Thanks David, I agree , one of the most stunning Purple Hairstreaks I have ever seen myself in 15 years of photographing them, I was quite in awe of its beauty and thought it should be posted here for others like yourself to admire.

At last a fine summers day down in Devon, warm and just a light breeze, and so went in search of Hairstreaks and Clouded Yellows but would welcome anything on the wing after the dismal start to July. I was rewarded with a lovely Purple Hairstreak and a couple of White Letter Hairstreaks,plus a very ...

Many thanks for that positive identification Guy,
I can now file it away in my collection as definate Helice,
your help is invaluable,
Dave.

The constant rain in Devon this month is driving me mad, hardly a dry full day worth going out butterflying, and even then strong winds and little sun so many stay indoors Butterfly days over the last few weeks of so called Summer of 2024. But staying indoors encouraged me to go through hundreds of ...

Thank you to both Millerd and Bugboy for your positive confirmation of a normal DGF female, and most interesting comments and comparisons.
Devon Dave.

Whilst chasing Dark Green Fritillaries this afternoon in a fern filled Dartmoor Valley, I noticed one that seemed darker and not so golden in flight down the path ahead of me.It alighted for a few seconds on a fern in the distance from my position.I zoomed in as much as I could and got one shot just...

Great June day down in Devon today, at last it felt like a normal sunny Summer Day. I was rewarded with a sighting of a pair of White-letter Hairstreaks mating, and then a GateKeeper landed very close to me, just settling long enough for a quick shot.All photos not to my normal standard as was tryin...

BLUES ARE OUT IN DEVON.
A rather late start this year ,but at last I saw my first Common Blue of 2024 at a local site in Devon yesterday.
Dingies on site were early and out for a few days now, its a spot where I got a Long Tailed Blue last Summer, so fingers crossed for another this year !

I am currently selling off the contents of my Parents home, as my mother has had to go into care at Christmas and my Father died several years ago. I had a customer arrive today to collect some garage items and we got talking Butterflies as he was a Beekeeper, but not a Butterfly man. He mentioned t...

Without a doubt my Favourite photo, and indeed butterflies of 2023 were the White Letter Hairstreaks at my regular site where I observe them each year near my home in Plymouth. There a two reasons they were outstanding for me last year. In the first instance they gave me a "National first"...

Hi Allan, and thank you for that most interesting reply, it could be the simple answer, but the only thing is I have lived in the area for about 50 years and have never seen a Starling around here ever. But it must be the answer as I cant see anyway that a Cuckoo would migrate to the UK in the last ...

No Butterflies seen in my part of Devon yet, but believe it or not I had a mega surprise yesterday afternoon whilst visiting my mother on the outskirts of Plymouth. Just as I returned to my car to go home I heard the distintive call of a Cuckoo !!! It called "Cuckoo" twicE with about a 20 ...

Many thanks indeed for that confirmation Guy, new one for me
Dave.

Superb warm sunny day down in Devon today, and some nice butterflies about still.Several fresh looking Clouded Yellows on my walk in local meadows but also noticed what at first I thought to be a Small white. But each time it landed it had wings closed and its flight very laboured compared with a sm...

Had to submit this one, a rare sight I managed to capture unexpectedly.
Pair of White Letter Hairstreaks mating.
Devon Dave.

Thanks David, yes Mega surprise, a few were seen in Seaton Devon ( about 40 miles away) a few years ago now but they were quite tatty and weathered.But this was was so fresh and without damage.I have gone back to the site twice today between showers but no sign of it. I will keep checking over the n...

My best ever August day today, whilst out searching for Clouded Yellows, had an amazing experience when I came across a pristine Long Taled Blue just sitting on a Buddleia bush leaf in the open countryside, talk about "Out of the Blue ". See LTB Alert thread.

I am excited to report I spotted a Long Tailed blue in the outskirts of Plymouth today, definately not a Release as it was in open countryside and not anywhere one would expect one, no Everlasting Sweet Pea or any other similar plant anywhere near as it was on a Buddleia bush leaf edging woodland. I...

Many thanks Guy, thought it might be, but see them on the coast normaly ,never in semi woodland inland on Dartmoor before and with such vivid colour markings. Mstery solved for me, cheers.

Looking for Purple Hairstreak nectaring on Bramble and in between rain showers my eye was drawn to this specimen near me on Bramble Blossom which I assumed to be a Meadow Brown but somewhat resembled a Grayling in some respects. Unfortunately it only flitted on various blossom heads for about 30 sec...