Nice find with that BH egg Neil. I have looked on the blackthorn there (and by the river) before, but I don't have your eyes! I am convinced that the elm in the same area will have WLH eggs and will continue looking.
Alexander

Received mine today, very pleased with it so thanks very much team!
AH

Some easy and hard questions there Guy! 1. Evolution of the structures. I know little about this tbh. The differing stimuli behind the structures means it's difficult to trace their evolution. What I can say though is that very similar structures are found in quite distantly related butterflies. For...

Hi Mouse,

I'll see what I can do, I write with LaTeX which outputs directly to PDF. I'm sure there's some way around it.
AH

I know a few of you are interested in physics, and so I have put an article I wrote last year as part of my degree online. If you want to learn about how butterflies use tiny structures in place of pigments to produce colour then I hope you will find it a good starting place. I will be updating it s...

You can always avoid car thieves by taking the bus Figsbury Ring looks very easy to get to from Salisbury, Middle Wallop, Andover etc, even on a Saturday.

AH

I should add that the text says they are Nymphalis californica.

I don't know much about American butterflies so can't help I'm afraid.

Just done a quick google search http://www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndSearch/ProductDetails-Science+Museum+Live+Butterfly+House-33362489.html - looks like you send away for five Painted Ladys essentially. Defo a good thing to get kids interested in natural history I reckon. The largest butterflies in t...

Lots of birds feeding in the garden today including Great Spotted Woodpecker! Perhaps we should rename this thread "birds"?

Here's one of a pair of Green Woodpeckers that were down earlier. Please excuse the spherical aberration!
Alexander

Hi Mouse,
I think it's an Egyptian Goose (which is a type of duck). I'm sure one of the proper birdy people here can confirm either way!

Alexander

That's a fantastic sighting Denise : ) It's amazing how a little bird like that can be blown off course by such a distance! I think I should go bird watching more often in the winter_

Met a fantastic bird the other day - blonde hair and blue eyes. No photo to start the thread off with unfortunately.

The ukleps website shows a fairly brown form of a final instar Pale Tussock larva:

http://www.ukleps.org/Proms/2028s.jpg

I do not think it is a Fox moth, Oak Eggar or any other member of the Lasiocampidae. These do not have the four tufts of hair that the pictured species has, nor the hairs at the back that Pete mentions. Also the side hairs are highly grouped which to my eyes does not match the Lasiocampidae family. ...

You may well be right there Paul. Both of the pics look rather dark on my monitor but I've put the lower one through photoshop and there are four tussocks on the back, not ruling out your ID. It looks like a member of the Lymantriidae or Arctiidae for a start anyway.

I think I've worked it out so sorry for the pointless post! - Chocolate-tip (Clostera curtula). The illustation on the WhatIsThisCaterpillar website bears little resemblence which put me on the wrong footing.
AH

At least I think it's Aspen and not a Poplar hybrid. Any help appreciated even if you just know its family - I'm thinking Noctuidae but may be wrong. Many Thanks!

Alexander
22nd October 2008, deciduous woodland ride, Sussex.

I noticed Jack. It's a good shot too. I also noticed the particularly bold marking on the hindwing of the meadow brown - nice find!
Alexander

Get it right Danny, they did at least get the Red Admiral correct. I doubt they'd be best pleased at being referred to as Oxford either.
Can I be the official forum pedant please?