Yes, in fact they have several. Scientists at Harvard have discovered a small pumping organ on each wing of a moth or butterfly. They pump haemolymph through tiny capillaries beneath the insect's wing scales. The moth or butterfly is able to regulate the temperature of its wings this way. Although t...

Fair enough Pete, 'Rarities' does sound interesting, I wish it every success. I'll wait until you have published some sample pages as mentioned, then will probably order myself a copy if all is looking good.

Best wishes,
Phil.

Hi Pete, Thanks for posting about this important forthcoming book. I have a suggestion that I believe will enhance the completeness of the book and go a long way to making the two volumes (Life Cycles and Rarities) the most comprehensive modern record on British and Irish Rhopalocera . It may also e...

Just popping in to wish everyone at UKB a very happy Christmas and New Year. Here's hoping 2023 proves to be an excellent butterflying year for all.

Best wishes,
Phil.

Hi Paul, and others, I've just spent the best part of an hour posting my reply to Paul (bugboy) and others, submitted it only to find I'd been logged out and lost it all to the ether. Such is life. The gist was that I addressed some of Paul's (who, I admire greatly) comments in a positive way to cla...

I understand your point Nick. I would like to try and put my view on the things this debate has raised more concisely. Conservation means to conserve things, protect them as they are, not to alter them. The Large Blue project is an Intervention. Intervention means to alter things to suit a particula...

it is now confidently claimed that arion is more numerous in the south west of England than anywhere else in Europe Yes, but it was eutyphron that was in Britain before the intervention. Now we indeed do have arion . I liken this to the Victorians introducing vast numbers of Spanish bluebell. Many ...

Hi David, Thank you for your honest and comprehensive answer. I do respect your views and what you and others have done but, as you point out, I have opposing views in some areas and hope you respect mine. You are right when you say that you are not likely to see me on the Large Blue sites, I do how...

Hi David, Thanks for taking the time to reply. You are helping me see the broader picture for which I am grateful. It is difficult to shift my thoughts as they are so well engrained on this subject so your comments are appreciated. I am glad the project is based in science, mankind can only react on...

Yes Pete, but they declined for a reason. Whether that be climate change, predation, loss of habitat or something else doesn't change my view that we should not be importing animals from other lands to re-populate them. I can only see more long term harm than good coming from projects as this. If th...

Ummm, at this moment in time all seems well. However these butterflies appear to be from imported caterpillars that originated from Sweden. They will only progress if the conditions are right for them. There is obviously a difference in the Swedish microclimate and habitats of their origin and the &...

Hi,

That is the larva of a Knot Grass Moth (Acronicta rumicis)

Best wishes,
Phil.

No problem ZZW, let's hope my larva ID was correct!,

All the best,
Phil.

Little is published on the egg laying preferences of Dotted Footman. We know they like wet, algae rich environments so your suggestion that they may use ferns is entirely reasonable. This link is useful although it only covers Norfolk sightings; they are also localised along the Suffolk, Essex, Kent...

More likely to be the Dotted Footman (Pelosia muscerda) then as that species is adventive to the Sussex coast at least. I doubt that it is a Small Dotted Footman which is localised to small areas of Kent and Norfolk. It's interesting that you work in a nursery, maybe it hitched a ride on some import...

Hi Bert,

Wow, you have managed to get close! The technique of approaching butterflies is obviously something that is important and I don't need to buy expensive lenses to practice that. Good tip about wearing dark clothes as well, much obliged,

Phil.

Hi Kevin, Thanks very much for replying. I can see from your beautiful photographs and explanation why the two types of lenses might be needed, neither of which I have in my old Sony A350 kit bag. I'm not keen on buying new things when the old is still working, so I think what I can do is invest in ...

Hi Zig-Zag,

I reckon that's a Footman moth larva, could be Dotted Footman or even a Small Dotted Footman. Best get confirmation from others as well. Where abouts did you see it?

Hi Paul, Thanks for that. It did seem to patrol a little and alighted on this leaf twice. It didn't go anywhere near the grass, but what grass there was brown with drought. Unfortunately, I scared it off trying to get the photo. I reckon you're right on reflection, probably a male. Thanks for helpin...

Hi everyone, I am new relatively new to butterfly photography and have an aging but fully working Sony A350 DSLR with a 3.5-5.6/18-70mm zoom lens. The problem is that I find I often need to move too close to my subject and end up scaring them off before I've got a picture. I don't know whether an ad...