Thanks, Andrew. There's a lot going on at the moment.

Alice Holt Woods - 28th June 2018 I went “purpling” this morning. As my last post suggests – it was a good one. It is the first time I have counted more Purple Emperors than White Admirals in one location in one day (well 2 hours to be more exact). I met Ashley and Mike in the Abbots Wood enclosure ...

Alice Holt Woods - 28th June 2018 Welcome to the Purple Towers Hotel. Stay at the 5 star Purple Towers Hotel.JPG A deluxe 5 star hotel nestling deep within the Alice Holt Woodlands. Stay in our penthouse suite for two with views in all directions along the sunny woodland rides. Take a deluxe room fo...

Thanks, Goldie. I was really lucky with the ground shots.

Wurzel, Janet and Bugboy - Thank you all. To answer Janet's question - Why did the Purple Hairstreak cross the road. It was not to get to the other side in this instance. She just stayed there. She must have known how beautiful she was and posed for my camera! All the ground shots I have of this spe...

Great to see you got a Painted Lady on your walk, Janet. I have only managed to see two so far this year so it seems its not one of their larger influx years.

Goldie - Your WLH shots are the ones I am trying and failing to get. You should be chuffed.

Dave - My vote is for the four-wing underside shot despite the frayed edges.

Wurzel - I'm getting used to your "historic" posts now!

Being a month or so behind makes a refreshing change. While we are all pursuing Purple Emperors you are showing us how wonderful Common Blues and Green Hairstreaks are!

Cheers,

Katrina - That ab is now famous isn't it? I like the four purple wing shot despite the chunk missing and I don't think your side shot could be bettered either.

Andrew - I've just been doing a "spot the difference" between the Purple ab and standard on Trevor's post but it appears you liked the idea too and put the shots side-by-side. Great.

Trevor - I have just been playing "spot the difference" between your two Purple open-wing shots of the 25th, the first being the ab and the second the standard. With just a small scroll up and down repeatedly you can see all the nuances of difference. Its good fun.

Yep. "Little & Large" and "Skipper on an Orchid" does it for me too, Bugboy. Great shots.

Thanks, Allan - That makes perfect sense.
Cheers

Hi, I found this moth crawling amongst long grass in Alice Holt Woods in Hampshire on June 26th 2018 while looking for Small Skippers which usually inhabit this grass. It was located in an area where there are a lot of Oaks (if this helps). Willow or Pale Oak Beauty - poss (1).JPG Willow or Pale Oak...

Odiham Common 27th June 2018 A hairy day, today. There were three White-letter Hairstreaks on the corner Elms at Odiham Common and five Purple Hairstreaks on the Master Oak. Not stupendous numbers but nevertheless a nice tally. I went prepared and took a portable chair so I could sit and watch. With...

Hi Wurzel - yep I saw my first Large Blue wing-roll the other day. Thanks for thinking to let me know when you saw it too.

I'm having a grand time with the Purples at the moment. They seem to be doing all sorts of interesting things that you just cannot capture on camera.

Broxhead - 26th June 2018 I did a count of the Silver-studded Blues in and around the lek today and although I was early (8-8.30 am), there were 294 that I could see. My last count (on 23rd) was 346, so although I probably missed a few roosting out of sight it looks like we have now gone past peak f...

Thanks Janet - The Purple Emperors seem to be having a good year so far.

I don't know a lot about moths Janet so can't really help with ID but I love that golden reflective one.

Also - does the Wells Bishop's Palace still have its "Swan" bell?