Late Summer in a Wealden Wood

As we enter the last week of August, all of our resident butterfly species are either on the wing or are over with for another season. In good years, some species will produce third broods in September and October and the current influx of Long-tailed Blues (Lampides boeticus) from the continent is sure to provide some late-season excitement.  

For me, the sight of Brimstones (Gonepteryx rhamni) busy nectaring at thistle heads in readiness for hibernation signals that Autumn is not far away.

Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) (male)

Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum) (males)

Ruddy Darter (S. sanguineum) (immature male)

Ruddy Darter (S. sanguineum) (female)

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) (female)

Large White (Pieris brassicae) (female)

Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum) (male)

White-legged Damselfly (Platycnemis pennipes) (female)

Ensuring the Next Generation

The instinct to survive predominates in the world of insects and spiders but the instinct to reproduce is very strong. The sole mission of male butterflies and dragonflies is to search for females with which to mate and very often, female butterflies are found and mated with very soon after they have emerged from the pupa.

Walking around Pevensey Levels in recent weeks, the reproductive cycle has been evident everywhere.

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) (mating)

The female is the lower of the pair and the dusting on her hind wings is probably grass pollen.

Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum) (mating)

Fen Raft Spider (Dolomedes plantarius) (female with egg sac)

The female is an extremely attentive mother and will carry the egg sac everywhere. When the eggs start to hatch, she will construct a nursery web and remain with her offspring until they disperse naturally.