Drove from Ipswich to Beds/Bucks on Saturday on the Met Office promise of sunny weather. Unfortunately it changed and I did'nt see the sun until mid afternoon. Coupled with a strong cool breeze, our little friends were not too keen to put in an appearance. The only one species in good numbers at all...

jackz432r

Further research into your Wall Brown. I think it could be "Lasiommata megera ab. croesus". The female of the species certainly has the double
eye spot.
A good reference tool is the Natural History Museum's Cockayne Collection website.

Regards Kev

Ian, Prees Heath for Silver Studded Blues Llanymynech Rocks,just south of Oswestry is a great reserve. Went there at the weekend (report on June sighting page). Numbers of Wall Brown should increase during June and the Pearl Bordered Frits are late this spring, so may be a handful left. Eyarth Rocks...

jackz432r,

A double eye spot is not unheard of, but at the same time not too common either. Have seen a female with such markings and am also aware that it occurs with Large Wall Brown's too.

Kev

Have just returned from a family holiday in Snowdonia and with favourable weather on each of the Saturdays, I made a visit to two great sites in Wales. On Saturday 25th May, we visited Eyarth Rocks, Nr Ruthin in search of my first ever Pearl Bordered Fritillaries. I circular walk of the reserve yiel...

Butterfly hunting in Ipswich today with my 8 year old daughter. Highlight for us was watching a pair of mating Speckled Woods (see attached photos). Also nice to see my personal favourite, the Orange Tip and a beautiful Green Veined White. Also a number of Holly Blues, but sadly all of them uncooper...

Thanks for reply Marsha.

I will of course update the forum with my findings (of which i hope there will be. Fingers crossed).

Kev

Hi, I am off to Snowdonia at the end of May and have read previous reports of a Marsh Fritillary colony at South Stack on the island of Anglesey. Can anyone provide any information on whether this is still a reliable site for this gorgeous butterfly. On my way to and from Snowdonia, I shall be stopp...

Hi everyone, Left the office at lunchtime and spent a short time in a central Ipswich greenspace. I was rewarded by some great activity. 6 x Orange Tip 3 x Speckled Wood (first of the year) 6 x Green Veined White (first of the year) 3 x Holly Blue The highlight was watching 4 GVW fluttering effortle...

Things are slowly starting to happen in sunny Ipswich. A lunchtime break from the office on 1st May and my first Orange Tip of the year. That first sighting of my favourite butterfly always makes me happy! Also saw a couple of Holly Blues and a small and large white. Try keeping me in the office tod...

Hi, Three Small Tortoiseshells seen this afternoon on the edge of Ipswich. Ironically it took until June for me to see this many in 2012. A good omen for the year ahead perhaps? For me 2012 yielded perhaps the lowest number of this fine species for many years. Is this something anyone else observed....

Hi everyone,

In late July this year, I am holidaying in the French Alps (Chamonix area).
Please could anyone help with any suggested locations to head for in that area, which are
particularly excellent for Butterflies.

Kindest Regards
Kev

A trip to Westleton Common today to see the Silver Studded Blues. With summer finally putting in an appearance, we were not dissapointed!. 40 + SSB seen over a two hour period, along with a nice number of Small Coppers (15+). Also seen were 30+ Ringlets,2 Small Heaths and 2 Meadow Browns. We then we...

I can add to my further post with some better news.
During a walk through Westleton Common, Suffolk yesterday, I'm glad to report good numbers of Small Coppers.
Counted almost 20 during a 90 minute stop.

Regards Kev

Just seen my first Small Cooper of the year, a nice fresh specimen. Seen on the outskirts of Ipswich on the Martlesham heathlands. Not such a problem with Speckled Woods, there seems plenty more of them in the same area.
I must agree with Wurzel though. I have normally seen plenty more by now.

Kev

Hi,

The Essex skipper is identifiable by the tip of the antenna being black, as opposed to the Small skipper that is orange.
I would certainly agree with your conclusion.

Regards
Kev Ling

Hi everyone,

I would be most grateful if someone coudl identify the attached caterpillars. They were seen in early June on the Dorset coast between Swanage and Lulworth Cove.

Kind Regards
Kev

On a bright, but slightly breezy Saturday 23rd June, I travelled to Starvelarks Wood, part of the Little Haven Nature Reserve in Thundersley, Essex. This is a lovely wooded area managed by the Essex Widlife Trust. Careful management of woodland and coppicing has allowed an abundance of Cow Wheat to ...

Small numbers of Heath Fritillaries have been seen at Hockley Woods and Hadliegh Wood nre Rayleigh. Weather dependent of course.

Hi everyone, Spending half term with my family in Dorset last week, I was filled with expectation with the number of species I might get a glimpse at. Trust mother nature to have other ideas. However with the one decent window of opportunity, I fulfilled an ambition to see my first Adonis Blues. The...