Many thanks. I am getting excited about the trip as I have never been to Switzerland. Everyone who has been has nothing but praise for the high standards and the beauty of the countryside. Well lets hope I can get some good shots with the 30 D, 100 mm Macro, 25 mm extension tube or even the beast le...

Hi, we will be in and around Interlaken.

Cheers Andy

Hi,

I have not been around for a while due to work and the lack of time.

However I am off to Switzerland this weekend for two weeks and hope to get some nice pictures for my return.

Regards Andy

One of the best books anyone could buy!

It could be an escaped Hypolimnas bolina - Common eggfly.
The female has the colours that has been described.

Sounds like someone has been breeding none native stocks or a butterfly house has had one escape.
I know people breed Limenitis Populi (Poplar Admiral).
Could be one that has got out.

Andy

There are a good number of Papilio Machaon ssp Gorganus in the County of Durham and also Cleveland area. You will also see a good number of Nymphalis Antiopa. There are other sightings of other species but most people do not bother reporting them. The records for the country will show species that p...

It is a Adonis Blue female.

Dave, It can be done but it would take a little while to put it all together. If there is no rush for it and the others do not want to do it then yes I can compile the data for this but it will be when the clock changes (Dark early). Something to do over the long dark winter nights! Regards Andy

Andrew Some of your statements are very generalised and unreasoned. I study butterflies in the wild and also breed them to study. Historically amateur entomologists have contributed greatly to our knowledge of British butterflies and moths. Robert Gooden (founder of WWB) is a knowledgeable and well...

Study butterflies in the wild. You can not guarentee that the butterflies being released are from disease free stock. Just because people take a few nice photos of butterflies it does not make them butterfly experts. Granted they might have a good knowledge of differnet species but leave nature as i...

I was wondering why people want to breed butterflies? You can not release them into the wild, and they are only of use to people who have large butterfly houses. I hear people getting all excited by the thought of breeding butterflies and the same people disgusted at the thought of butterflies being...

Not bad Pete but you missed some out:-

Clipper
Mountain Clouded Yellow
Olive Skipper
European Map
Alcon Blue
Geranium Bronze
Chinese Swallowtail
Brown Playboy

Cheers Andy

Was told one time that the Indian red Admiral can occour as a very rare migrant. Don't know where I got that from. Dave, you are right the Indian Red Admiral has been found in areas inclusive of Britain, Ireland and the Channel Islands. This also applies to the Cardinal. The sightings have not been...

I would say it is a Male Brown Argus.
I have concluded on this by the lack of orange on the upper fore wing and the black in the large spot on the under side of the fore wing.

Cheers Andy

Yes it is a small copper.

Cheers Andy

Danny, I can see what you mean but there appears to be a 50/50 percentage of male Adonis Blues with and without spots.
This appears to be a localised variation.

Cheers Andy

Just noticed that there is a mint copy on abebooks at £50.

Try http://www.abebooks.co.uk

Cheers

It is a Pearl Bordered Fritillary.
The heavy markings are the difference between the P B F and the Small P B F which has a lesser/lighter markings.
Nice picture!

Well my thought on this delicate subject is that all the changes are conected by climate. If a certain plant needs sunlight/heat to grow then when the first sunlight is around then that plant will be present. This also applies to the butterflies of that time. ie if the blues are the first to emerge ...