It's still hard to say what the general habits are of Holly Blue up here in Scotland or indeed just how long they have been establishing a network of distribution. It's clear from this year that they have been running right through the country for as long as two decades pretty much under the radar w...

I didnt actually see that many this year for one reason and another. Thin on the ground in the most typical spots. This female was one of the few up at Greenlaw Dean in June.

Female Large Skips are worth chasing. Like little flaming arrows. They can be spotted a good distance off in green grass. We have been lucky across the southern Scottish Borders with a good numbers most years. They have been slow to show further north but are getting there.

...Probably the most beautiful Butterfly I had seen all year. That really is quite sumptuous, Iain. Even though they're common round my way, it still makes my heart jump when I see a fresh female posed like that. Yes a corker of thing David. Still relatively scarce up here. It was a season to long ...

I get very few bites at Holly Blue in former years feeding on the scraps whilst others elsewhere have enjoyed unfettered access. It's been frustrating. South east Scotland this year however was very well lit up revealing at last the hiding places of the Holly Blue. An embarrassment of riches. Good t...

Chased them around for ages without finding any and then suddenly found a decent site with multiples everywhere. My eyesight is pretty poor these days and Greenstreaks are easily the most difficult to see. Din Moss Scottish Borders in May.

Scottish Borders, It's Holly Blue all day long. A local world breaking innings. Followed by White-letter Hairstreak with another amazing season. Dark Green Fritillary and then Speckled Wood. Losers were Small Tortoiseshell, Meadow Brown, Green-veined White and possibly Small Pearl that did appear to...

Nothing much compares to Comma for excitement. Spring Comma chasing is always much anticipated. Summer Comma are always fleeting and elusive yet finding a perfect one can mean everything. Then the late summer and Autumn Comma. To be torn to pieces by Bramble thorns whilst hunting the ultimate Comma ...

A bogey Butterfly that often gets away before Im anywhere near. This year was a little different for a while visiting on three consecutive mornings during late June. The weather was well naff however that suited me fine as I was able to stumble across piles of Dark Greens sitting silently in the gra...

Scottish Borders White-letter Hairstreaks 2023.

A Scottish White-letter Hairstreak female feeding on Oak along the Alewater Banks Eyemouth, Scottish Borders.

Speckled Wood among the last of the Thistle drifts in Berwickshire, Scottish Borders late 2022

Northern Brown Argus male at Burnmouth, Scottish Borders June 2022

Thanks David. How common is it to see the spots on all wings? Really quite common. 1 in 5 I would say. It really will depend on a lot of local factors. Some years better than others. My tuppenny-ha'pennys worth of Northern Brown Argus post 2021. A decent season. Not record breaking. Average to midd...

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary feeding frenzy with a fancy aberrant form center stage. Gordon Community Woodland.

Wall Brown male Burnmouth. First generation.

Orange-tip male Chirnside, Scottish Borders.

Due to travel restrictions I was completely unable to look at any of the inland colonies during 2020. On the coast however I indulged in a few of the more intimate NBA sites dotted along the coast between Eyemouth and Burnmouth on the Berwickshire, South East Scotland coastline. This grand specimen ...

Congrats to all, fantastic winning image Simon, well done indeed. Well done the judges picking through that lot. A superb entry list again this year. Rosalyn's Black Hairstreak I liked, Greenanrol's Essex Skip, though all three images were winners, Nigel Kiteley, Grizzled Skip. All too good. :) Chee...

2020 efforts from across the Scottish Border.