Some more silver-studded blues... males... groups... odds and ends... http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2786/5861516219_c9a387f33e.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3150/5861439647_7284818efa.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2783/5862062760_8cc12940a9.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/58620846...

Just a few snaps from my visit to Prees Heath, Salop on 19th June 2011. There were hundreds of silver-studded blues on the wing. In one small metre-squared thicket of willowherb I counted upwards of 40 individuals... and returning down the linear pathway I starting to make an attempt to count the to...

Piers and Susie - thanks for your replies to my original query... most enlightening :) Also, it's very heartening to see other members using the thread for their own observations... more please! :D Here's another little thing I spotted at Prees Heath... a small heath with, what to me, seemed an unus...

Re: pauline's excellent observation about the colour of antennae on large skippers... I noted with interest Pete's desire that in the forums there should be perhaps less of a focus on photography and more on observations and bevahiour. So I thought I'd try to meet him halfway by including some photo...

Sunday (12th June) morning was grey and cold - but despite this, and the miserable forecast - I decided to take a chance and visit Crowle Moor, in northern Lincolnshire, where Hugh Middleton has reported seeing good numbers of large heath the previous week. (Thanks for the site info and links Hugh, ...

Followed the crowds (well, there were 5 or 6 other cars parked there) to Glapthorn Cow Pastures on Saturday (11th June) in search of black hairstreaks and, like everyone else, wasn't disappointed. There are several threads running right now about them so I'll skip right over the hairstreaks and ment...

I was at Glapthorn Cow Pastures on Sunday (11th June) and there were dozens of black hairstreaks nectaring on the dewberries and brambles - all at eye-level with convenient photographer-friendly paths mown around the bushes. The site Warden - an extremely friendly, helpful and knowlegable chap - tol...

I took a similar trip as that made by nfreem (reported on Page 1 of this thread) out to Wyre Forest on the Saturday just gone (4th June). Cloudy with heavy showers and brief periods of sunshine. I spotted the reported small-pearl bordered fritillaries (about a dozen) in the meadows around Knowles Mi...

Langdon Hills, Willow park. Saw about fifteen Meadow brown, 10 Common Blue, 1 Comma, 8 Speckled Wood, a five spot Burnet, a Small Heath, and with almost every step in the meadow I disturbed several Burnet Companions totalling scores. I had to share the beauty below. I couldn't believe my luck in se...

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I've not updated this diary in a while (though I have been posting in the 'sightings' forum) so here's a brief rundown and a few pics from my early season outings. Back on familiar territory in the East Midlands with the occasional trip doon sowth . 18th March - first butterfly of the year. Small to...

From West Midlands BC webpages:

28th May (Saturday) - Moth Night - Prees Heath Common Reserve

A Public Event

Starting at 9.30pm at Prees Heath Common Reserve

Contact: Stephen Lewis

Wonder how that's gonna turn out?

I did the full circuit around Salcey Forest, Northants on the Woodpecker Trail (claimed 6 miles/actual 8 miles/9 miles with detours up the odd likely-looking ride) on the afternoon of Saturday 21st May. Warm but partly overcast conditions. Once you get away from the crowds around the car park/visito...

I'm another Notts inhabitant. My twopenneth... There's no point in planting for any species 'out of the ordinary here' in Notts - but you can get holly blue, small copper, large and small skippers, ringlet, speckled wood, meadow brown and gatekeepers into your garden (I've managed this in a small su...

Out and about on my own patch in the Vale of Belvoir yesterday (Sunday, 8th May). The heavy overnight rain followed by the morning sun seemed to have at last brought some of the wildflowers into bloom - and some of the local species out to play. I saw my first Common Blue and Brown Argus of the year...

There's no sign of any eruption of marsh fritillaries at their Lincolnshire outpost just yet. A quick pop-in at Chambers Farm Wood on Monday 2nd May revealed nothing more than a half-dozen dingy skippers - hunkering down in the bright but cold and breezy conditions of Little Scrubs meadow. http://fa...

A couple of shots from my trip to Bison Hill on Easter Monday (25-04-11) as promised above. http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5063/5661051355_e6429b5f6d.jpg Bison Hill, Whipsnade, Bedforshire. Duke, Grizzled, Dingy, Green Hairstreak habitat. http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5069/5661072165_6ce9423b5e.jpg...

A rather belated post this... and I still haven't sorted any pictures to show... On Easter Monday the weatherman predicted it would 'grim up North' so I ventured down to the glorious south(ish) for my first ever visit to Bison Hill at Whipsnade in Bedfordshire. The National Trust car park was barric...

Lawts wrote: Tried Ketton Quarries today - great habitat. I had two fleeting glimpses of what was most likely a Grizzled Skipper - the first the typical zigzag and then I disappear flight. I guess it's still early, despite my burnt head! Would appreciate any updates from members as numbers of GS gr...