Small Tortoiseshell - Favourite Photo of 2014

[Wurzel]

Week 18
Almost there!

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

[bugboy]

Until I moved to East London 5 years ago, these beauties had become a an ever decreasing sighting for me. Here though, they seemed to have hung in there and I have regularly seen them in some numbers each year .

Found this stunning freshly emerged individual in Epping Forest on 12th August

[downland boy]

I saw three examples of this minor aberration during June and July 2014 where the amber markings were very pale and the black markings taking on a smoky appearance.

[Padfield]

I'm not sure if this is my favourite small tortoiseshell picture or my favourite peacock picture, but I've missed peacock so small tortie it is:



This was taken in Suffolk on 5th April 2014.

Guy

[Chris Jackson]

This one-upmanship cannot be surpassed - excellent photos all of you. My meager contribution will come tomorrow.
Chris

[Neil Freeman]

I have already posted a fair few favourite Small Tortoiseshell photos on page 61 of my PD...

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=5424&start=1200

I think my overall favourites however are the shots below which remind me of last Spring when loads of Small Torts came out of hibernation and which, along with loads of Peacocks and good numbers of Commas, made for such a memorable start to the season

Small Tortoiseshell - Castle Hills Solihull 29.03.2014

Small Tortoiseshell - Castle Hills Solihull 29.03.2014

Cheers,

Neil.

[Matsukaze]

A good year for Small Tortoiseshells. There were good numbers in the garden early in the year

In late summer there were lots on the garden buddleia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVbZ1TEuHnc[/video]

Meanwhile, what are these larvae up to?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DyQ-Beyn0o[/video]

[David M]

This one-upmanship cannot be surpassed - excellent photos all of you. My meager contribution will come tomorrow.
Chris

You must have Small Tortoiseshells in your part of the world surely, Chris?

[millerd]

My favourite of several seen locally this year was this one from 2nd August. I've singled it out as a bit unusual: the yellow patch on the forewing is extended almost into a band, and surrounds the two black spots completely.

Dave

[MikeOxon]

Spotted during a pause in a Lay-By on the A40 near Sennybridge, with the Beacons in the background. An unexpected opportunity like this is always a delight.

nr. Sennybridge, Wales - 7th September 2014
Lumix FZ200 (fl=7.8mm) - 1/800s@f/4 ISO 160

Mike

[David M]

Nicely presented, Mike.

That's a lovely area of the UK by the way.

[MikeOxon]

Thank you, David. I took loads of photos of this individual, trying out different ideas. The Brecon Beacons are a favourite area

Mike

[Wurzel]

Small Tortoiseshell

This may at first glance seem an odd choice for my Fave Small Tortoiseshell as it hardly shows the butterflies. But if you look closely you can see that there is a pair in shot with the male behind courting the female and a sneaky Comma. It’s my fave as it captured my daughter filming the butterflies on a trip to Five Rivers early last season. I’ll always remember that day, not for the butterflies including my first Comma of the year but for spending a couple of care free hours doodling around amongst the Small Torts with my little girl.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[peterc]

My contribution - a pair from Norton Green last April

Peter

[dilettante]

A pair from Cambridgeshire in June, where there was a large emergence along a farm track near my house. I watched this courting couple for a while:

[Goldie M]

My photo's were taken in my back garden one on the 7th Sept one on the 14th of May, I saw my first TS on the 4th of March last year, it's usually the first Butterfly I see every year in the garden, all in good numbers. Goldie

[David M]

Small Tortoiseshells are never lovelier than when you first see them in any given year - they really are a sign of spring.

My favourite image of 2014 wouldn't win any awards for beauty, but it was a wonderful moment on 24th February when this first butterfly I'd seen that year finished nectaring on celandines and made a bee-line for my jeans.

I considered myself truly humbled:

[Chris Jackson]

You must have Small Tortoiseshells in your part of the world surely, Chris?

In 4 years I have never seen this species in or around Marseilles, David, and then this year I had three in my garden all at the same time - amazing
So usually I'm outside my département if ever I see one.
Here are two, one from Foxton Locks in June when I was back in Leicestershire:

And the second in July on a ski slope in summer attire in the Cantal départment of the Massif Central:

Chris

[Pete Eeles]

Small Tortoiseshell

This may at first glance seem an odd choice for my Fave Small Tortoiseshell as it hardly shows the butterflies. But if you look closely you can see that there is a pair in shot with the male behind courting the female and a sneaky Comma. It’s my fave as it captured my daughter filming the butterflies on a trip to Five Rivers early last season. I’ll always remember that day, not for the butterflies including my first Comma of the year but for spending a couple of care free hours doodling around amongst the Small Torts with my little girl.

Small Tortoiseshell.JPG

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Just catching up - otherwise I would have responded earlier. I've seen so many photos that have really taken my breath away because of their technical detail or novelty (from which I learn), but seeing a shot that instills the connection with nature in the next generation tops the lot for me. Just superb - and thanks for sharing!

Cheers,

- Pete

[Neil Hulme]

I couldn't agree more.
"I’ll always remember that day, ........ for spending a couple of care free hours doodling around amongst the Small Torts with my little girl."
Priceless!

BWs, Neil