www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hi everyone,

I took this picture this morning at Kings Park in Bournemouth. I think it's a female Speckled Wood. Am I right or wrong?

Cheers,
Phil.

Difficult to say from that angle but there does seem to be some darker patches in the center of the forewings which is where the male keeps his scent patch. The forewings also looks angular like a male so on balance I'd go for, you guessed it!

The behaviour would be a give away, was it patrolling the sunny patch you found it in, returning to the same leaf and chasing insects and shadows? If so it's certainly a male, if it was just passing through or sniffing around in grass and ignoring other insects then it's likely a female.

Hi Paul,

Thanks for that. It did seem to patrol a little and alighted on this leaf twice. It didn't go anywhere near the grass, but what grass there was brown with drought. Unfortunately, I scared it off trying to get the photo. I reckon you're right on reflection, probably a male. Thanks for helping,

Phil.