Thanks for your kind comments Pauline it was great to get to know the butterflies' habits - that photo was taken at about 8:30 whilst he was still warming up.

May (Part 4) As May wore on, the butterfly season, having started late began to get going. I went on regular walks on my patch, trying to find new butterflies in new spots. It was on one such walk - searching for Orange Tips in a small piece of woodland, that I had a fantastic suprise. I stopped fo...

Thanks Wurzel, it was great fun breeding the butterflies and the possible ab. Alba was a lovely suprise .

Wonderful shots of the Silver Washed Fritillary Maximus :D . The purple/ silver and gold is a lovely combination. Like you, I had a few in the garden this year. A knowledgeable friend of mine witnessed the same phenomenon and suggested that, due to the lovely warm weather, the bramble blossoms had g...

Thanks Guys - I really appreaciate the kind comments. It took me a while to get to grips with extension tubes, but well worth the investment .

Thank you Hideandseek - much appreaciated . At the end of the day it's a joy just to watch the little caterpillars as they wiggle around .

One of only 3 British species I drew a blank on in 2013. Sadly, it appears the colony in Somerset has disappeared. Both Willrow and I went searching for them there during June but in spite of favourable weather conditions, neither of us found any - may have to make a sea trip in future to observe t...

Thanks Goldie - Dukes are one of my favourite butterflies - so full of character. My interest in finding eggs in the wild has grown to, it's immensely satisfying to get a decent photo of something so small! I shall have to combine the two and try and find some Duke eggs next season!

Thanks David , I can only speculate what caused its colouring, I think possibly heat shock, as I kept the pupae in a cool shed over the winter, and then moved them outside ready for them to hatch in a warmer spot.

May (Part 3) Last year, in August and July, we had the best numbers of the 'Cabbage Whites' in the garden for a while (exceeded only by this year), and consequently our Black Kale was on the verge of being utterly destroyed by their offspring. Don't get me wrong, I love Butterflies, but I also love...

Thanks Guys - it was a wonderful day with wonderful butterflies!

That's a wonderful shot Hideandseek, I spent a lot of time searching in vain for Clouded Yellow ova, hoping to rear some, but despite spending several afternoons following females from a distance, I had no luck - very jealous !

Thanks Neil, I was very pleased myself, though it was more luck than judgement. If anything flies past I always try a couple of speculative flight shots, and sometimes they come out nicely :). Matsukaze - Thanks for your kind comments. I guess you know the spot I'm talking about, well worth a visit....

May (Part 2) With the Butterfly season finally getting going, it meant that, having racked up all the usual common species in my area, it was time to look further afield. I don't get many Butterflying trips away from home, so I have to pick carefully to make the most of my limited 'quota'. With an ...

Thanks Nick , it's nice to have the butterfly in its habitat to bring back the full experience - helps through the winter months .

Thanks Guys - I really appreaciate the kind comments .

Thank you very much B' Saurus, at the end of the day, it's a pleasure to just be out taking them. I'm very lucky too, as I do most of my photography walking from home, so it's all on my doorstep!

BWs

William

May (Part 1) Thank you for the comments everyone - much appreaciated :D ! May was the month that things finally got going, and it started well when I found a pristine Green - Veined White roosting in the garden, my first of the year. Following this, I made a mental note to search for larvae and ova...

April Thanks for all the kind words guys, with them in mind, I shall begin... For me and many others, April was a frustrating Butterflying month, and I found it bereft of the ususal first Orange Tips and Holly Blues that make it so exciting. Despite this, I had clocked up Peacock, Small Tortoiseshe...

Hi All, Having just joined UK Butterflies, I thought I'd start a personal diary to share some of my Butterfly sightings and photos. With 2013's season fast drawing to a close, I decided that I, like others would start a retrospective diary, looking back over the highlights of what has been a truly e...