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Welcome to Daves Moth and Butterfly World -
Weekly Report - May 2009

Welcome to Dave McCormick's Moth and Butterfly World. Here is our weekly reports on what I have seen every week when I have been out and about. This report is for May 2009.

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May 2009

Weather Average for May 2009 in UK

May got off to a quiet start but became more lively around the 6th to 7th with a period of unseasonably strong winds even for the Scottish Islands, with gusts reaching 73 m.p.h.

Temperatures were between 0.5C and 1.5C above the 1971-2000 normal throughout the UK, with increasing warmth toward the east coast of England.

Rainfall was above normal in north-west England, Northern Ireland and much of Scotland, with most of north-west Scotland receiving more than 160% of the long-term May average.

By contrast, it was drier in southern England, with East Anglia and the south-east of England receiving less than 75%. Elsewhere, rainfall was mostly close to average.

Sunshine was generally around normal in south-west, Wales, Northern Ireland and parts of northern England but above average elsewhere; indeed May was a notably sunny month across the north and east of Scotland with 150% of the seasonal average in a few spots.

Kinlochewe and Cassley (both Highland) each recorded a maximum temperature of 26.5C on the 29th.

A maximum temperature of 26.9C was recorded at Solent (Hampshire) on the 31st.

Kinbrace (Highland) recorded a minimum temperature of -4.7C on the 11th.

46.8 mm of rainfall was recorded at Tyndrum (Perthshire) on the 6th.

Report

Gallery of Photos Taken this Month

Small Tortoiseshell
Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae). It has been a while since I saw any Small Tortoiseshell. I found this one while crossing a field. Taken on 17/05/09
Green-Veined White
Green Veined White (Pieris napi) Subspecies britannica. This is a female and it looks to me that the forewing spots look slightly larger than you usually get on this species. Taken on 17/05/09
Holly Bush in forest
This is a holly bush in the forest I was in. There was a micro moth here that I also saw in another area (see photo in this gallery). Taken on 17/05/09
Looking into Forest
This was an area of the forest I was in. It was where I saw a male speckled wood butterfly and managed to photograph it. The area looked nice in sun. Taken on 17/05/09
Speckled Wood
Speckled Wood (Autographa gamma) Subspecies tircis. I was taking photos of the forest I was in with Canon 18-55mm lens and saw this butterfly land nearby me. I rushed to change lens to my Sigma 105mm lens and got this shot. I did not realise until afterwards that I was on wrong mode, closeup. Taken on 17/05/09
  Unidentified Moth
Unidentified Micro Moth. I found this in an open area just outside of the forest, beside a river. It was flying around some germander speedwall plants. It was the same type of moth as I saw in the forest near a holly bush. Taken on 17/05/09
Mother Shipton
Mother Shipton (Callistege mi). I have never seen this moth proir to seeing it here, but I found 2 of these at a place called Hogstown Bog in Co Down, Northern Ireland. Its so called because the mark on its wings lookes like a witches head, like Mother Shipton, the witch. This I think is a female. Taken on 24/05/09
Here is a gallery of some photos I took this month.
(Click on thumbnail to see it full size. Be patient, might take a little while to load.)

I have not updated this in a while, but I have been busy. At the start of may I saw many orange-Tips, some mating and loads of eggs of orange-tips. To see all images I took this month, click the images in the gallery above. All photos are by David McCormick, unless stated.

17th: The weather sure has been not so good lately, bit wet, but when it sunny, it was warm. I have seen today:

1 Small Tortoiseshell
4 Green Veined White (Pieris napi)
2 Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
2 Unidentified Micro Moths

3 Buzzards
Buzzard (Buteo buteo) - Photo David McCormick

Found 3 buzzards flying around in a circle. Not a great shot, no larger image.

24th:  I went to a bog and saw quite a lot of Common Heath Moths (Ematurga atomaria) and 2 Mother Shipton Moths (Callistege mi) and a few Dark Green Fritillaries (Argynnis aglaja). Images and pages on Common heath and Mother Shipton are coming soon, so keep checking back.

Saw first Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) of the year at the bog as well.

Page last edited: 12/09/2009 02:34

(c) David McCormick 2009