Thanks
Ernie, any lepidopteran first is still exciting, and that still includes the first Brimstone and Orange-tips of the year. There’s still lots I haven’t seen so plenty of excitement left to be had
Thanks
Neil, I reckon that Duchess might be a shoe for the favourites threads over the winter.
Thanks
Wurzel, I would love a badge
Thanks
David, my first mating Hairstreaks of any description
Thanks
Max, not easy but being otherwise occupied, many many pictures were able to be had so at least a few were useable!
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May 2024
Saturday 11th. Time off work in May this year was pretty much restricted to rostered days off unfortunately. Added to this, the generally rubbish weather patterns which have invariably descended into rain on many of the aforementioned days off, meant I was ‘forced’ to take a risk and fork out for a trip to Wiltshire when some sun was promised on the off chance that the rumours of some early Marsh Fritillaries would come to fruition.
I arrived at Battlesbury Hillfort a little after 10 under something called a ‘blue sky’ a bit of a novelty this spring, and found the Green Hairstreaks already frolicking, here a male was found harassing a female. She escaped eventually but another ‘victim’ soon wandered through his territory and the same routine commenced. The males out of focus since the camera was focused on the static female under him, but they still clearly show his scent patch.
- The second female hiding under a leaf
- The second female making a quick getaway.
Th central ring path of the hillfort was home to Walls, lots of Walls. None as remarkable as Maximus’s recent one from a few miles down the road but all mostly quite fresh and with a bit of patience I managed to creep up on a few.
From my experience here last year, where the Fritillaries were most numerous and showed the greatest age range was on the south facing slopes, which obviously makes sense that that would be where the first would emerge so that is where I headed. A few Dingy Skippers were active, some Whites and a nice Small Copper but as I feared, no Fritillaries.
I did a slow walk round to the north side where presumably any Dukes might be active but the slopes are very steep here and my aging joints didn’t fancy that! I did another circuit, the Walls now supercharged making me just a spectator to their goings on, but on reaching the southern slopes again I found a nice fresh Small Heath who was very proud of his tiny extra ocelli.
It was whilst chasing him that another orange butterfly fluttered behind me and settled, the target and possibly the first on site… if not they’re very good at hiding as proved by this one who vanished after a few shots and no amount of searching could relocate the bugger!
I did find a second one, much younger though and probably at a stage that most were at!
Since the morning more Dingies had emerged, and I witnessed a very quick courtship of one fresh female who accepted his advances before I could grab any shots of the courtship.
Mid afternoon and Orange-tips started to slow down and were tempted by a bank of Herb-robert, as was a Large White
The Walls had also slowed down again and the day ended as it had started, Green Hairstreaks.
if not then its more than welcome in my 'I wish I'd seen/photographed' collection 
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