Sunday 16th Jun 2024 The first day of sunshine after a cold wet spell, although still quite breezy. I went to Therfield Heath to see if the post-June gap butterfles were around. I found a few Marbled Whites and Meadow Browns, but surprisingly no skippers, and no Dark Greens. The wind didn't make fo...

Weds 5th June 2024 I went on a BC guided walk at Fineshade Woods, Northants, hoping to see Chequered Skipper. We'd been told the chances were quite low as numbers this year have not been good, and the weather was cool although dry and mostly bright. But no, no CS seen, and butterflies in general we...

17-May-2024 Trumpington Meadows, Cambridge Having heard the Small Blues were finally out (I'd failed to find any earlier in the week), I went back to Trumpington Meadows for another look. In their usual hotspot in the southern meadow, I fairly quickly came across a pair: https://pbase.com/dilettante...

Thank you wurzel and David. The Dukes were great to see doing so well, and I was pleased with those underside shots particularly.

Long time no post, but thought I'd post a couple of recent shots: Grizzled Skippers at Paxton Pits, Huntingdonshire, 5-May-2024. There were only a few around, but I hear numbers have grown since then. This looks like one male and one female: https://pbase.com/dilettante/image/174546905/large.jpg Gri...

Is it a mint moth ? https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/mint-moth

I'd like to see my first Brown Hairstreak this year. I live near Cambridge, so can anyone recommend the nearest place where I'd stand a good chance of seeing one? I'd rather not have to go all the way to Oxfordshire (I've seen this old thread https://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=9&a...

Thanks Wurzel.

The butterflies certainly seem to be enjoying the heat round here. It was nice to see a fresh Painted Lady this morning alongside the Peacocks and Skippers


Painted Lady female, Cambs, 13-Jul-2022

12th July 2022 A fresh Peacock - one of many - on my dog walk this morning, plus a Holly Blue https://pbase.com/dilettante/image/172755767/original.jpg Peacock, Cambs, 12-Jul-2022 https://pbase.com/dilettante/image/172755766/original.jpg Holly Blue, Cambs, 12-Jul-2022 In the 30C heat of the overcas...

surprised it hasn't popped up on here yet - so Heads Up... Matthew Oates found male and female on consecutive days at Knepp this week, plus larval damage on Wych Elm https://twitter.com/MatthewOates76/status/1544775263577411586 A nice write-up by Patrick Barkham in the Guardian https://www.theguard...

Thanks Wurzel!

Wurzel wrote: ↑Wed Jul 06, 2022 6:14 pm for some reason I can only see the 'image' icon - are your photos on the link (pbase?)?

That's odd. It works for me even in an incognito window so I don't think it's a permissions issue. Perhaps just a pbase blip

Thanks again Wurzel and David M. Saturday 1st July 2022 I was in Hampshire visiting family, so I went in the morning with my brother to Broxhead Common for Silver-studded Blues. It was quite breezy and a little overcast but warm enough. The first one we found was a nice fresh male https://pbase.com/...

17-27th June 2022, Devon I'm just back from 10 days in Devon - one week staying in Lynton on the North coast, and a few days on the edge of Dartmoor in the South. It wasn't specifically a butterflying trip, but I took what opportunities came my way while out and about. 19th June - Valley of Rocks, ...

Lovely pics. I must make the effort to see Pearls sometime. Sadly they're not found anywhere near me in Cambs.

Thanks again Wurzel and David M Thursday 9th June I saw my first, rather early, Ringlet while walking the dog in nearby https://pbase.com/dilettante/image/172684834/original.jpg Ringlet We stopped to buy some garden flowers on the way home, which we planted on Friday, and I was pleased to see a Larg...

David M wrote: ↑Mon Jun 13, 2022 7:21 pm

dilettante wrote: ↑Mon Jun 13, 2022 6:49 pmI don't think I've seen any mention of Ringlets yet, so I'll post this mediocre photo taken in South Cambs on Friday afternoon (June 10th).

Always a sign that midsummer is upon us, dilettante. Very nice.

Thanks! I just realised the date was wrong, so corrected it to Thursday 9th.

I don't think I've seen any mention of Ringlets yet, so I'll post this mediocre photo taken in South Cambs on Thursday afternoon (June 9th).

Belated thanks David M and Wurzel. It never occurred to me it was an aberration, but I can see what you mean. Not the most stunning of ab.s! 28th May 2022 I was back on the Broads (my in-laws live locally) looking for Swallowtails. Not many had been reported this year, we'd not seen any on a trip to...

Apr-May 2022 I've been a bit lax with my diary of late, but a quick catch-up from the last couple of months. 17th April 2022 I happened to be in Hampshire in mid-April so a visit to Noar Hill was suggested. We were lucky enough to see a single early Duke of Burgundy, and not much else! https://pbas...