Grizzled Skippers in Cop Cerne Abbas 27.05.21

Many thanks indeed Guy for your identification and kind words. If anyone is interested in acquiring it, then it is listed on eBay now, item number 265337810710
I am hoping it goes to a good home, poor thing,
Kindest regards,
David.

Many thanks Benjamin and Guy, I can now research it and try and name it. Found in my Late Fathers attic that we are clearing, I thinks its a real specimen ,and have to sell it to raise funds for my dear Mother who suffers Dementia and needs expensive nursing care. So many thanks again for your help....

I am currently clearing my Late Fathers home and concentrate on the Attic before winter sets in. In a small draw I came across this quite handsome mounted large Tropic Butterfly. I cant decide if its a real specimen or a fake one. I think its real as it seems too detailed to be hand made ,but who kn...

Thank you for that observation also David, it remains a bit of a mystery to me as well, and is why I posted it for any comments,
Happy Hunting yourself,
Dave.

Many thanks for that information Allan. It was very white whilst in flight. After my first photos it flew up and got stuck in a Spiders Web, so I got a couple more photos then I broke the web and released it. It then took its fortunate freedom and flew happily away over the bushes , hopefully to liv...

Photographed this apparently extremely faded and torn end of Life Meadow Brown or could it have been an Ab form? It looked almost white in flight and caught my attention amongst many normal Meadow Browns. Any thought welcome.

May thanks indeed for that Guy, its a new one for my Moth photographic collection. Kindest regards,
Dave in Devon.

Was looking for Brown Hairstreaks in hedgerows today and spotted this attractive little creature. For a moment I thought it was a new species of tiny Butterfly !! But of course its a very small moth, but very distinctive markings. Manage to get these two pics before it flew off. I have never seen th...

Thanks for the tip Dave, I think I will just emigrate to Spain myself and never get a summer like this one again !
Dave.

I think Fontmell Down is the furthest west site in the UK for Silver Spotted Skippers, Dave. Adonis and Chalkhill Blues are found further west, including on the isle of Portland, though I don’t think they extend into Devon. Many thanks for your thoughts, I am still thinking of somewhere and Fontmel...

Many thanks indeed for that most helpful response, I will research the site and just keep praying we get a change to warmer sunnier weather soon. Its really been a shocking year for Butterfly photography.
Kindest regards,
Dave.

Hi, any Dorset members. I am planning to visit Dorset from Devon next week and need a good site for Silver Spotted Skippers, plus Adonis and Chalk Hill Blues. I know Fontmell Down and Martins Down are very reliable for these ,but I am looking for somewhere nearer the Devon/ Dorset border where I can...

Many thanks indeed for that information Pauline, in which case I will drop my idea that this is a signalling gesture and go with the sun angle warmth related posture.
Congrats on your photographic achievements, I just need the Black Hairstreak now.
Dave.

Hi Jenks , and thank you for your reply. You probably are correct its to capture the sun, but on some days I have observed this wing tilt it has been extremely overcast and also when the sun does come out it is not always a tilt in the direction of the sun. That's why I thought it may be a signallin...

Being fortunate enough to live near a site where the road level rises to a point at the upper Canopy height of a large Elm tree, I have been observing the behaviour of a small colony of White Letter Hairstreaks from a position not normally afforded to most. From this vantage point characteristic hab...

Many thanks for the replies by Bugboy and David M, all comments are welcome and add to ones own knowledge base for future observations. I have recently noticed White Letter Hairstreaks tilting their wings at 90 degrees as suitors fly by, and will post about that with some photos in due course. Devon...

I was hunting along the coast path near East Soar in Devon last week for Silver Studded blues when I was surprised to witness the Courtship display of a pair of Graylings on a sunny patch by the side of the path. For the first time in my many years of Butterfly observation I was able to see and phot...

Many thanks Guy, it seems a funny year for all butterflies in many respects. There are so few Whites of any description and all other species in low numbers in General here in Devon.
Dave.

Many thanks for that information Dave, yes I thought it was a Green too but was rather confused it being high up in an old Oak.