Noticed there was a fair bit of excitement on Scilly yesterday with an American Painted Lady on St. Mary's found along with more expected Monarch. Think there's a small number of the latter about with at least one in Dorset too in the Portland area & on the Cornish coast. Of course the latter ma...

Hi Dave- I'm also in west London suburbs, so pleased to see your corroboration. Agree about Commas too.

Haven't seen a single Clouded Yellow in England this year, normally see several. Painted Ladies, another migrant species, low numbers-maybe 15 for the year. Peacocks had a bumper emergence in July & I had record numbers in my garden. Red Admirals have been as abundant as any year I can remember....

Nice to see a smart male Brimstone on Michaelmas Daisies in Cambridge Botanic Garden yesterday along with more expected fare such as Red Admiral, Small White & Holly Blue, though surprised not to see a Speckled Wood.

A walk in Osterley Park, west London produced Small & Large White, Speckled Wood, Small Copper, Peacock (my first for a while), Red Admiral & a fresh Painted Lady & a bonus Hummingbird Hawkmoth.

Certainly one of the 2 groundhoppers you mention. Cepero's is much rarer, so probably more likely to be Slender, but don't recall the distinguishing features.

A visit to Denbies yesterday resulted in: Meadow Brown 52 Speckled Wood 6 Small Heath 25 Small White 3 Brimstone 5 Silver-spotted Skipper 4 Chalkhill Blue 7 Adonis Blue 14 Brown Argus 26 Brown Hairstreak 1 Comma 1 Red Admiral 1 Quiet for birds but 5 raptor species: Peregrine, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, R...

From top:

1 Common Carpet
2 one of the Yponomeuta ermine moths
3 White Point

Shame you didn't see more butterflies, but some great shots. Can see Broad Scarlets, Keeled Skimmer & Copper Demoiselles amongst your Odonata shots.

Interesting observations Bugboy about the late Large Skippers at Chobham. I visit every year for the Graylings (& an earlier trip for Silver-studded Blues) but don't recall the Large Skippers so late ,but possibly didn't visit the main area I found them. Yesterday I stayed locally to a site for ...

Had a walk around the northern part of Chobham Common yesterday. Graylings doing well with at least 65 seen. Gatekeeper second most common with 37 counted. Otherwise : Large White Green-veined White 2 Brimstone 2 female Meadow Brown 7 Speckled Wood 2 Small Copper Silver-studded Blue 1 faded female H...

Brown Hairstreaks seem to be getting more widespread in my part of the west London suburbs. Had my first at Yeading Brook meadows on Sunday * one was seen a few days earlier at adjacent Ten Acre Wood. Also 2 found at Paradise Fields, Ealing on Sunday. A population was known at adjacent Horsenden Hi...

Brown Hairstreaks seem to be getting more widespread in my part of the west London suburbs. Had my first at Yeading Brook meadows on Sunday * one was seen a few days earlier at adjacent Ten Acre Wood. Also 2 found at Paradise Fields, Ealing on Sunday. A population was known at adjacent Horsenden Hil...

David M wrote: ↑Thu Jul 27, 2023 10:18 am It's always a surprise when you see them nectaring from bramble too. They are keen feeders though (I have seen them on buddleia in certain areas).

Yes I've seen Graylings on the large Buddlejas by the toilet block at Minsmere RSPB Reserve.

Doesn't look like either Honesty or Sweet Rocket to me. Would be good to seethe flowers but almost definitely a non-native crucifer.

I would agree with your hunch- Green-veined White.

They look pretty normal to me?

Dark Arches below. Maybe Shuttle-shaped Dart above?

I was pleased to see my first valezina Silver-washed Fritillary yesterday in Ruislip Woods, Middx on a general insect walk for the London & Hilingdon Natural History Societies. We also saw 2 regular individuals. My first ever valezina in the London recording area. Despite a few showers & bri...

Yes, think 6-spot Burnet.