Fascinating stuff. They look so vulnerable just lying there on the ground.

Thanks Nick. It does seem from the UK distribution maps that they are widespread, but it's knowing where to find the particular trees that's important. I might see you at the P&R then! Even if I can't get a photo, I'd like to get to see them.

dilettante wrote: I saw my first Ringlet today, just outside Cambridge. Lovely chocolatey brownness

...and my first Small Skipper this evening, at Magog Down, Cambridge.

My mother (who's not entirely reliable in such matters ) claimed to see an Orange Tip in Hampshire in October last year. I didn't believe her, but I'd think an Orange Tip is hard to mistake. Could she have been right?

Paul Wetton wrote:I spotted my first Ringlet of the year at Gamston Woods in Notts on Sunday.
I wondered if anyone else has seen Ringlets yet as I can't remember anyone posting they had.

I saw my first Ringlet today, just outside Cambridge. Lovely chocolatey brownness

That second shot in particular is sublime!

Excellent. Thanks Phil. Hopefully I'll get a chance to give Bedford Purlieus a chance some time over the next few weeks. And it's conveniently close to Barnack, which should be worth a visit too.

Apologies for the false alarm, Zonda

Can anyone recommend where I should go looking for WLH anywhere near Cambridge? Is Brampton Wood my best bet? And since I gather they stick to particular trees, any precise guidance on where and when to look would be appreciated.

Thanks for any advice

Saturday 11th June 2011 Having seen my first Meadow Browns earlier in the week, I realised I didn't actually have any decent photos of these common, and let's face it rather dull, butterflies. So I decided to pay a visit to Royston (Therfield) Heath to rectify that. I was also hoping, with little e...

I noticed the same thing with Heath Fritillaries last week. They landed with wings open in full sun, then closed them slowly over a few seconda. If I shaded them by leaning over them, they opened up again.

Sunday 5th June 2011 Encouraged by Jack Harrison's sightings of Black Hairstreaks, and some helpful and detailed info from him via PM (thanks, Jack!), I decided to head to Monk's Wood. It's only about 45mins from me, but for some reason I've never been before. The weather was windy and grey, but qu...

Pictures as promised. They're pretty ropey specimens!

#1 Marsh Fritillary male


#2 Marsh Fritillary female

Friday 3rd June 2011 I spent the week in Wales, on the Pembrokeshire / Ceridigion border, for a family holiday. I made three trips to Rhos Pil Bach looking for Marsh Fritllaries, only finding a few on the last attempt when the weather was reasonably still, warm and sunny. These specimens looked pre...

Success at last! I went back today with perfect weather. It took a while to spot any MFs, but eventually found a small number of fairly elderly-looking specimens, and managed to get some photos which I'll post once I've got home and uploaded them.

Hmm, I wonder whether I saw them then. I can't think what else I might have been seeing. Maybe it was just the wind that made them look like faster fliers. I guess the only way to be sure is to go back there!

I visited this site yesterday afternoon and think I saw them. Several brown butterflies on the wing, but no close views to confirm identification. The marshy tussocky terrain made it hard to chase after them, not to mention fear of treading on the many orchids. The butterflies I saw were strong, fas...

I saw them in Hockley Woods last week with little difficulty. There's a clearing about 500m from the car park, if you follow the main path through the wood, passing a foresters' enclosure on the right (metal fence surrounding wood piles, tractors) and continuing down into a gully and up the other si...

Pretty sure those are Small Heaths. It's too early for SAs, isn't it?

From this site: "Butterflies emerge at the end of July, peaking in mid-August with a few individuals surviving into September"

Wednesday 25th May 2011 Made a brief stop at the local patch of scrub where there had been lots of CBs and brown argus on the 14th, and now there were none to be seen. I was hoping for a Small Copper, which I still haven't seen this year, but to no avail. I did see my first Large Skipper for the ye...

I've never been bitten yet, touch wood, but I've become paranoid about these things after reading all the horror stories. I now carry a pair of O'Tom Tick Twisters in my camera bag, which I hope to never need!