Right - so I've given it a lot more thought and now I am totally convinced. The Wing-roll as a predator deception mechanism – a summary I have seen a newly emerged Silver-studded Blue hop up from its ant-attended position on the ground onto a heather bush and immediately do a wing roll. I was standi...

Thanks, Katrina. Yes a Red Fox in a Red field. Wurzel: My primary orchid book is the WILDguides series title "Britain's Orchids" by David Lang published by English Nature. It has distribution maps for all Britain's Orchids. I have not bothered to look on the internet for them because of th...

the bird sees the movement and has to make a split second decision into the most likely position of the head. If it pecks at the wriggling hindwings then the butterfly is more likely to survive. Yes! I am coming round to your view (and CallumMac's). What you say is a very convincing scenario for me...

Greywell Common and Conford Common - 13th June 2018 Today I spent mopping up a couple of orchids you can't see at Noar Hill! First at Greywell Common, the Southern Marsh Orchid. This first pic is of one alongside its main pollinator - the Large Skipper. Southern Marsh Orchid with pollinator - Large ...

Thanks Andrew. I was lucky with the PL. I'm glad you like the SSB's cos there's a lot more of them to come.

Wrecclesham - 11th June 2018 Wrecclesham before the bulldozers moved in (you don’t want to see it now!). Pond.JPG My thanks to Pauline (and ultimately Hazel) for drawing my attention to the fact that the Wrecclesham Glanvilles were out and about. I tried my luck this evening while it was still sunny...

Goldie - thanks. I loved the way the fox just looked at me, realised I wasn't a threat and just went about his business. Hope you have luck with the Fly Orchids. The ones at Noar Hill are in the shadow of a copse of trees but do get some sun, the ones at Chappett's Copse are in woodland and the Burg...

Dave - fantastic shots of Heaths and Black Hairstreaks, both butterflies I have never seen.

Re the Black Hairstreaks. Given no-one knew about the Sussex ones but they seem to be quite prevalent there. Maybe I should start looking for them in my own back yard. They might be there and no-one knows.

Neil - just now reading through your recent posts. WOW. What can I say that has not already been said. I am gobsmacked. I just wished I lived a bit closer to the location. Maybe I can try and plan a visit next year. I was still reeling from the Black Hairstreak info and pics that the Burnt Orchid di...

Thanks Janet and David. I think the fox was aware of me but he just didn't care. Here is the full sequence of pics...
Best Regards

Wurzel. Don't laugh. I am reading your last entry on the 13th June. I marvelled at the numbers of butterflies you saw on Martin Down. I too like Maximus have never been there but want to one day. I read right to the end of your post before it dawned on me that the butterflies were all a bit Springti...

Hi Pauline. I just loved your pics of the Puss Moth recently and these cats are kooky little devils aren't they? I can understand your fascination with them. Now you mention it - they do look a bit like seahorses.

Janet - What a great location you have there. I visited Eyam once years ago on holiday. A pretty and interesting village. You found quite a variety while there. I particularly like the Chimney Sweeper moth. Its smart isn't it? I have only ever seen these once - on the Isle of Mull! For ages I though...

Bugboy - Possible but not proven. They don't always do it, different species seem to do it at different times, some in this family don't do it at all. I would like to think it is a distraction tactic, but there are certain aspects about it which would seem to be superfluous for this to be solely the...

Noar Hill - 12th June 2018 I’m giving the lovely Silver-studded Blues of Broxhead a bit of a rest today. Noar Hill gave me 3 Red Admirals, 2 Dingies still in remarkably good nick, 8 Small Blue, 4 Speckled Wood and 4 Large Skipper plus the usual numbers of Small Heath, Common Blue and Meadow Brown. N...

CallumMac - Wonderful. This is the first time I have realised they can multi-task! :lol: Seriously though - the observation that they wing-roll while nectaring is important. It completely trounces the idea that they wing-roll as a means of distracting a predator. What butterfly continues to nectar i...

Broxhead - 11th June 2018 So now there are 46 SSBs in the lek and on the bank nearby of which 5 were female, three of which were mating and one was rejecting a male by "buzzing" her wings in his face. The same Large Skipper, Green Hairstreak, Broad-bodied Chaser and Beautiful Demoiselle we...

Dave - That fourth pic really has a VERY dark green colour. Its a beauty.

... or I should say HER offspring's dinner!

Broxhead - 10th June 2016 Silver-studded Blue numbers continue to increase gradually. This afternoon there were 16 males in the lek and for the first time there were females with them, I counted 4. There were 11 males on the bank facing the lek and I know there are two females there too. Also three ...