More Spring Awakenings

One of my favourite pursuits during the early days of Spring is to watch for Frogs and Toads returning to their breeding pools. I have a particular fondness for the Common Toad (Bufo bufo) whose antics are a delight to watch as the males battle for females and paired couples venture off into the pond foliage to lay their strings of spawn.

 

I found this pair in mating clasp and enjoying the afternoon sunshine in a wealden pond this week.

 

 

Common Toad (Bufo bufo)

 

 

 

 

On Pevensey Levels this week, I came across a freshly emerged Orange Underwing moth (Archiearis parthenias) on a log, drying its wings. These day flying moths invariably take off from the ground before you spot them and it was nice to see just how beautifully marked their underwings are. 

 

  

Orange Underwing (Archiearis parthenias)

 

 

 

I later found a fresh Minotaur Beetle (Typhaeus thyphoeus) scuttling through the leaf litter. The male of this species has three horns projecting from the front of the thorax.

 

 

Minotaur Beetle (Typhaeus typhoeus) (male)

Butterflies at Wisley 2018

The "Butterflies in the Glasshouse" exhibition is held annually at RHS Wisley during January & February. I find this event an enjoyable way to spend a cold and dull winter's day trying to improve my basic knowledge of butterflies from around the world.

 

Here is a selection of images from this year.

 

 

Batwing (Atrophaneura semperi)

 

(The first two images are males, the next two are females)

 

 

 

Ruby-spotted Swallowtail (Papilio anchisiades)

 

 

Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)

 

 

Mocker Swallowtail (Papilio dardanus)

 

(The first two images are males, the next is female)

 

 

Giant Orange Tip (Hebomoia glaucippe)

 

 

Glasswing (Greta oto)

 

 

Postman (Heliconius melpomene)

 

 

White Morpho (Morpho polyphemus)

 

 

Tiger Leafwing (Consul fabius)

 

 

Autumn Leafwing (Doleschallia bisaltide)

 

 

Blue Wave (Myscelia cyaniris)

 

 

Blue-frosted Banner (Catonephele numilia)

 

(male and female)

 

 

Clipper (Parthenos sylvia sylvia)

 

 

Some species readily breed within the butterfly house environment and their larvae can sometimes be spotted feeding on the tropical foliage.

 

Pale Owl (Caligo memnon) (early instar larvae on banana leaf)  

 

 

Pale Owl (C.memnon) (mature larva)

 

 

Blue Morpho (Morpho peleides) (larva)