August 2018 - Part 3
22nd August 2018 - (Wednesday, Szerda)
A rather late visit (after 1800) saw most insects still very active due to the high temperature. Butterflies recorded were: Adonis Blue (at least 2 males), Reverdin's Blue (males and females), Small Heath (several seen), False Grayling (several, but now very worn), Chalkhill Blue (males and females), Common Blue, Dryad, and Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow = 8 species. There are still plenty of Purple Loosestrife flower heads, but all the flowering plants desperately need water. I deliberately disturbed a male Chalkhill from a grass stem as a brown crab spider started to move towards it! Several grasshopper species were evident, and also a mature female Long-winged Conehead, complete with her full-length ovipositor.
24th August 2018 - Friday, Péntek)
An hour-long visit from 1600-1700, on yet another very warm afternoon. Maybe 2 new moth species were recorded ... but both are awaiting identification.
25th August 2018 - (Saturday, Szombat)
An early evening visit (1800-1900), and not too many butterfly species to be seen. I thought there'd be several species resting on plants, but this wasn't really the case: Those seen were: Chalkhill Blue, Small Heath, Short-tailed Blue, Reverdin's Blue, Wood White, and False Grayling = 6 species. A female Wasp Spider was waiting in position on her web among the Purple Loosestrife flowers.
26th August 2018 - (Sunday, Vasárnap)
A short, 45-minute visit to check the water situation at the SQ as we'd had over 2 hours of heavy rain, coupled with a thunder storm, this morning. Well, the main roads were wet, but there was no water flowing down the airfield road and into the site. It looked like some water had gone through the top irrigation channel, but not much. I found some water in Rock Bath 2, but none anywhere else. At least the direct rainfall has 'watered the plants' again, which will help to prolong the butterfly season. I still believe that the higher ground above the SQ is so dry that it is soaking up the rainfall like a sponge ..... unless our German 'friend' has paid someone to excavate a channel somewhere up the hill to divert the water flow away from the SQ. Unlikely, maybe, but I don't trust him ! As yet, I've found no evidence of 'foul play' along the airfield road. A few butterflies were clinging to the wet stems, but only of two species: Short-tailed Blue and Small Heath.
27th August 2018 - (Monday, Hétfő)
The heat was, once again, 'on' for my afternoon visit, and several butterflies were seen. These included: Grizzled Skipper, Lesser Fiery Copper (male), Reverdin's Blue, Small Heath (about 10 seen), Chalkhill Blue (both sexes), Silver-spotted Skipper (one seen briefly in The Bowl), Small White, False Grayling (several worn specimens), Sooty Copper (a new female), Short-tailed Blue (both sexes), Common Blue, Wood White, and a beautiful blue Adonis Blue male that refused to open its wings once it had landed ! Total = 13 species.
29th August 2018 - (Wednesday, Szerda)
My 2-hour, afternoon visit was very productive. Butterflies recorded: Short-tailed Blue, Common Blue, False Grayling, Small Heath, Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, Great Banded Grayling, Grizzled Skipper, Chalkhill Blue (a few of each sex), Reverdin's Blue, Small White, Weaver's Fritillary, Large Brown, Brown Hairstreak (female), Silver-spotted Skipper, Chestnut Heath, Adonis Blue (male), and Lesser Fiery Copper (not photographed) = 17 species.
30th August 2018 - (Thursday, Csütörtök)
31st August 2018 - (Friday, Péntek)
Hot again for my 2-hour visit (1400-1600). The heat ensured that the wealth of butterflies were very active, many of them not lingering long on the flower heads. As usual, they just waited for me to focus the lens before zooming off ! The strong winds blowing the plants added to my difficulties. Even so, several species were recorded: Reverdin's Blue, Lesser Fiery Copper, Sooty Copper (both sexes), Short-tailed Blue, Small Heath, Queen of Spain Fritillary, Silver-washed Fritillary (2 females), Chalkhill Blue, Silver-spotted Skipper, Small White, Silver-studded Blue, False Grayling, Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, Adonis Blue (3 males), Brown Argus, and Wood White = 16 species.