Hi Guy, Love the lengths you are going to for your Orange Tip larva. We had a couple make it to final instead last year and made similar provisions to protect them. They both pupated on hardwood stems and we just left them alone for 10 months. One of them emerged as a male the other didn’t hatch. Re...

My #stayathome butterflying is going rather well, with plenty of Orange Tip action in the garden this spring. Having safely seen a new arrival into the world, we enjoyed another female ovipositing on our Garlic Mustard late in the afternoon. The photos I got of her at rest proved quite atmospheric. ...

Guy, It was a pleasure looking at Little Blues with you yesterday, as well as meeting the legendary Minnie of course. Although introduced, they are a welcome addition to the sightings list at the moment, given that travel further afield is not so justifiable. Some excellent photos too. Kind Regards ...

Martlesham Common - Ipswich I have been making the most of my lunch breaks by walking the short distance to a heathland nature reserve and a small colony of Green Hairstreak that are ever present each year. They are becoming a favourite species of mine and it is interesting watching how the behave,...

Cracking diary as always David. You are certainly rattling through the species in your neck of the woods. Going back to 9th May that must be the beautiful female Common Blue I have seen.

Regards Kev

Dave, great Adonis Blues. The colour of the males is so striking. Interesting to see your tiny Common Blue. I saw an Orange Tip only half it’s normal size recently and it got me thinking why this occurs.
Regards Kev

Wurzel, lovely Orange Tip photos and well done finding the finding the pair in copulation. I have yet to photograph this myself having only seen one pair several years ago without a camera with me

Guy, lovely photos off the egg guzzling Orange Tip and glad your Holly Blue larva has made it into the world. I have ovum from both species in my garden which should hatch anytime soon.

Kind Regards
Kev

Stunning pictures Guy. My favourite by a country mile is the first shot of the Lesser Marbled Fritillary pair. Can’t wait for your top five.

Kind Regards
Kev

I enjoyed an overdue rest day yesterday, so with Mrs L and Millie the Spaniel in tow, we headed to our local bluebell woods to see them in all their splendour. By the time I next got a chance they would be past their best. As we exited the woods, we spotted an Orange Tip at rest, waiting for the sun...

Wurzel, some more lovely images from your European trip. I especially like the Langs on the whit flower heads. Your diary has brought back memories of my South of France holidays, where similar species were seen.

Kind Regards
Kev

Nice Holly Blue photos, especially the female open winged. Can't remember the last time I had one pose like that for me.

Kind Regards
Kev

Hi Chris, Glad to hear you have Holly Blues ovipositing on your Pyracantha. The same happened in our garden last weekend (see my personal diary for photos). This is not the first year that I have observed this and the behaviour you observed is exactly the way I witnessed it. My female rested on at l...

Wurzel/David : It's nice to have a 'go to' butterfly that you know will always be there. As they return to the same spot when disturbed, they are so easy to get up close and personal to with nice photographs to show for it. #stayathome is certainly paying off in my garden. Having had the Orange Tip ...

Wurzel: I liked the photo with the chrysalis behind too David: It's always been a longing of mine to locate a pupa and watch the adult emerge Pauline: Interesting to reason why these things happen, but happy to have had at least one success story 19th April 2020 My local nature reserve is within a f...

Splendid photos of the Small Tort Wurzel. Always nice to see them given there lower numbers in recent times.
One thing that this lockdown does, is lets you appreciate what is on your local patch.

Regards
Kev

Chris,

Nice observations of the Two Tailed Pasha. It's pupa is wonderful. I hope you are there to see it emerge. It is one of my favourite non British butterflies.

Regards
Kev

David, Very enjoyable April diary. I love the mating Holly Blues. One species I haven't seen in cop yet. Well done on your Wall Browns too. Do you normally see them this early in the year David. I usually get me first encounters at the end of May on the Anglesey coast (Sadly not this year as our tra...

Guy, Just catching up with your diary and enjoying your wonderful photos, especially the WLH larva and Holly Blue ovum. We had a Holly Blue lay on our Pyracantha at the weekend which was pleasing. My local Green Hairstreak site in Ipswich has delivered once more, which I will add to my diary when I ...

With days out looking at spring butterflies a no no, I'm happy to have had a magic moment at home with the emergence of a male Orange Tip in our garden. Unfortunately the second one came to nothing. The pupa was translucent and empty. Not sure if it was predated or just didn't develop. Be nice to he...