Lovely ab Trevor - what is it? A not quite taras - no doubt has a name.......

Another check on the 13 today and still no L4s. Some have been waiting for several days to transition so I couldn’t understand why the midday sunshine and relative warmth wasn’t enough to spur them on - then it became very dark and the heavens opened. The freezing rain had returned - not a time to b...

Great bluebell shots Neil and thanks for pointing out what should be obvious - that it’s all about the time of day and the light. My efforts are always flat and this is clearly why - they’re taken on the spur of the moment when my eyes can do work that my lens cannot. Like everything else, a little ...

Thanks again folks - I’m really glad it’s of interest! Predictions are a really important part of it for me David, as they’re clearly a good measure of how well you understand the thing you’re studying. Last year I was wrong about the earliest appearance (I thought last few days in May/first few day...

That’s brilliant Chris - they should become visible soon - keep looking out!

Great report Max - really enjoying your mix of close ups and shots showing your subject in context. Following immature stages in the field often feels like a thankless task - the necessary investment of time is huge and the rewards are often hard to appreciate. You have to get used to missing all th...

Hi Pauline - What a shame that the Dukes failed but you mustn’t be so hard on yourself! I’ve flicked back through your diary to see their development and have been blown away by your commitment and attention to detail! You document the immature stages so thoroughly and with such beautiful photos (th...

That’s a stunner David, and after a few failed attempts to find them how satisfying to capture it so well.

Thanks for the thoughts regarding the cold drought - one of the great benefits of mobile phone cameras is the ability to use the camera roll as a diary - I’d never be organised enough to keep such useful records if it required any more effort than a quick snap. A quick entry to clarify things (as mu...

Lovely photos Trevor -

It may not be the spectacle of peak flight season, but there’s something special about spending some time with the first few out of any species -

Great stuff -

Cheers guys -

Just a quick post to show where we are this year compared to last. A rarely used woodland path in the heart of my study zone - taken on 24th April 2020 & 2021.

Paradise indeed David - what a beautiful spot. I know we’re all missing foreign trips but when you get a day like that, in such a beautiful place, it’s a welcome reminder of just how lucky we are to have these places on our doorstep.

Glad you enjoyed the video Jon and David. It will always be niche but if you’re interested in understanding/showing the wider context then there can be little better - the technique may have a wider appeal when the subject is an Emperor on territory at the top of an oak tree, or a pupa hidden away h...

We need the right houses in the right places. Ideally one giant castle surrounded by wilderness with multiple green corridors stretching out around the country delivering riches to and from the kingdom - ain’t that right Izzy?! Joking aside there must be a better place to house us plebs, and surely...

Great report Neil!

I grew up in Birmingham but never visited Cannock Chase for some reason - well, maybe I went mountain biking there, but certainly not for butterflies (and moths!).

Looks like you had a great morning and if the price was a bit of shopping on the way home then so be it!

Wurzel wrote: ↑Sat Apr 17, 2021 9:54 pm I called “camera” through the back door and my daughters who I’ve obviously trained well appeared almost instantly with my camera, lens cap removed and switched on.

Wow! You are an inspiration!

Thanks all for your interest and comments as always. I’d like to be walking distance too Paul, but it’s certainly true that the relatively short drive from Brighton is infinitely more manageable than battling my way across from Hackney. I must admit, David, that despite regularly reminding myself ho...

Thanks for delivering spring to us David - great selection. Large White female would’ve been my highlight too - really stunning butterflies when fresh.

Hi Pauline - Thanks for the Duke update - very interested to follow their development. In the first image the pupa appears to have started colouring up so a little warmth and you would expect emergence within a few days. I have never reared them personally though - so not speaking from experience. B...

Excellent commitment Dave! It might not quite be the Swiss Alps but I reckon you were channeling your inner Padfield looking for butterflies in the snow - any QoS around Heathrow? Actually an LT wouldn’t have been all that surprising these days - not that I’ve been lucky as yet. Enjoying your report...