Thanks for your PM Ron. I have sent a reply.

All the best for the rest of the season.

Peter

In the mostly cloudy conditions today I decided to look out for larvae on my local patch. I found what it might be a Red Admiral larval tent on a nettle bed - see photo - halfway down on the left and note what appears to be frass on the leaf above. Can someone confirm please. Also an Orange-tip larv...

An excellent day at Bison Hill with unbroken sunshine. In the sheltered parts mostly on or by the footpath leading to the cafe my friend, Bob, and I recorded 17 species: 40+ Brown Argus, 30+ Small Heath, 30+ Dingy Skipper, 20+ Brimstone, 20+ Common Blue, 10+ Green Hairstreak, 10+ Duke of Burgundy, 4...

Interesting stuff there, Dave. Dogwood could well be the preferred foodplant for the spring brood in many places. I discovered a female HB ovipositing on a dogwood plant, in a slightly open situation, this morning on my local patch. This dogwood is only about one metre tall although there is plenty ...

I know Houghton Forest pretty well as I used to go there in the 1990s when mum lived in Worthing. My first ever White Admiral, Silver-washed Fritillary and Dark Green Fritillary were spotted there. I never saw more than Dark Green on any one visit - always around the same spot in a clearing SU9922 1...

Hi Pauline, I couldn't agree more with your comments relating to GH female preferences for larval foodplants. Other factors come into play too like micro-climate. Thank you for telling me you used your camera hand-held for your super photos. I had a go using a tripod while trying taking shots of Ora...

Mine has arrived today

An incredibly brilliant book - one which I will turn to time and time again.

Congratulations, Neil on such a great achievement.

ATB

Peter

Some fantastic images, Pauline. Patience is paying off :) I suspect some foodplants are more successful than others in terms of fecundity. As you probably know, according to Thomas and Lewington's book, Dyer's Greenweed Genista tinctoria is the preferred choice where it grows for females to lay eggs...

Hi all,

I just made enquiries regarding delivery of the 'The Butterflies of Sussex' book. It is hoped copies will be delivered by the end of next week.

ATB

Peter

Lovely images recently Buggy. I particularly like the rejection sequence and some of the earlier OT's look like they're glowing. That PH egg has definitely now hatched as you can see. Difficult to tell from earlier shot but I am still of the mind that it was work in progress at that point. I'll tak...

That is a cracking Red Admiral photo you have there, Paul. How did you get the bands as red as that ? Beautiful.

ATB

Peter

Hi Chris, Have you thought of the Open University? They have a number of ecology-related courses - see http://www.open.ac.uk/courses/find/ecology I took just the ecology course (half a unit) as it was then in 1993 while in full-time work. I didn't have trouble fitting it in but then if I remember ri...

Hello Peter, If you look on the "British Butterfly Abberations " site. there is a specimen similar to yours (although not identical) and called AB; Pupilata,very unusual,nice find ! Regards Allan.W. Thank you, Allan. Yes I had noticed that my specimen might be ab. pupillata but the variat...

... Note the dark spot on the forewings shaped like a comma and pupilled as well. I don't know how unusual this is but not something I have noticed before. ATB Peter I remember this was remarked on in my diary a couple of years ago. I have to say that I see quite a few like this around my patch her...

In rather cool conditions yesterday on my local patch, a male Orange-tip kindly obliged to pose for a few photos. Note the dark spot on the forewings shaped like a comma and pupilled as well. I don't know how unusual this is but not something I have noticed before.

ATB

Peter

Thanks Allan.

The Brimstone aberration will have to remain as unclassified unless anyone else knows better

ATB

Peter

Glad to be of help, Sylvie.

I have a lot to learn too

ATB

Peter

Hi Sylvie,

Or it could be the caterpillar of the Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa moth.

ATB

Peter

Bob Clift, from Bishop's Stortford, took photos of a Brimstone and Peacock while walking his transect at the Country Park on Saturday. Does anyone have any comment? The Peacock appears to be ab. griseocellata but I am unsure about the Brimstone one - the extra 'spot' on the hindwing.

ATB

Peter

Brilliant stuff, Paul.

Perhaps you or Neil will see a pair of LTs in cop - now that would be something else .

ATB

Peter