Thanks, Wurzel. I think you might be right. However there is a brief temperature dip over the next few days so maybe we will get lucky.

Cheers

I am by no means an expert at all but my book says that all male Lycaenidae use their back four legs to stand on and don't use their front two. It is clear that they stand on their back four, I have seen this for myself, but I have also seen male Silver-studded Blues hold onto females from the front...

Thanks, Andrew. That Painted Lady was very accommodating - but I guess that is their nature! :lol: And as for Brostreaks... Noar Hill - 27th July 2018, 8.00 am to 9.30 am I did not get as far as the reserve proper today. I got as far as the first gate and just stood watching the Brown Hairstreak Mas...

Essex B, all three pics of SSS's in your last post were SSStunners!

I have never seen such a white marking on the sex brand as you captured in your last pic. Is this an ab, or have I just not been observant enough in the past?

I also saw a female Brostreak wing rubbing.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks, Wurzel. Yes - definitely one to add to the list.

I'll add your text to the "General" stream topic.

The list is getting to be quite a long one now. I am currently compiling a summary of it all which I shall post there at the end of the season.

Cheers,

Noar Hill - 26th July 2018 As per Pauline’s recent posts I decided to visit Noar Hill in the early afternoon instead of the early morning to see if I could get lucky with Brostreaks on the ground. So I plastered myself with factor 50+ and took a brolly as a sunshade and when I got there… … I saw not...

Noar Hill - 25th July 2018 I was here half an hour later than yesterday and the number of butterflies had more than doubled so coming early, even when its hot does seem to have an effect. Many won’t have fully “woken-up”. For example I saw 4 Holly Blues today, 8 Speckled Wood and the SW Frits and S&...

Great BH shots, Pauline. If I can bear the heat I shall try an early afternoon visit.

Noar Hill - 24th July 2018 Today there were three male Brostreaks (thanks Janet for the name contraction) all flying at once on the Beech but none low down. (They only come down for Pauline at the moment). :D I can add Red Admiral and Small Heath to yesterday’s roll-call of species. Whilst most of t...

Thanks, all. Janet - I am feeling a little better now but even an hour in the sun is exhausting for me at the moment. Whenever I can I walk and stand in shade. I must have had a mild form of heatstroke but it kept me bedridden for almost a day. David - I hope so too. This is the only place I will be...

Noar Hill - 23rd July 2018 Feeling a bit better today I got out for about an hour, trying to stay in the shade as much as possible. Noar Hill is one of my closest Nature Reserves and around now and throughout August is Brown Hairstreak time so today my quest was for this butterfly. I saw quite a few...

I'm a bit late in congrats but I have just seen the pic of the DGF on your hand. Recalling one I saw earlier in their flight period this year and the way it was bombing back and forth almost non-stop I am amazed that this one did not mind stopping on you for awhile. As they get older, they get tired...

Some nice Copper shots recently, Phil - but that Little Owl stands out as special.

I could not get out today as I was feeling very poorly so no butterfly post today. It may have been heat stroke. I hope so because the only alternative I can come up with is Lyme disease and I certainly don't want that!

Goldie - I hope you have some luck with Grayling and Small Copper soon. Its quite odd down here, the Grayling are doing well but the Small Copper don't seem to be at the moment.

Wurzel - After a bit of online research about that "Spaceship" I have found that the official line is that it is the Bourley Hill Covered Reservoir near Aldershot. However it is on active MOD land part way between the Farnborough Air Research establishment and airfield, Odiham Chinook Heli...

Wurzel - I honestly don't know what the "Spaceship" is. I guess its something military because its not far from Farnborough airfield.

Mating Large Skippers. I must have seen hundreds of Large Skips over the years but I have never seen this. You are very lucky.

Folly Hill Heath - 21st July 2018 The view north from the top of the Iron Age Hillfort. It appears the aliens have landed! They've landed (1).JPG A different route across the heath yielded a further 8 Grayling today, bringing my total this year at this location to 15. My previous record here was 13 ...