Managed to find one of these yesterday, keeps my hand in and is a cracking looking fungi.

Magpie Inkcap, Coprinus picaceus

Hope I've done it justice.

Cheers

Bill

The chalkhill blue looks good. I'm not sure you'll get certainty on the others, but the one on the far left looks more like Chapman's than common. Chapman's has a smoother, less grainy appearance. The dark submarginal dark spots in clear white are also good for Chapman's. The only really decisive f...

Now that the competition has finished can anyone confirm the identity of these 3 please. I'd assumed I had 2 Common Blues and a Chalkhill blue (top one) but am not at all confident. It was taken in the same area as the pics in the original post, ie. The Lot, France. Any confirmation will be greatly ...

My bad sorry . I hadn't spotted that you mentioned graduated in the original post. What was puzzling me was how an ungraduated ND filter would be useful. Thanks both.

Bill

Hi Bill, Try first thing in the morning; I was there first thing (around 08:00) on the 17th and counted up to thirty fairly fresh individuals sunning themselves on patches of bare soil. Felix. Thanks Felix, did you use the car park in the dip at the bottom, on the left as you head away from Stockbr...

Hi Pete Eggs are quite large in microscopy terms and so you need a low power microscope rather than a "normal" microscope which can have magnification capable of visualising bacterial cells (sub 10 micron or 0.01mm). The problem will be DOF, but I guess you could focus stack multiple image...

I also use a Neutral-density graduated filter with my most of my proper landscape photographs to offset the usual tonal problems that the camera has with judging the sky and the ground. Thanks for the explanation - I followed most of it but the above was lost on me. What are the usual tonal problem...

Popped to Stockbridge Down after work today in the hope of seeing a fresh Small Copper but only managed to find this Small Heath. Still looked nice in the late afternoon sun.

Bill

I was going to say - my computer kept on crashing , hence loading up the picture first (damn virus software) that Crickhowell is a lovely spot in the Black Mountains. A lovely part of the Black Mountains with some lovely walks - the valleys there remind me of the Lake District (maybe I've gone mad,...

That's great, thank you both. I'll pay a visit to Shipton Bellinger to get my eye in and then check the unknown site.

Bill

Hi all Out walking the other day I came across what appeared to be a suitable habitat for brown hairstreaks - loads of blackthorn and some mature Ash trees, the only downside is that it is quite an exposed spot. Nevertheless I wondered if there is a colony there and that left me wondering when the b...

I'm already planning for 2011. The plan is to get 11 of the 15 I need next year and the remaining 4 in 2012. I think I can get 6 of next year's 11 in a two day trip in May. I'd appreciate any suggestions re optimum dates and sites. Plan A: Northamptonshire down to Surrey Day 1 - start at Salcey Woo...

Here's another of the same individual, I like how this butterfly still looks great even in harsh lighting conditions.

Cheers

Bill

I did love my old 40D, but I think the 7D definitely offers enough to make it a worth while upgrade. Especially when LCE gave me £400 back on the 40D. I would usually say, go for it, its your money, and you can't take it with you. But if you haven't yet got that quality zoom you were after Bill, th...

Guys New Canon DSLR http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-canon-eos-60d-digital-slr-camera-body-plus-free-battery-4gb-card/p10001148?go=kits_bundles&utm_source=wex128&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New-Canon-60D&cm_mmc=email-_-wex128-_-banner-_-Canon-60D Looks very nice. Also - at the ...

Pete Eeles wrote:

Bill S wrote:I don't know my unf from my unh!?

Underside forewing, and underside hindwing?

Cheers,

- Pete

D'oh!!!!!

Bill

Wowee! Definitely Giant Peacock moth ( Saturnia pyri ) on both counts - adult and larva! Looks like you made an impression, Bill :) Cheers, - Pete Thanks both, the owner is not going to be impressed when I show him the list of host foodplants. He was already worried that this fellow might discover ...

Nice photos, Bill. I can see why you thought the grayling was a Rock Grayling ( Hipparchia alcyone ) as the two unh discal lines are very strong and very typical of alcyone . Grayling ( H. semele ) is not common, but all the specimens I have seen in southern France do not look like this. The area a...

Hi all Some of you may have read the post below, it seems like my interest in butterflies may have sparked some interest in the Gite owners as they have sent me the below. My tentative ID of the adult stage was Eyed Hawkmoth (Smerinthus ocellata) but none of the photos I've seen of that have eyes on...

Thanks Michael, it was a Canon 40D, most are taken with a Sigma 150 macro with a 1.4x converter. The Sooty Copper, Queen of Spain, Heath Fritillary and Spotted Fritillary and last Southern White Admiral pics were taken with a Canon 70-200 F4 non IS lens also with the 1.4x converter. Bill Hi Bill, T...