My favourite is of a perched male, but I had to include a photograph of a “blue” female whose blue is as intense and extensive as any that I have photographed.

I helped with the monitoring of the English reintroduction and my favourite photograph is of a male that landed on my clipboard. A little different to the usual fare, but a nice reminder of some very enjoyable days catching up with fellow enthusiasts and one of my favourite species last summer.

2023 wasn’t a vintage year and like many others I had a long wait for my first sighting, let alone a photograph. My first sighting was whilst dog walking at Gwithian beach on 7 October when two flew past with no intention of stopping, still very nice to see. The following day I went to a relatively ...

In East Anglia Brown Argus seemed to have an excellent season and on several occasions at several sites they seemed to outnumber all other butterflies combined. Consequently, many photographs were taken and a single favourite difficult, but I have chosen one taken whilst out looking for Small Blue w...

Last summer I was a frequent user of the A303, which was made bearable by breaks at Shipton Bellinger and BH entertainment before the trauma of the M25. A favourite is hard to choose, but I have settled on a very fresh female in great condition apart from a big peck out of her hind wings. I think sh...

My attempts to photograph Chalkhill Blue this year we’re thwarted by strong winds, even early in the morning. On one particularly windy morning, I checked out a small sheltered gully away from my usual site and found this immaculate male basking in the first rays of the day.

Black Hairstreak seemed to have a decent season and plenty of photographs. Although I normally like a close up, most sightings are of butterflies fluttering around or perched out of reach and I have chosen a photograph that captures these encounters.

I saw and photographed plenty of Brimstone doing usual Brimstone stuff this year, one encounter stands out as being a bit different. The Pasqueflowers were putting on a fine show and several Brimstone were feeding from them, something I have not previously observed and I have chosen this image as my...

My favourite was a surprise encounter a mile or so from a known site in Cambridgeshire back in May, whilst looking for Green Hairstreak. A lovely fresh male basking in the early morning sunshine showing its outstanding blue very well.

David M wrote: ↑Wed Sep 06, 2023 8:15 pm A caeruleounctata Sooty Copper....if such a thing officially exists!! Well done, Wolfson.

Thank you David, I was hoping it doesn’t exist since I can’t pronounce let alone spell that ab.

Padfield wrote: ↑Wed Sep 06, 2023 7:32 pm Looking through my pictures, I find a very few, both males and females, have some pale scales there. Here is a male - not so well marked

Guy

Thank you Guy

I have seen a few male Sooty Copper but don’t recall seeing one with the pale markings on the hind wings before, has anyone else come across this.

Plenty of Graylings at Kynance Cove currently, and stupendous numbers of Gatekeepers. No second generation Small Pearl-border Fritillaries yet, they will emerge next week. A sprinkle of rain seems to have finished off my ageing LUMIX, so no pictures. Small Pearl-bordered were flying at coastal site...

Another sighting in Cornwall 2 July, reported on CBWPS, sightings page.

Kestle Barton, Nr Helford: 1 Large Tortoiseshell. (P Bedford)

I am an advocate of addressing the loss of habitat and its connectivity and only using introductions as a last resort supported by habitat management. I came across a thread by Marcus Rhodes on Twitter that made some good points, particularly to do with releasing captive bred stock, unfortunately, I...

Lucky you, In Norfolk May started and ended like November. In between a few decent days.

Holly Blue certainly bucking the trend this year. I thought Dave’s HB ovipositing on grass was extraordinarily and possibly aberrant behaviour until I came across this post on social media.

Stayed at home today and Holly Blue numbers are into double figures in the garden. Females laying on Cornus and ignoring the males.

Thank you David, Pauline and David, I am pleased you appreciated the post.

The question is, home grown or migrant, I have seen RA in the garden for the last couple of days? My guess is migrant, given SW winds, but who knows?