Scotch Argus - Favourite Photo of 2013

[Vince Massimo]

Week 15.

Here is the opportunity to post your favourite photo(s) of a particular species taken in 2013 (or the last time you saw one!).

This is part of a series of topics which will grow over 20 weeks throughout the winter, eventually covering all 59 species which are regularly found in the British Isles. The intention is to showcase three species per week (in alphabetical order), so please wait until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos. Our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants.

Details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome and please feel free to contribute observations of behaviour, stories of personal encounters, anecdotes or other interesting points.

Vince

[Padfield]

I'm not sure I focused in the right place for this picture, but it shows a different side of this butterfly from most pictures.



Guy

[Chris Jackson]

That's a great photo Guy, and I love the context.
Chris

[millerd]

One of the reasons for diverting from a journey from London to York via Arnside Knott was to see this butterfly. There were plenty about, mostly attracted to widespread clumps of marjoram, but they were very active in the sunshine and difficult to approach. It was 7th August, and they had also begun to wear a little past their best. It always feels odd to see this species in numbers like this and think that it is right at the southernmost point of its UK distribution.

Dave

[Pete Eeles]

I'm not sure I focused in the right place for this picture, but it shows a different side of this butterfly from most pictures.

STREWTH! Thanks for sharing - I've never seen a sight like that before!

Cheers,

- Pete

[David M]

I'm not sure I focused in the right place for this picture, but it shows a different side of this butterfly from most pictures.

You just love to tease occasionally, don't you, Guy?

[downland boy]

It's back to 2012 for my last encounter with this species; the combination of a freshly emerged female and fresh green foliage made it my favourite shot of that day.

[Neil Freeman]

I spent a fantastic 3 days up at Arnside in early August with Scotch Argus being one of my main targets. Spending a few days up there meant that I could be up on the Knott in the morning and catch them waking up and basking before they warmed up and became more active.
There were large numbers, easily into the hundreds in the best areas, many of which were beginning to look well past their best but there were still some nice examples about, especially females.

Scotch Argus male - Arnside 06.08.2013

Scotch Argus female - Arnside 06.08.2013

Scotch Argus female - Arnside 06.08.2013

Scotch Argus female - Arnside 06.08.2013

I also like the shot of the female below which seemed a bit 'spottier' than most of the others that I saw,

Scotch Argus female - Arnside 06.08.2013

A was also pleased to find a number of mating pairs. Whilst the following shots are not really that good, I like them as they show the difference in underside markings between the male and female.

Scotch Argus pair - Arnside 05.08.2013

Scotch Argus pair - Arnside 06.08.2013

Cheers,

Neil.

[David M]

My only sightings of Scotch Argus in 2013 were at Arnside Knott on the bleak and damp early evening of 4th August before catching the ferry from Heysham to the Isle of Man.

I was bloody lucky to see any butterflies given the conditions, but a walk through a stretch of bracken disturbed 3 or 4 individuals, including this one that came promptly back down to earth with its wings resolutely shut:

[Goldie M]

I saw my very first Scotch Argus at Arnside Knot on the 6th of August it was very cold and misty and we'd to search for them after climbing up the Knot we finally found a few much to my delight. Goldie

[Jack Harrison]

When I first arrived on Isle of Mull, I asked [a wildllife expert] where is the best place to see Scotch Argus? A more sensible question would have been "Where won't I see Scotch Argus?" Lovely butterfly of course, but as common here as say Ringlet in the south of England. Now what wouldn't I give to see a Ringlet on Mull!

Jack