DSC00113.JPG DSC00110.JPG DSC00106.JPG Thanks, Guys, CJ, the weather varies between about 20 at night to 30 or so during the day, with occasional torential rain. The best time for butterflies is 7.30 'til 10.30 am, especially if it has rained at night. I'm right on top of a small hill, and have a s...

Thanks, Guys, I feel very lucky to be out here (courtesy of my clever wife, who has a temporary professorship at Ateneo - I'm just a camp follower). I've already racked up more than 20 species within 50 metres of our accommodation. A few more pix: Lemon Pansy, Psyche and Ancyra Blue(I think!). DSC00...

Very many thanks, Guy - I'll check out the website. I know that we have a fairly eminent beetle man on campus (he's just discovered a new species in the University grounds!). I hope to have an opportunity to meet him soon, and he may also be able to spread some light on the 'Skippers'. The campus he...

These two are quite common on the Ateneo University Campus. Does anyone have any ideas?

Tony M.

If you want to go to Collard Hill for LB, phone the National Trust LB hotline in early June for an update on emergence times. Sorry, I haven't access to the number atm, but it is on the NT website.

Tony M.

Hope you ate the parasols ...

Tony M.

Sigma 150 macro - Sony fit.

SOLD.

Many thanks, UKB

Tony M.

For Sale:

Sigma 150 mm OS Macro lens - Sony fit. This item is hardly used, and comes with all original packaging. A legal UK purchase - not a 'grey' import. Absolutely as new.

£400. 00

Managed to catch this little chap during a pause in feeding. It seems to be covered in a milky secretion - protective? - ant food? Anyone know?
Tony M.

One of the few remaining flowering Elms in this area is always good for a few of these:
Tony M.

Hi David, I use a Sony A65 and a Sigma 105mm macro with a 10x Nikkor microscope objective fixed with a step-down ring. This is set up on a solid rig, opposite a Newport micrometer stage to which the egg is attached. It is lit with a ring flash and slave, diffused through a polystyrene cup. I then ta...

Thanks, Guys,

I spent three hours today looking for Black Hairstreak ova, without success . However, I did find a couple of Brown Hairstreaks. Here's one of them: Tony M.

Lots of these about yesterday - not sure how many will be left come Spring after the Blue Tits have their fill .

Tony M.

Thanks, Guys, David - eggs are very easy to find at this time of the year. In any area where you have seen the adults, look for tiny, young sorrel plants. The eggs show up very well. I collected a small bunch of plants today to grow on as food for the new larvae, and found three more eggs when I got...

It was found this afternoon along with several others. When I set it up to photograph, I noticed a tiny hole. It took about 45 mins for the larva to make a big enough hole to escape. Unfortunately, the egg was set up for a focus stack (with a microscope objective) and the dof was almost non-existent...

Caught this one about to hatch... Tony M.

Thanks, Guys, The eggs were laid on heather and were all very close to the ground. They were seriously tricky to find - usually well down the stem of a small, low growing plant, and usually well tucked in. Lucy was using a large hand lens to search! I also found one parasitised egg shell with a larg...

A couple of shots of SSB eggs, found by Lucy Lewis at Prees Heath.

Tony Moore.

Spent the day chasing Small Heaths around Prees Heath, looking for a laying female. Two major problems: they are not always easy to sex on the wing, so you end up following big fresh males, and the females bury themselves deep in the grass to lay. A couple of times I watched a female apparently prep...

1-Wall Brown larva 1.jpg A couple of stacks: The larva is a recently hatched Wall Brown (3mm long and unfortunately it moved slightly so the stack is not perfect). The ova is, as I'm sure you all recognise, a Silver-spotted Skipper. This was found at Aston Rownant in precisely the kind of location ...