Just caught up with your diary and France posting (haven’t been in UKB for a while and am just beginning to get my own holiday story together) :oops: . Seems like you didn’t have to try too hard for that amazing first day haul. Love the short-tailed blues and the female Sooty with its myriad of colo...

Cracking set of images Philzoid, the new lens/camera combo? Thanks Wurzel. This time I used my new sigma 180mm macro on the D1100 as I’d forgotten to put the re-charged battery in the D600 :roll: . The D600 is normally my camera of choice but I was impressed with the quality of the broad-bodied cha...

With fine weather on the cards and no plans to meet up with Wurzel I decided to a trip to Dawneys heath, Woking, was in order for the day. The night before I’d had my moth trap out and a bumper haul meant by the time I’d done my count, taken the photographs and got my stuff tidied up it was nearly m...

Smashing report Wurzel :D . For me that cross-country route via Winchester added a whole new dimension of going to Noar Hill. I think a guide is definitely the way to go at this site As someone who has visited Noar Hill half a dozen times over the years, getting us around should’ve been a doddle. It...

Plenty of Wood Whites at Chiddingfold when I went there a week ago 25th). Unfortunately I didn't see any Sabre Wasps [Rhyssa persuasoriaon] when I searched the wood piles

Pearl-bordered Fritillary have been a bit late this year so instead of Bentley I thought I’d chance my butterflying at Butser Hill again. I’d been there on the 22nd of April in fine weather but had jumped the gun a bit. All I got were Brimstones and another yellow insect, the dung fly (the farmer ha...

What a difference a sunny day makes. Seven species seen around Woking :D , 5 up on my seasons’ total:- Green-veined White (1), Brimstone (lost count), Small Tortoiseshell (6+); Speckled wood (1), Orange-tip (1); Peacock (4), Comma(6+), Only the gvw eluded my camera lenses. IMG_4779 Aglais urticae, S...

16/02/18. Peacock seen flying over reedbeds at Arundel Wetland centre. Unfortunately it didn't land although I did get a good look at it as it came by.

Great reports Wurzel :D . Brought back some memories of a family holiday in Devon 2003, when we travelled by steam train from Buckfastleigh station to Dartmouth (pulled by a GWR 1400 class or Oliver to any Thomas the Tank Engine aficionados :wink: ). I remember going to the butterfly house too 8) . ...

A special thanks to Philzoid for not having his beer aimed at me when it went rogue . I hope Wurzel managed to dry out before he got home. I'm still annoyed with myself for having wasted a perfectly good pint :roll: Still, at least it gave Wurzel the perfect excuse when he got home smelling of beer...

Had a thoroughly great time, the conversation and the beer flowed, (the latter literally in my case) :oops: ... wonder who'll get the dubious honour of spilling their drink next year :? :lol: Hopefully some of our best laid plans for next year will come to fruition. If they do or if they don't there...

I think the moth you've got there is Common Carpet Epirrhoe alternata and not Common Marbled Carpet Dysstroma trincata

Phil

Hi aeshna5 :) First of all, big apologies for not replying earlier :oops: . I hadn’t been in UKB much and assumed the Holiday to Spain posts were ‘dead’. I can see from the number and array of species that you had a very fruitful time out there :shock: 8) . The places you mention I’m not familiar wi...

Nice Report Wurzel :) . It reminds me of our time there in 2015 (Brostreaks and Holly Blue) though the mating pair on that occasion were Meadow Brown. The photo of the pair of Small White is fabulous. The position of their wings overlapping rather than interlocking give the image a pleasing symmetry...

If anyone is interested the Assassin Bug is Rhynocoris erythropus and not Zelus renardii as previously stated

Great reports from Six-penny handley and shipton Wurzel . They should call you the butterfly whisperer after that successful brostreak attracting stunt . I might give it a go myself providing there’s no-one around

Phil

Thanks for your comments David, and yes, I agree a campervan would be the ideal way to explore . It would definitely suit me but I'm not sure the rest of the clan would be impressed. They prefer more salubrious accommodation

Sorry for not replying earlier. I thought it was winding down so to speak so I haven't been into UKB for a while :oops: . In fact I've started uploading stuff to iNaturalist.org thinking I may pick us some of the errant species .. but it's not that easy. Many species cannot be identified simply from...

Been enjoying these Spanish adventures as I'm off there next week. The ornamental bush the Long-tailed Blue is on isn't Fabaceae though; it's Polygala myrtifolia; a type of shrubby milkwort. Thanks very much for that information Aeshna :D . I jumped to conclusions due to the flowers (pea like form)...

Thanks for your comments Dave

millerd wrote:And retirement? Yes, definitely to be recommended! )

It cannot come quick enough