark Newton sends this report (via Ian Morgan) "On a different note, I don’t think I would be exaggerating to say there were thousands of six-spot burnets in Pembrey forest today (25th July), SWF = 50+, Dark-green frits = 30+. Few painted ladies in the butterfly ride, numerous meadow browns, quite a few small skipper, and the odd ringlet. A few common blue, some large whites. There were also some moths on the wing (disturbed) that I didn’t recognise. There were numerous marbled whites and 1 small blue." Ceredigion:Joyce Jones found (14th July) "Dark green fritillaries in Ceredigion on the coast path between Mwnt (SN 193<>519) and Parclyn. Only about half a dozen but more numerous than small tortoiseshells. It would be good if someone else could confirm that they are dark greens - the habitat is correct, meadow type areas and patches of bracken. They were within a mile from Mwnt walking North towards Aberporth". Glamorgan (Bridgend):Margaret Samuel: "Thought you might like to know we had a Dark Green Fritillary trapped in our greenhouse in Bridgend on the 20th July. We also saw a couple on the Merthyr Mawr sand-dunes on the 12th July and I got a lovely photo of one, a six spot burnet, and a white tailed bumblebee on the same flower. Margaret". No further precise reports, although Andrew Ashman has promised to send in numbers seen by him in June at Kenfig NNR. Glamorgan (NPT):No further reports. Glamorgan(RCT):Cwm Clydach: Ben Williams reports "No DGFs seen yet(29th June)at Cwmclydach". Glamorgan (Swansea):No further precise reports, although Andrew Ashman has promised to send in numbers seen by him in June at Whiteford Burrows. Glamorgan (Vale):Alun valley: Transect results summary to date to follow shortly. Merionethshire:Adjunct to George Tordoff's quick summary of the surveys which he's been doing for the Tir Gofal project in NW Wales (see under SPBF): "As an added bonus, Dark Green Fritillary (not a target species of the project) was recorded on 5 of the farms surveyed towards the end of the SPBF flight season." Montgomeryshire:No new reports received. Pembrokeshire:Maggie Humble has also been very busy with DGF sightings:
Bob Haycock reports (27th July) "What an excellent summer it has been for dark green frits at Castlemartin Range - 100s seen in Range West from mid June onwards. They are still around, although numbers declining fast now". Radnorshire:Julian Jones in his latest e-mail (27th July) says "To be honest things have been a bit rubbish on the frit front - we're all still delighted over the Welsh Clearwing discovery at Gilfach (and a second record in the Elan Valley a week later!). I've not seen any DGF yet which surprises me."
High Brown FritillaryVale of Glamorgan:Alun valley: Transect results summary to date to follow shortly. Visit to Alun valley? Unfortunately, the weather has been unsuitable for a second accompanied site visit (no public access) this season. Thanks to the 5 visitors who were able to come along in June.
Silver-washed FritillaryCardiff:Fforest Fawr - Ben Williams "had a few hours to kill on Sunday 12th July and took the opportunity to go up to look for Silver Washed Frits. I saw 10; one female and nine males, so this year looks like (14.7.09 ed.) it’s going to be a good year and that was in a half an hour on a linear transect along the main track. They were mainly feeding on the buddleia." Carmarthenshire:Pembrey Country Park: - Wendel Thomas & Malcolm Holding reported 2 SWFs (via Carms Bird Club website) on 25th June. Mark Newton sends this report (via Ian Morgan) "On a different note, I don’t think I would be exaggerating to say there were thousands of six-spot burnets in Pembrey forest today (25th July), SWF = 50+, Dark-green frits = 30+. Few painted ladies in the butterfly ride, numerous meadow browns, quite a few small skipper, and the odd ringlet. A few common blue, some large whites. There were also some moths on the wing (disturbed) that I didn’t recognise. There were numerous marbled whites and 1 small blue." Brechfa Forest: Dave Bannister advises (28th July) "Plenty of SWF out at the moment in the garden (near Llanllawddog). Dave" Glamorgan (Vale):Paul Dunn sent news of his first SWF of season from Alun valley on 28th June. Welsh St Donats: Ben Williams reports "I saw a SW Frit at Welsh St Donats in the Vale yesterday (20th June). Never seen one there before, didn’t know if you had any records for that area". (Used to occur in Hensol Forest nearby - ed.) Pembrokeshire:Bob Haycock reports (27th July): "Silver-washed frits also have had a good season so far here at Stackpole. Even on our local butterfly transect (along country lanes and roads at Martletwy) Annie and I recorded at least 3 in one good area on sat 25th where, in normal years, we are lucky if we see any!
Thanks to all for the continuing reports and do continue to send them. I shall be out in Carmarthenshire for several weeks, but will try to find time to update, so please continue to feed in. Butterfly Conservation website holds factsheets for each species. Best wishes, Richard PS Sincere apologies if I've omitted anyone's report |