Just got back from the old quarry adjacent to Bath Golf course. Saw a fritillary, on three separate occasions. Probably the same individual. Flew past me twice, and once seen settled about 20ft away down the butterfly slope. As best I could see, markings were similar to Small Pearl-Bordered Frit I s...

Went to Crook Peak on Saturday [train to Weston-Super-Mare, taxi to car park on Webbington to Cross road]. This is well worth a visit even without the butterflies - which is just as well, as the forecasters got this one right, with sunny spells making way for overcast conditions and a significant dr...

Do you know anything about a small blue colony near Lansdown, in the vicinity of the Civil War battlefield? I have heard it mentioned on the grapevine but no one seems to know where it is.

Simon

You're posts are never boring, Guy!!!

Thanks Pete! A Brown Argus would be a first for me on this hill side, although I've seen them in the adjacent valley. I'm happy to take your reading of this as correct. However.... as an observation which I'd appreciate a comment on, I looked at the blues on the species page, and to me, the piccies ...

Oh dear - I thought I had this one licked. My rule is bluish tinge = female blue. No blue = brown argus. So with this one, I thought the bluish tinge on the body (it looks bluish on my computer monitor - maybe that's the problem) meant this had to be a female blue. Are you sure its a brown argus? At...

What a pleasant surprise :D Thanks for everyone who voted for my snap. I can assure you it was all down to luck and an obliging subject. I was using my old trusty Canon Powershot A85 digital compact, so it goes to show everyone has a chance of catching "a winning shot" if they give it a go...

Climbed up to the Primrose Hill community wood on Sunday, which is on the slopes behind our house on the outskirts of Bath. Saw plenty of Common Blues males and females: http://www.bath.ac.uk/~pyssc/butterflies/cbm.jpg http://www.bath.ac.uk/~pyssc/butterflies/cbf.jpg Also, my first Large Skipper of ...

Went to Morgan's Hill on Saturday [train to Chippenham, 55 bus to Calne, walk]. Got there around 11. Weather was mixed, light showers and occasional sunny spells. Lot's of Marsh Fritillaries around - a couple of hundred, I'd guess. http://www.bath.ac.uk/~pyssc/butterflies/mf1.jpg This one has notice...

This is the best of a bad lot. It was windy, and I couldn't get anything better. Does this help with an ID? Maximum size seemed to be around 3 cm. Well on their way to stripping all the leaves off the young oaks.

Thanks.

Simon

Hi Eccles, Shame we missed one another. The only folks at the common I saw were a lady walking a dog and a group of three people lazing at the upper end of the common who I got into conversation with. After a couple of minutes saying how wonderful it was to see so much out, and how early they were, ...

Can anyone help identify this caterpillar? There are large numbers devouring the small oaks in the young wood near where I live. Thanks.

Simon C

Hiked from Tucking Mill to Hazelbury Common on Saturday, via Dundas Aquaduct, Warleigh Wood/Inwood, Monkton Farleigh, and Kingsdown. Started at Tucking Mill around 11ish. Saw Grizzled Skippers and Dingy Skippers - the large numbers of Pyrausta moths were easy to confuse for Grizzled Skippers from a ...

First sighting for me of a common blue in the Bath Golf course quarry yesterday - very early again. Picture below. In fact, I now have: Dingy skipper: 25 days earlier than last year Small Heath: 25 Small Copper: 16 Common Blue: 22 I did a quick analysis of the first sightings data on the butterfly c...

Map ref approx ST777653 - on the edge of the woods adjacent to Bath Golf course. I don't have a car so can't advise on roads/parking, except to say there are footpaths up (steep) from the A36. You could get the bus [no. 18 from Bath Spa Railway Stn] to Bath Uni (Claverton) and walk (on the level) on...

Dingy Skipper, Bath, 17 April

Simon C

This year I got the distinct impression that male brimstones were on the wing a week to ten days ahead of the females. Does anyone agree? Is this typical? I believe this is normally the case with orange tips, but I've not seen it mentioned for brimstones. Simon C Female laying eggs, Primrose Hill co...

I wouldn't describe it as a good site for them, but I've seen a few at Bannerdown around now in previous years.

Simon C

Matsukaze, The best description of a Wood White I have seen was "flying tissue paper". I can't remember where I read it - perhaps someone can remind me. I reckon if you see a white in flight and you're not sure if it is a Wood White, it isn't. Is your private wood local? From everything I'...

If only ....

Simon