Katrina

[Goldie M]

Some lovely shots in your posts Katrina I wish we'd more Butterflies to see here but in spite of two Buddliea very few species seen so far Goldie

[Katrina]

Thank you Goldie! I have to travel to see butterflies - none in my patio.

[Katrina]

I went back to Herstomonceaux today and met up with Trevor and later we bumped into John Williams.
The day started with a surprise which was a baby grass snake in the toilets.
The star of the show for me today was some fresh Red Admirals.
It was a bit breezy so there were quite a few blurry photos
Also seen were Small Coppers including courting spotted by Trevor, a Painted Lady again spotted by Trevor, Peacocks, Small Heaths, Whites and a single fresh Common Blue

[trevor]

Great to meet up with you again today, and John later on.
Well done with those stunning shots of the baby Grass Snake.
I can only imagine the reaction of some ladies finding that in the loo !
You made a better job of the Copper pair than I did. Great stuff.

Pity about the breeze, but still a lovely day and company.

[Katrina]

Thanks Trevor,
Snake shots could be sharper but it was low light and I was too surprised to think of changing settings! I think I should be grateful it stayed until I got my camera out.
I had plenty of blurry double copper photos too.

[Neil Freeman]

I'm loving the Grass Snake shots Katrina, an unexpected surprise indeed

Cheers,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Good work with the Grass Snake Katrina, they're slippery little customers I saw a young one a few years back slithering down the corridor at work so perhaps the young take to wandering before settling down?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Katrina]

Thanks Neil, it is the first baby grass snake I have seen.

Thanks Wurzel, I wonder if it was checking out places to hibernate

[Katrina]

a couple of bonus photos

[trevor]

A nice reminder of a lovely day ( apart from the breeze ).
Didn't have much time with other species today.

[David M]

Loving these butterflies on the asters, Katrina.

That grass snake's a beauty too. Didn't know they had a white band underneath their head.

[Katrina]

A nice reminder indeed as i sit here looking at the rain today.

Thank you David. The silver lining of the breeze was that it concentrated the butterflies in the corner of the walled garden so there were often 3 or 4 butterflies on the same bush at one time.
It takes a couple of seconds for the lights to go in the toilets when you go in and initially I thought the snake was a large worm in the low light until I saw a tongue and then the lights went on the band behind the head was the giveaway!

[Wurzel]

"I wonder if it was checking out places to hibernate"...sounds like a great call Katrina

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Katrina]

Found by my sister over summer a Puss moth caterpillar - according to Wikipedia it can fire formic acid from its tails

[Katrina]

Today the weather was mainly grey and drizzly but I decided I needed to get out and headed for Pulborough Brooks.
I saw 2 Peacocks but saw on the sighting board as I left someone had seen a brostreak.
I then went to Parham which had been suggested at one point as a place to look by Trevor and although the weather was no better i thought I would check it out. There was a sign saying something along the lines of you cant use photographs taken there for commercial purposes without permission
It was more expensive than Herstomceaux. Surprisingly I found some butterflies in the albeit light drizzle - Meadow Browns, Large Whites and a Red Admiral. Later there was a few minutes of sun and I saw Peacocks, Red Admirals and Commas which was not bad in the weather but the lack of light meant no great photos. There was still plenty of buddleia in bloom and similar plants to Herstmonceaux . There was also an orchard and they had left plenty of windfall apples,

[Wurzel]

I love the final Puss Moth cat shot Karina - looks like it's squaring up

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Katrina]

Thanks Wurzel, I don’t usually post caterpillars but I thought this one was interesting

[Goldie M]

Lovely shots of the Butterflies on the Asters Katrina, I'm trying to put more perennials in the Garden for next year, hope fully the Slugs and Snails will keep their distance Goldie

[Katrina]

Thanks Goldie. It has crossed my mind to get an aster for the patio too.

[Katrina]

I went to Mill Hill for an hour this afternoon. No photos I saw 2 Red Admirals (flying hence no photos), one Large White flaying and one Wall which was briefly basking and nectaring
I didn't leave the path so possible others hiding out. No blues seen.