Hi Guy, The combination of both your attempts make it impossible to deny you the laurels of victory. I was looking for VJ Day (15 Aug, 1945), hoping to trip the odd person up with VE Day (8 May, 1945), as the peak of the 'great immigration' occurred in July and August. As the dropping of the atomic ...

Hi Matsukaze, Yes, this is technically correct. The problem is that trespass, which in effect makes this illegal, is really no more than a 'slap on the wrist' offence - "sorry Your Honour, we had no idea it was private land; it was close to where rights-of-way are marked on the map and we didn'...

Hi Guy,
I was hoping for something just a tad more specific, although by stating this it's obvious that you are very close! Perhaps you (or someone else) could provide a 'named day' of remembrance?
Neil

Thanks Trev,
This one might be a little easier! The date of which major 'world event' most closely matches the short period when the Queen of Spain, Bath White and Long-tailed Blue were at a collective UK peak in the 20th Century? Good luck.
Neil

Hi Trev,
This has been driving me insane! Was thinking along similar lines to Felix and Guy, but it's time for a wild shot in the dark. Small Tortoiseshell and Small Copper? I know it works at least one way!
Neil

Hi all, On Sunday I spent much of the day at the BC Park Corner Heath Reserve Open Day in East Sussex. Despite generally overcast conditions, the SPBFs put on a good show. Our Reserve Manager Michael Blencowe had been up most of the night trapping moths, and was justly rewarded with views of a male ...

Hi Mike,
Congratulations on getting both in a day . Sounds like the large amount of effort you put in earned you just rewards. Only giving you 9.5 out of 10 though - getting the ferry across, shame on you!
Neil

Hi Paul,
It looks like a male Common Heath (Ematurga atomaria) to me.
Neil

Hi Jack,
Fabtabulous shot!
Neil

Hi all, Today I pretty much completed my 2008 survey of Sussex Dukes, ending up with a personal, cumulative count of 206 - a good total for the county :D , which is at the 'front line' of the species' retracting range. Unfortunately the 2008 season will always be marred for me, by the fact that I re...

Congratulations Matsukaze (and to Felix for getting most of the way). Your turn Matsukaze. You might not get a rapid response from me, cos tonight I will be mainly drunk!
Neil

Hot stuff Felix, getting very close - but you can't skip question number 2
Neil

Hi Annie, Welcome onboard. I've not been on here for long either, but I'll happily be Bamber Gasgoine on your behalf. Lots of very knowledgeable folk playing the game, so an unrelated three-parter might slow things down a bit - perhaps. 1) Which famous entomologist first described the A272 as 'the h...

Hi Pete,
To complete your trilogy try Silver-washed Fritillary - the common french name for the species means 'Spanish tobacco'.
Neil

Anyone can see that's a large spaceship with Elvis at the controls! I'm bored - it's raining here.
Neil

Hi Roger, Sounds like you're a lucky man! I do have fond memories of a girlfriend who was so enthusiastic to join in with my hobbies (and me hers), that she willingly stripped off and swam into the middle of a lake to 'unweed' a 25 lbs carp! In 'return' I attended a lot of her pony club events, and ...

Hi Chris and Rogerdodge, I think Pete should start a new online dating service for people looking for butterfly-tolerant partners. My relationship history bears a remarkable resemblance to the phenological table of the Duke and 'early' fritillaries! By the time White-letter Hairstreak emerge, I'm pr...

On Saturday I made an over-ambitious attempt to photograph both Marsh and Glanville Fritillary. Having acheived the first part of the task I headed to Hurst Castle Spit, but made the schoolboy error of forgetting it was a Bank Holiday weekend. After sitting in the inevitable traffic queue this side ...

Thanks Denise and Guy, Hope you catch up with the Small Blues on your patch Denise. If you visit your sites in the early evening you might find, as I did, that they are far more 'co-operative' when they start collecting in communal roosts. I agree with Guy, that Glanville of Eccles is awesome! Just ...

Hi all, The sun finally broke through here late this afternoon, so I headed to the Downs near Amberley, where I had seen my first Small Blues of the year yesterday. I've always found this a tricky species to photograph, but as the sun sunk towards the horizon, I managed to get my best shots to date....