Butterflyboy

The quick answer is - "maybe". I haven't checked and am knee-deep in DIY so its unlikely I will be able to check for awhile and by the time I can, I would guess the answer would then be "no".

My annual report of the Silver-studded Blue colony at Broxhead Common in Hampshire. I have been studying the ups and downs of this colony for a few years now but only started to do a proper count in 2018. On the occasions before 2018, the numbers on this reserve were more reflected by my survey resu...

Trevor - Thanks. I was unusually lucky with the SSB's as this was the ONLY mating pair I came across this year.
Katrina - I didn't actually realise how nice the colour of the background of the Skippers was until I got the pics onto my computer at home.

20th July 2021, Abbots Wood (yet again). 7.00 - 10.30am, Very Hot and sunny Saw almost all the butterfly species I might expect to see in this part of the woodland at this time of year today. Small, Large and Marbled White. Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Gatekeeper and Speckled Wood. Purple Hairstreak, Purp...

Katrina, David Thanks. I was quite astonished to see the Roe Deer like this. I called them a family unit but in reality when the male approached from down the track it was only then that the female and young scooted off. I watched them for a good while before this happened and they didn't scare befo...

18th and 19th July 2021 - Abbots Wood, hot and sunny I got here early both days and left before it really heated up. On the 18th I had 12 sightings of Purple Emperor and on the 19th a further 8 sightings, all airborne at different heights, but I worked out that it was only 5 individuals in total tha...

17th July 2021 - Abbot's Wood, Hot, sunny summers day I bought a sun-protection cream that I have never had before and put it on for the first time today. I bet you are glad to hear about that aren't you? Why do I mention it? Well today I was doing one of my regular purpling visits to the Alice Holt...

7th July 2021, Abbots Wood, 4.30-5.30pm, 19 degrees 50/50 sun/cloud Meadow Brown and Ringlet in medium numbers, a few Large Skipper, 1 Red Ad, 2 Comma, 1 SW Frit, 2 PStreaks, 3 White Ads This terribly mediocre weather we are still getting for the time of year is taking its toll! P1170123.JPG P117009...

Wurzel - Yes, I thought it needed a re-spray!

2nd July 2021, Broxhead, 12-1.45pm, 20-21 degrees, partly sunny Today I tried to take a picture of my finger but these pesky butterflies kept getting in the way! P1170067.JPG P1170016.JPG P1170036.JPG Notice the male has an aberration where it's right side wings have a faded-out colouration, both ab...

SSB female - Broxhead on 25th June 2021
1st female of year seen at this location and it was wing-rolling.

25th June 2021, Broxhead, 12.30-1.15, 18 degrees, cloud SSBs are on the increase. 17 on my regular transect today and my first female of the year. P1160959.JPG It was doing a very fine wing-roll. I will add pics of this to my post under the General Forum. Also 1 S Tort, 2 Common Heath and 1 Clouded ...

23rd June 2021, Broxhead, 11.45-12.45, 18 degrees 50/50 sun/cloud I dropped my wife off at the garden centre and sneaked off to Broxhead which is just down the road. Thus my annual survey of the Silver-studded Blues continues. Today I counted 9 males and no females. P1160892.JPG Also 1 Meadow Brown,...

Goldie

I'm not an expert so don't quote me but I think the Hounds-tongue name comes from the shape and texture of the seeds!

Ern

Wurzel - Glad you like my term BArg. I've liked the way people abbreviate their butterflies, ever since I saw someone coining the term "Greenstreak" some years ago on this forum. David - Yes the Bee Orchids were something else. I was a bit miffed about not being able to find the location t...

What a wonderful set of pics of the Holly Blue egg-laying - especially that close-up. Wow.

June 16th, 9.30-11 AM, St Catherine’s Hill, 17-22 degrees, mixed mist/sun/cloud I don’t think I have ever seen Small Blues at this location before but I tried anyway and failed dismally. Not a single one. It’s amazing really because Magdalen Hill has them and it is a neighboring hill to St Cat’s. Ne...

Some stuff from the last few days... 9th June, 7.30 PM, Front Porch A Lesser Stag Beetle. Lesser Stag Beetle.JPG 14th June, 10-11 AM, Noar Hill 2 Green Hairstreak – the latest I have ever seen this species in flight. 7 Cinnabar and I have seen this species in lots of places in good numbers over the ...

12th June 2021, Magdalen Hill - bottom bit, 10-10.30am, 19 degrees, mostly sunny This is the bit I missed before, so I did it today. I managed to get 3 further Small Blues bringing my annual total to 76. P1160733.JPG It is definitely Summer now. Hot sunny days, lots of early summer flowers, etc, etc...

Well, I had no idea Mother Shipton's were so "whizzy" as a rule. This is only one of a whole bunch of pics I took of this one and it was pretty lethargic. Looking back through my past pics, it does seem I have very few of this species - so I guess they are difficult but I just didn't reali...