LOW - arriving at Wheatfen on 7th June to be told by the Warden ''If yar see one, that'll be a boonus. I've only sane three or far all season!'' And then chasing round all day with thirty or so other hopeful leps after a couple of pretty tatty ones :( . HIGH - going to How Hill the next morning at 0...

Looks like Small to me - the antennae don't seem 'inky' enough. But I'm happy to be corrected by those more knowledgable than me .

Hi again Guy, I really do actually agree with you. When I lived in Wareham (shortly after the end of the Punic Wars) our window cleaner found a perfect atropos on a house adjacent to mine. I carefully collected it and kept it for the afternoon. We had an avid collector in the area at the time, but t...

Hi Guy, I appreciate your concern, but surely, had it been immediately released, it would have quickly expired. It has probably now lived a few extra days (happily nectaring on late buddleia) and a number of people have had a rare opportunity - surely not so terrible. It was not so long ago that the...

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m436/Antonymoo/Long-tailedBlueunderside.jpg http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m436/Antonymoo/Long-tailedBlue.jpg . Further to my last, I have just come back from Worcester, where I was lucky to see the LTB. Apparently, it flew off yesterday when being shown to so...

You guys may not yet have heard that a male LTB was caught near Redditch a couple of days ago. Apparently, it can be seen near the Worcester junction of the M5 by phoning 07974 266637 for an appt. It is thought to be an accidental import, but still interesting to see. I may try to get down there tom...

That is a very good idea regarding the tie wraps. I shall certainly do that. Hi Susie, White plastic insulating tape is an even better marker. It is easy to use and weatherproof. Whereabouts in the country are you? I would certainly welcome an opportunity to find some larvae and see the adults next...

Hi Jack,

I don't know about the South, but up here (Stafford) we had reasonable numbers of post-hibernators in the spring, but no larvae have been found and only one adult acouple of weeks ago. Sure as s***, something unusual has happened!

T.

[quote="Denise"]Mike wrote: Strange as I wasn't going to bother with European Butterflies thinking I would have enough with the British species. Exactly what I thought two years ago :oops:. Having now seen and photographed (after a fashion) all usual British species, I'm thinking of visiti...

Hi Algol, I don't know about the immediate area (I'm in Stafford), but just up the M6 in the Lakes, you will find some of the best sites in the country. Arnside Knott for Scotch Argus, High Brown Frit and Northeren Brown Argus; Meathrop Moss for Large Heath; Witherslack for HBF,DGF,SPBF and PBF; Irt...

Paul wrote I personally dislike blatantly 'arty' photos And hear, hear, says I! - it's a butterfly site not an entry for the Turner Prize :mrgreen: . And thanks for your comments on ring flashes (re-reading that last, it's a good job that this is a genteel site, and not given to double entendres :lo...

Denise wrote:I would say, SPBF, PBF, SPBF, SPBF, PBF, PBF, but it is early and I've only had one coffee!
Who's right Guy?

Denise

Hi Denise,

Exactly how I would have ID'd them (and I've only had four glasses of wine ). So, perhaps, not so foolproof . I'm very surprised by No.6.

Tony.

Re:730 trick. The upper surface of the left forewing of SPBF has 730 (or sometimes 330 - I suppose it depends on how early it usually gets up :lol: ) along the inside half of the leading edge. It is also apparent on the underside of the right forewing, but, of course, not so necessary if you can see...

A 'hot line' like the birders have would be excellent, especially if it contained GRs and a phone number for up to the minute info. Gawd, it'll be helicopters and lepitwitchers next :lol: :lol:. Re: the differentiation thread. Earlier in the year I nearly asked for advice on separating female Adonis...

Thanks again Pete, ring-flash it is!!

T.

Thanks Peter, I was thinking of using it for extreme close up work - eggs and the like- and also to enable me to stop down when taking shots outside in dull weather. I'll probabaly start saving my pennies. Incidentally, what did you use for your brilliant close up of a Purple Hairstreak egg, which y...

Hi Chris and thanks for the suggestion - seems eminently reasonable. I'm now sorry that I didn't take the blessed thing home and rear it through.

Tony.

Hi Y'all,

Does anyone use a macro ring flash? I am thinking of buying one and would be interested to hear from anyone with experience of using one.

Tony.

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m436/Antonymoo/Butterflies/UnknownGeometrid.jpg Have any 'Moth-ers' got any ideas about this Geometrid larva? It was about 8cm long and found on Elm last October, near Stafford . The head was quite deeply bifurcate, almost horned. Certainly a fine looking beastie....

A bit of this:
Followed by as much of this:
as my wife can afford .

Lucky Tone.