Art Frames

[David M]

Wonderful close-ups again, Peter. I've been after Large Whites all year but they keep eluding me!

[Wurzel]

Wow the sharpness and level of detail in those shots is stunning Peter And keep the in flight shots coming, they're cracking

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Art Frames]

Thank you Goldie, Wurzel and David. I am encouraged. I did try some very ambitious shots of speckled woods spiralling around. Unfortunately, the tree was sharp and the two blurs did not make a great picture. So next time if I can get the focus spot on the butterfly I will.

I did get some lovely damsels and a hairy dragonfly. But first I caught up with one Orange Tip which seemed to like these flowers and nothing else bothered it whilst it filled up. Lovely fresh OTs but all of the Garlic Mustard was gone over, the only plants I saw were leggy and on the other side of the reserve..and there were around a dozen males patrolling up and down without any females or foodplant.



And this single Comma was in good shape but was not having much to do with me and my camera. Shutting up and just occasionally flashing colour...



So I spent most time with the Odonata - of which this wonderful banded demoiselle was a star poser



In second place was this one. I put him in second place because he hadn't removed the cobwebs from his dining room



And I stalked this fresh hairy dragonfly who was drying those lovely shiny wings.



So an impressive haul of images rather spoiled by two nasty fly bites which still itch when I mention them. How do biting flies get up your trousers in the first place let alone crawl to the very darkest of spots ?

[bugboy]

As always, wonderful images Peter , That Demoiselle on the Hawthorn blossom very nearly overshadowing the Orange-tip! I've noticed myself that they seem to be partial to Vetch flowers if they are growing nearby.

I'm glad you enjoyed reading about mini Padfield

[Wurzel]

That OT is amazing Peter, the way you've captured the markings through the wing I can see why the Hairy Dragonfly is so named

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Art Frames]

Just back from Croatia, with huge numbers of pictures and a number of first time views for me, but more on than shortly.

Just to add to the pictures to play with I set-out the 2 miles to Salcey Forest to see Black Hairstreaks. This is now a growing colony and I must have seen 40 butterflies. Mostly at height because the weather was OK but we needed more sun for much of the time. However, when the sun shone the butterflies did come down and I had fun with a few.

Most fascinating were two females which I shot on video egg-laying and also captured a few photos which I include here. I especially like the one where the egg is visible.



Here is the egg.


Those shots were a little dark, but in the light the colours were lovely.



So now back to my 2000 pictures from Croatia...

[Pauline]

Oh Peter! Those photos are incredible. The one with the egg is stunning Makes my efforts look like something out of a cartoon strip

[Wurzel]

Crack on with the photo sorting Peter, really looking forward to seeing what delights you encountered Cracking Blackstreaks

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

I saw loads of those little stunners today myself, almost plagues of them!

[millerd]

Extraordinary photos, Peter. To catch that moment of depositing the egg is astonishing.

Dave

[Art Frames]

Thank you Pauline, Bugboy, Millerd and Wurzel for your kind comments. I will get back to working on my Croatia record. It will be the weekend, I guess.

[Maximus]

That's an amazing shot of the female Black Hairstreak ovipositing, Peter

Mike

[Janet Turnbull]

I have just been going back through some of your posts and I'm blown away by your photos. Your Blackstreaks are stunning, Peter! I haven't seen any yet - they're high on my list but probably too late for this year.

[David M]

Absolutely first class stuff, Peter. There have been many images lately of very accommodating Black Hairstreaks but I think yours top the lot, not just for quality of image, but also for behaviour.

It's going to be hard to improve on those!

[Art Frames]

Wurzel need wait no longer….I will post my Croatia trip in daily instalments. A weeks adventure between June 4th and 11th. Several first ever sightings for me, many of which I will post pictures of.



On route between Zagreb and the first hotel. We stopped at a lay-by with some light scrub and a small stream. Some nice first sightings. This butterfly was initially thought to be a Brown Argus but eventually was agreed as a Chapman's Blue.



At our second brief stop at a Service area we explored the nearby rough ground. Which produced a number of butterflies including this pair of mating Short-tailed Blues



…and my first ever time with an Amanda's Blue. We saw many during the trip. We quickly discovered we were a focus for them, with our hot and sweaty bodies. They loved to sit on us, which made less attractive pictures.



I found this Purple-shot Copper at our first hotel. Villa Plitvicka Sedra in Irinovac. In the extensive grounds at the rear of the hotel.



…together with this lovely dark False Heath fritillary. So closing my first day in Croatia

[Wurzel]

Mouthwatering start Peter Looking forward to tomorrow already

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

You've whetted my appetite already, Peter! Please get these online asap before I go away to France next week!

[Art Frames]

So speeding up for David, I may get two done today

Day 2 (June 5th) at Villa Plitvicka Sedra in Irinovac before breakfast. I woke up early, I always do on these trips and had a walk to find roosting butterflies as the sun started to touch the tips of the plants and grasses. A few day-flying moths were about and a few red-backed shrike, reducing the amount of moths. Then I caught sight of this Clouded Yellow. Of the thirty or so pictures I took this was the nicest close-up. And it was still there as I left. Beautiful.



Elsewhere in the gardens, this Pearly Heath was taking the first rays of sun. Once again close but this heath was a bit more wary.



After a hearty breakfast we went to Plitvicka Jezera National Park. Which was a wonderful tourist trip, but the butterflies were less impressed by the ornamental surroundings. However, one of my favourite butterflies, (and I believe Wurzel is also a fan), was there. A Chequered Blue; which is such a dainty butterfly. In a later shot we’ll get to see the lovely underside.



On leaving the park we took lunch in a wooded area. My first shots were of a Heath Fritillary on a wild rose.



We were able to see many passing Clouded Apollo’s dancing in the sunlight. But it took a while of tracking and muttering before one settled long enough to catch a picture.



In the same wooded area were several Woodland Ringlets. There were two challenges - getting a settled butterfly, and finding one in fair condition. I think they had been playing with the wild roses.



Moving to a new, meadow site we began to see some new species. I had seen Nickerl’s Fritillary in Hungary, and there was the usual struggle to try and sort the Melitaea species as they fly about together.
Having photographed the underside I’m fairly confident ☺



Happily we were amongst dozens of Black-veined Whites. They lift my heart and take my memory back to France and my first time amongst a cloud of them fluttering and dancing in the sunshine. I believe that that sight and experience is exactly how Heaven will be. Beautiful and magical. You’ll see a few more as this diary unfolds (and I have some video if I get round to that too).


I ended the day on a real high and a new sight for me. This is the dark mountain form of a Glanville Fritillary. Having taken many pictures low down amongst the grass, this gentle butterfly sat on my finger and hopped onto this cerise flower to enable we to take shots to fill the frame without bending the knees and back. What a star.

[Wurzel]

Wow I wouldn't know where to begin! I was made up with the Chequered Blue shot That Glanville is stnning, so different that you're left wondering if it really is just a 'form'

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bailey1409]

Hi Peter

Your Knapweed Fritillary looks like a Heath Fritillary!

Cheers

Maurice