27th July 2020 I was lucky to enjoy another of those moments yesterday when something unexpected happens. The sky was a heavy grey and rain was falling as I took Millie our spaniel for her morning walk. During our 90 minute jaunt I didn't see a single butterfly, until Millie flushed something up fr...

Nice to see you found some Silver Washed Fritillaries Guy. They are certainly on the increase in Suffolk with a good number of new locations in the last two or three years. I too saw one at a new site near my Ipswich home last week.

Kind Regards
Kev

Hi Guy, Glad to see you got closer to your White Letter Hairstreaks. Some nice shots obtained. I enjoyed your Purple Hairstreak ovipositing too. By coincidence, I was out walking local this morning and observed a Purple Hairstreak coming out from an oak, flying across the adjacent field briefly, bef...

What a fantastic Black Admiral you've found. The underside looks like a tropical butterfly. Brilliant

Kind Regards
Kev

Lovely photos to the Purple Hairstreak Bugboy. I haven't seen one down in the grass before. My normal encounters result in a stiff neck looking up.

Kind Regards
Kev

Dave, I'll borrow the bucket after Wurzel. They are cracking shots of the Emperor. Also like the Purple Hairstreak from your previous post too. Not any easy butterfly to get close to either.

Kind Regards
Kev

Thanks Wurzel: It actually had the opposite effect, All I could think about was getting back out there and finding it again :lol: It's been bit gloomy these past few days, however the grassland species don't seem to mind and there have been plenty of browns and skippers to enjoy. A breakfast walk la...

HI Wurzel,

Great diary this week. You've certainly found a great site at Fovant. Those Dukes are lovely. Glad to see you working your charm not only on one of them but a Marshie too. We'll have to start calling you the Butterfly Whisperer

Keep em coming

Kind Regards
Kev

Thanks David and Guy. Guy, that's an interesting observation about the wing margins on the SSB. I have noticed that there is variation on both the outside wide border and the inner black ones too. Comparing some photographs, this doesn't seem to be site specific either. Here are some comparisons fro...

Thanks Wurzel: It certainly is nice to have a bit of exotica in the area. Thanks David: You are right about them being on all the purple flowers. Up to 150 Marbled Whites enjoying the knapweed now. 24/6/20 - Martlesham Heath, Ipswich It is those unexpected moments that make my love of Butterflies so...

Cracking photos of the Large Heath's David. This is one of the few remaining British species on my unseen list. I never get the chance to travel far in June as my leave falls each side in tune with the school holidays. After next year that will not be a problem anymore so I will fill my boots :lol: ...

Playing catch up with your diary after a busy week. I always enjoy reading your annual report from Bentley Wood. Some great photos of the PBF and Grizlies.
I visited there in holiday four years ago and will definitely return again one spring.

Kind Regards
Kev

Landseer Park - Ipswich One of my home town's local parks has been receiving a lot of conservation investment in recent years and now boasts a fantastic wildflower meadow area with chalk banks added. For the second year in a row we were treated to Little Blue (named in homage to Guy Padfield, with ...

Hi Dave,

Lovely photos of the DGF at Box Hill, along with the Marbled White. They are very early this year aren't they. I remember a similar day with both species there a handful of years ago and it was mid July. I particularly like the head on shot, not an angle you see very often.

Kind Regards
Kev

Here is the early difference in colouration for Orange Tip pupae. The first one was taken just after pupation was complete a week ago. Seven days later and there is already a marked difference. (NB: Same pupae from different angles). Kind Regards
Kev

David, Nice photos and observations of the High Brown and Dark Green Fritillary. Two more species that are not within my range this year, so nice to see them in your diary.

Kind Regards
Kev

Thanks Guy, I had two pupae last year. One on a twig like yours and one stayed and pupated on the Garlic Mustard stem. I kept them in my courtyard with a some wire fencing around to stop Millie the spaniel getting to them (as the previous year she found the twig and played with it, inadvertently eat...

ORANGE TIP OBSERVATIONS We have had a bumper spring in our garden for Orange Tip, observing all of the life stages. Pete Eales fantastic book taught us a lot about the differing instars as we tracked their progress. Please may I also credit Guy Padfield, who's diary this week showed me developments ...

Guy, What a fantastic diary this week with your Orange Tip pupation. I have never heard about or seen the growing wing buds before. really enjoyed your photographs. I have one at home that has started the process overnight, so will take a closer look. This will be my second one going to pupation thi...

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...