Scotch Argus - Favourite Photo of 2014

[Wurzel]

Week 15

So continues sequence of posts giving one and all the opportunity to showcase their favourite shots of 2014 (or the last time you saw one)!

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As like last year details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome as would any accompanying stories and anecdotes or other observations of behaviour and interesting other points.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Spent a wonderful few hours at Smardale Gill in Cumbria on 4th August where Scotch Argus could be found in silly numbers.

The site itself was one of the most visually stunning butterfly locations I've yet visited in the UK:

This species is difficult to approach but I managed a few images that were just about presentable:

[Goldie M]

I was at Arnside Knot on August the 15th the weather had been awful but on that day although it was cloudy I still managed to see a couple of Scotch Argus but they were weathered, so different from when I was there in July on the 28th, it was amazing what a change just a couple of weeks can make to a Butterfly when the weather is so bad.

I must admit I have trouble also getting good shots of these Butterflies they stay so low when flying and they no sooner land before they take off again

I decided to put four photo's in because I couldn't choose between the three of them and also they were the only shots I took that were any good Goldie

[MikeOxon]

With your usual knack for capturing the unusual, Goldie, you have a splendid example of ab.tetraocellata - four spots in the red band rather than three in the type - though 4 is by no means rare in the English colonies.

Mike

[millerd]

The annual pilgrimage to Arnside this year was on 27th July. The weather was supposed to get cooler further north, but didn't and it was quite hot even up on the top of the Knott. Most of the Brown Argus were to be found lower down including the first female I've been able to photograph.

Dave

[David M]

That looks like another individual with the additional spot, Dave!

[IAC]

Scotch Argus are thin on the ground the in the south east of Scotland. They did have several historical sites a century or two ago, and these seem to have all but dried up. So I have to travel 20 odd miles inland to Melrose in the Scottish Borders at the end of July beginning of August to a little tucked away site on the outskirts of town. In shelter, at the foot of the Eildon Hills, and just on the fringe of the golf course, a still undisturbed grassland a few hundred meter square still exists and holds a remnant colony of Scotch Argus. There can be many hundreds or just a few depending on the time of year I visit...but it is worth the effort to make the annual pilgrimage. In 2014 I found maybe 50 butterflies on the 28th of July. I suspect I was just a few days early to see the years full potential offspring at their peak. The frustrating dark colour is not easy to capture on sunny days...exposure is a nightmare with this species. And jumpy...they are so jumpy....I stock up at the local Butcher who makes the most incredible Macaroni pies...I sit and eat pies...and just watch them fly by...blissful.

[Goldie M]

Thanks for your info Mike, I'm afraid if people don't pick these things out for me and let me know I've not a clue I keep looking at species section if I do see something I think is different but there's so many different things to look at, even when I look I can't always see the difference Any way thats another one to add to my aberration list Goldie