Butterflies seen so far this year. Comma, Red Admiral, [both in poor numbers] Brimstone, [in average numbers] Small White [in good numbers so far] Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshell [in very good numbers for this area] Orange-tip one so far.

Hi Mike,

glad you managed to capture the emergence of the male Orange-tip, and accompanied by an excellent sequence of photos.

All the best, Nick.

Friday afternoon, 27th March i managed to escape from my landscaping duties at home, and nipped over to Chiddingfold Wood for a couple of hours. But shortly after arriving, the sun which had shone brightly late morning, [seeing one each of, Brimstone and Small Tortoiseshell in the garden ]had after ...

Hi Wurzel,

like you i have been unable to get out and about due to work commitments on the home front, landscaping the garden again, new patios, paths etc.

But i have still managed to see three species of butterfly so far.

Thank you for your kind comments. Appreciated.

All the best, Nick.

Continuing with the theme of the Comma. Comma ovum, after 8 days 040-2_1.jpg Comma ovum after eight days. Comma ovum 067_2.jpg Comma ovum after twelve days. The larva emerged the following day. IMG_8728-1.jpg 3rd instar Comma larva, the photo i needed for the full set of Comma instar photos. Looked ...

Hi Wurzel,

thanks for your kind comments again. Appreciated as always.

I,m sure you will get some good weather sooner or later, and i wish you luck with the butterflies when that day arrives.

All the best, Nick.

Hi Buggy, the weather was really hot for that time of year and for the whole of that particular weekend, [8th and 9th March] so it was quite like a hot house, but only out doors. :D Here are a few photos from that weekend, all Commas and Brimstones. comma 018-2.jpg comma 021-2.jpg cw 067-1.jpg comma...

Hi Wurzel, thank you for your kind comments, as always appreciated. :D I was actually off the mark back in January. I posted on sightings, rather than my diary. :wink: I still haven't managed to get out and, probably will not be able to for at least another two weeks. On the 8th march last year i sa...

Hi Buggy, I have studied breeding birds for over forty years, [before i stopped and,i haven't climbed up to a nest for a good many years now] that included nest structure, egg colouring, shape, size etc. Not one of the Magpies nests i climbed up to, had any lining apart from rootlets, how times have...

Hi Buggy, I see you got of to a great start to the butterfly season. nice photos, especially the Robin. The Magpie builds a nest of twigs, then loads of mud to adhere it together, then they cover the mud with rootlets, not moss. Magpies and other birds often pull moss, leaves up etc., in order to fi...

Yesterday, early afternoon, a male Brimstone payed a visit to my garden. Good job he did, [no photo] as i'm far to busy working to go running around the countryside. So here are a few from last year. Brimstone larva 1st instar 011-10_1.jpg Just hatched from ovum, 1st instar Brimstone larva, with fir...

Hi Neil,

Thanks for the comments.

Yes, the wood Whites are double brooded down here at Chiddingfold Wood. The 2nd brood are quite stunning and, my favourite of the two broods.

All the best, Nick.

Hi Neil, lovely photos, especially the male Great Spotted Woodpecker. When i saw that photo, i thought, why did i stop birdwatching? and i couldn't remember.

All the best, Nick.

Hi Bob,

Small Tortoiseshells hibernate during our winter months. and it is possible to see this butterfly on any given day of the year, as long as it is warm enough for it to be flying, and is quite a common sight.

All the best, Nick.

I would have thought that the question should be. Will the larva survive when they emerge from the ovum? Probably not, as i am lead to believe that most newly hatched larva prefer young, succulent leaves to feed on, not mature leaves. The newly emerged larva i know are supposed to go of and find sui...

I thought that the laying of Brimstone ovum on the top of a leaf was common practice, as i have come across this behaviour frequently, [just like Buggy]

All the best, Nick..

Brimstone ovum are usually laid one to a leaf, normally on a very young leaf, but sometimes a female will deposit an egg on a particular leaf, fly away, come back and lay another egg on the same leaf, the female could repeat this procedure several times. Or more than one female could be depositing o...

Hi Wurzel, Thank you for your over the top comments, but they are really appreciated. I have spent so much time studying the Wood Whites, its become an obsession. Sooner or later you have got to find what your looking for, as long as its there to be found in the first place, and a bit of luck has to...

Hi David,

lovely photos, Especially the Apollo, and the Purple-edged Copper.

All the best, Nick.

Hi Dave,

your photo depicting the 1st brood Wood Whites preforming the courtship ritual is one of the best i have seen, if not the best. Excellent photo.

And thanks for the comment, appreciated.

All the best, Nick.