Gary Hulbert wrote:...... Yes I know what you mean regarding the hobby being addictive, my wife already says that I'm fanatical - oh well!

You still have a wife....?

At least 30 RA and 6 Comma this afternoon on ivy bushes. Plus the odd Small White and Speckled Wood. RAs&Comma_1_low_MRC_10th_Sept_2012.jpg RA_1_low_MRC_10th_Sept_2012.jpg Comma_3_low_MRC_10th_Sept_2012.jpg Comma_2_low_MRC_10th_Sept_2012.jpg Comma_1_low_MRC_10th_Sept_2012.jpg N That DGF looks li...

A very blue female, spotted egg-laying in Mill Road Cemetery today. CB_f_1_low_MRC_7th_Sept_2012.jpg Shame her efforts are in vain - the area is to be mown/strimmed in the next two weeks. No concessions for lepidoptera from Cambridge City Council, despite repeated advice from our local BC Branch. :(...

Female from today...

Out on the bike this morning - as well as a Kingfisher - several pristine Small Tortoiseshell (the odd Red Admiral and Comma, with several Common Blue, Small Heath and Small White).
Also a Light Emerald moth plus the inevitable Silver-Ys.

Several Small Whites, 10+ RA nectaring on buddleia and ivy, a few Speckies and an aged male Holly Blue this morning; quite overcast since then, but warm....

Up in Lincolnshire Limewoods yesterday: 2 females: One a very tatty but very blue one; and this brown one... Quite a mixed picture presented here for the second brood, though generally seems to have bounced-back compared to first-brood, which is normal.

Ian Pratt wrote:A friend saw a Monarch today on the revetment at Ventnor/Bonchurch.

Is this the start of another late summer influx of migrants, I wonder?

A blast up the A1 with PhilB to Chambers Wood in Lincolnshire for BH. Saw 3 or 4 females; this one we watched for about an hour as she flitted around the tree-tops, then dropped down to start her business of laying eggs. Unfortunately, she didn't rest long anywhere and resisted all our attempts to c...

Nice ones, guys! Still only the one site where I have seen them in good numbers; been a late season, and they were still out there last week.
I'll be going round a few local sites again this week.....

Nice female BH shots.
Hope I'm as lucky when I head-out....
N

Went local and saw several CB at one site (plus an RA and a Small Heath) on a bike ride this morning; taking break from listening to the ODI (Go England!)I went to the Cemetery this afternoon. Several Speckled Wood, 2 Holly Blue, 2 Large White, 3 Small White, an aged Gatekeeper plus at least 10 RA, ...

Indeed! I found this Comma punctuating an old message....!

Yes - I remember all those Erebia! So difficult to get a decent shot without grass all over the place.
Nice one.

N

I've just checked some of my Painted Lady shots and they don't have blue centres to the black hind wings spots either so like Millerd I think it is unusual. Has NickB got confused with the two blue marks on the very margin where the hind wings meet as all my shots do have those? Have a goodun Wurze...

Yes - in Essex yesterday, a Painted Lady - lepidoptera, not the other kind - as well as RA, ST and Comma. Small, GV and Large White.
Locally today: Peacock, RA, Small White, GV White, Speckled Wood (lots), BA, Small Copper and Holly Blue...

Great stuff indeed, Guy.
How does it feel to be a Dad again?
N
Yes, Pete - Our very own "Autumn Watch"
(Eat your heart out Chris Packham & Michaela Strachan, this is much better )

That Painted Lady looks unusual to me in having blue centres to the hindwing eye-spots. I have no idea if this is common or not, but I don't recall having ever seen one like this. Dave Sorry to say this Dave, but those spots are present on all PLs (though they are difficult to see on some)........ ...

Went out to the Fleam Dyke today - the fledgling CHB colony there is doing well. On transect I counted over 80 (last week someone counted 160) and it is spreading into other areas on the Dyke too. Also more on the nearby Roman Road. In general our CHB in Cambs have thrived over the last few years, t...

Went to a place that was grazed-out last year but free of cattle this summer...and found a plague of Common Blue - well, by this year's standards. 20+ Common Blue - 5 males in view at times - with good numbers of females around too. CB_m_4a_low_D'Engaynes_17th_Aug_2012.jpg CB_m_3_low_D'Engaynes_17th...