Adonis Blues were easy to see on Denbies Hillside this morning. AB2 190524.JPG AB8 190524.JPG AB11 190524.JPG AB12 190524.JPG AB pair1 190524.JPG Though the males do vary a bit in shade and marginal markings, this one had the most pronounced series of marginal black dots I have ever seen. ABab1 1905...

Tuesday 14th May was even cooler than Monday, and damp and cloudy too. However, a marginally bright interval coincided with me walking close to a known Small Copper territory - and there he was.No other butterflies appeared at all.

Dave

Cheers, Trevor - I'm waiting on bulletins from our Salisbury correspondent and remain poised to return west for the Marshies... :) Monday 13th May was quite a bit cooler, and far less sunny, but still proved to be a productive sort of day on my local patch. Though cloudy, much of the cloud was quite...

What a terrific butterfly, Mike. It looks absolutely fresh, too (just trying to reassure myself it wasn't around when Wurzel and I visited Cotley Hill three days earlier! :) ). Great shots as well and perfect weather to keep it behaving - sometimes everything just comes together. Worth a :mrgreen: I...

Looking forward to hearing news about the Marshies, Wurzel - if the timing works out, I might try and combine a trip to see the Lulworths with a stop or two en route... :) Back to the local patch on Sunday 12th May - which turned out to be the hottest day of the year so far, reaching 27 degrees here...

A handful of highlights from a trip to the Downs south of Croydon today. CB1 170524.JPG DB1 170524.JPG DS1 170524.JPG GF1 170524.JPG SB2 170524.JPG Also seen were Brimstone, Peacock, Small Heath, Small Copper, Speckled Wood, Orange Tip and Green Hairstreak. A longer dissertation will follow in my PD...

I'm a regular visitor to Denbies Hillside, and I have to say that I've only encountered the Pink Hairstreaks on the one occasion. Greens are far more common. However, the area of habitat was exactly as described, though I imagine the species is just passing through on migration...

Dave

Cheers, Wurzel. It was good to see both Pearls and Wood Whites on the same day - there are lots of similarities in their habitats, so you almost expect them both to pop up in both locations... :) Thank you, David - they can be pretty good in July/August as well as an alternative, and some years the ...

What an amazing butterfly.

Cheers,

Dave

Of course, I did overlook one sighting at Rewell Wood on 10th May - I bumped into Ben and spent a while chewing the fat as the PBF fluttered past. Good to see you again, Ben. :) So, via the pleasant back route (though it's actually surprisingly direct), I arrived at Chiddingfold. Always a good sign,...

My local patch today... Very wet grass after overnight rain, completely cloudy skies with the merest hint of brightness - not ideal. However, a single butterfly braved the conditions: a shining new Small Copper.Worth going out I'd say.
Dave

A great selection of butterflies, Trevor. I envy you having not just one but two good PBF sites within easy reach! :mrgreen: :) And after some cracking shots of that species, you manage Green Hairstreaks on bluebells (I reckon that beats buttercups hands down... :wink: ). Interesting that you saw a ...

Friday 10th May was another sunny warm one, and anticipating this I set off southward early in the morning, reaching Fairmile Bottom at the foot of the steep slope with Rewell Wood at the top. I parked so as to be able to traverse the whole slope before tackling the upward path and take in any butt...

I'm glad you agree about the honorary butterfly status I accorded the Mother Shipton, David - thoroughly deserved I feel. :) Thank you, Katrina - I think they were just emerging and were consequently unusually docile. There are two different insects in those shots, and the second one in particular s...

Despite much cooler and cloudier conditions today (13th) I saw two new species for the year - both without going any further than my local patch close to Heathrow. After initially finding that every blue butterfly on the birds'-foot trefoil was a female Holly Blue, one on the medick turned into what...

Thank you, Katrina - I can't resist spending time with Holly Blues, waiting for them to open up like that. :) I think I've only managed to see three pairings over all the time I've been watching the species, Wurzel - and that's probably several thousands of Holly Blues! :) Keep me posted on events a...

That's a terrific Spring Assortment, Wurzel. I do like the Orange Tip shots on bluebells - they never seem to go for them round here unfortunately.

Cheers,

Dave

Spot on for the GVW, David, but looking at the broad black forewing border showing through on the second shot, I'd say this one is a Large White.

Cheers,

Dave

8th May - Holly Blues. I've noted before that despite such a strong and accessible population of the species on my local patch, I hardly ever get a glimpse of a mating pair. The pairing I saw today would likely also have been overlooked if they hadn't been pestered by a succession of other males. H...

Cheers, Wurzel and David - that Grizzly was a great little butterfly and I only had the briefest opportunity to grab the shot. Funny how sometimes that can end up as a real cracker. :) Wednesday 8th May rejoiced in a continuation of the sunny and warm theme, but I stayed local and went out relativel...