I can only concur with all the above. I though Trev's shot presented something different, and was my personal No 1, I have to say; but we all win from the excellent show....
Thanks to everyone - exhibitors and judges - for sharing their images and opinions. UKB is a broad church, as they say

BTW NickB love the photo of the female Orange-tip in flight :) :!: It was entirely by accident. She's actually just thrown herself off the flower, as I got too close, again .... ...(taking my 24-70mm wide-angle macro out with me these days...) Even the female CB I saw today was quite blue....

Jack Harrison wrote:Pete said:

The judging panel is meeting this evening. Watch this space

I've just open a celebratory bottle of vino in anticipation of my certain first place
Jack

Don't worry Jack. It works just as well to dull the reality of nil points again.....

Unexpected long sunny periods brought out several Speckled Wood, OTs (M&F), Small White, with a couple of Holly Blue, and my first Common Blue this year in the Cemetery, a female. Hope she finds a mate... CB_f_1a_low_MRC_6th_June_2012.jpg OT_f_1_low_MRC_6th_June_2012.jpg Sp_W_1_low_MRC_6th_June_...

Returned to my CB site in a local chalk-pit and found several males and females again. Panorama1a_low.jpg CB_f_4_low_CHCP_4th_June_2012.jpg On this site, I have yet to see a normal brown female; all have been blue to some degree...a couple.. CB_f_2_low_CHCP_4th_June_2012.jpg CB_f_1_low_CHCP_4th_June...

Your first one clearly shows the oval male sex brand in relief under the forewing, so I go for male for that... Guy Thanks for being so gentle on my poor ID skills......that sex brand is so evident now I look at it! Usual BH weather over here....it generally seems to be damp and dull about their em...

Nice to see some Speckies again; I saw some similar fresh specimens, yesterday.....today was damp and overcast....
Another CB male from yesterday, not quite in peak condition, but still fresh... N

And, nice to hear, that for you too, there are first's

I can be of no help on the Plebejus, as you know

Nice shot. I too, Guy, am never 100% sure of the male/female, especially if I don't see the abdomen clearly (and, as you will attest, even then I am known to be wrong :lol: ) Tolman and Lewington suggest to me, in layman's terms, that the female has slightly more rounded fore-wings, with more orange...

Target species for the day? The (un)Common Blue....not seen any in my local haunts so went a little further afield... Found some lovely females at one site... CB_f_2_low_CCCP_1st_June_2012.jpg CB_f_3_low_CCCP_1st_June_2012.jpg and a handsome male and some BAs at another... CB_m_1_low_Burwell_1st_Jun...

In Cambs, it is usually the first week of June that sees first emergences; anything between the last week of May and the second week of June seems possible, depending on the weather. It is such a short flight period to catch them looking good.....
N
PS None reported here, yet.....

Trev Sawyer wrote:After three trips across to Essex in search of my dream butterfly over the past couple of weeks, I finally found one!
Yeayyy!
Trev

Just when we think our (poor) season is warming up, you come in and show us why you choose to live in Switzerland.....(b******) :wink: Great report and pics again, Guy :mrgreen: N (I am trying to avoid any emotional attachment to our PE caterpillar, which I regard as UKB's now, by refraining from us...

Willrow » Fri May 18, 2012 9:47 pm Jack Harrison wrote:Your style Bill also was quite easy to recognise - the entry that was absolute cr*p And that's even before I post my entry... :lol: Apologies for that Bill. That one must be Nick's entry then :twisted: Jack Got me bang to rights there, Jack.......

A_T wrote:Is anyone else noticing a distinct lack of Speckled Woods at the moment? They're usually so reliable.

Was pleased to see just one yesterday; not seen any locally since March....

Managed to join PhilB & Rosalyn to Totternhoe. Plenty of Dukes... DoB_3_low_Totternhoe_23rd_May_2012.jpg with a good number of Dingies and the odd Brimstone, lots of OTs and a few Whites, Large and Small, and the first few Small Blue.... Sm_B_1_low_Totternhoe_23rd_May_2012.jpg ..and stopped-off ...

By the time I got out, I only managed a few minutes of sunny weather; that was all it took to see 5 Dingy Skipper, 4 Peacock, 2 OT, ! Small White, and 4 Small Heath at the Devil's Dyke, Racecourse Section. (Also managed to bag a BillS at the DD too! Hi, Bill) Peacock_1_low_DD_16th_May_2012.jpg DS_1_...

Hi David It seems these were swarming this week across the UK; took these on Friday... Adela reaumurella - male and female Long-horn_moth_male_low_EBNR_11th_May_2012.jpg Long-horn_moth_female_1_low_EBNR_11th_May_2012.jpg (Yes - I know they are moffs; but at least they fly in the day ...... :wink: )

PS. We also inherited a concrete dog. That does not have pride of place..

...is the garden full of little piles of concrete rubble... ?

Some sun so nipped-out to see what was around - 3 Small White, a single Speckled Wood, Peacock and GVW, plus 4 Holly Blue - and a Mother Shipton moth.
Also saw the local resident Green Woodpecker...