The Pearl-bordered is by no means confined to the Eastern Clearing, so you need not be too disappointed. Just watch out for those ticks!

Misha

The small Prunus trees in full flower are probably Cherry Plum (Prunus cerasifera), which flowers earlier than Blackthorn and Wild Cherry.

Misha

This is a huge subject Dave. I have been able to glean some of the old names from Butterflies by E.B.Ford (the first New Naturalist book) and from A Moth Hunter's Gossip by P.B.M.Allan. The Hoggs were skippers. The Spotless Hogg was apparently the Small Skipper and the Cloudy Hogg the Large Skipper....

Looks like a female too.

Misha

If I remember correctly, the Woodland Brown was a North American butterfly from the genus Lethe!

Misha

Take a look at dpreview for details of this new model just announced by Canon. There's also a neat new flash from Canon and a surprise from Tamron in the shape of a 60mm F2 macro lens.

Misha

Although I've been to Bulgaria 6 times, I've never been there in August. It can be very hot and thunder is common in the mountains. Unlike this country, where good butterfly habitats are few and far between, you can really hardly go wrong in the Rila or Eastern Rodopi. On the coast I found the Primo...

Thanks Denise. I was one of the 4! Geniculata, I was particularly taken by your shot. It's quite something to get three in the plane of focus. I have been to Becton Bunny quite often. There used to be Glanville Frits there when the the Hordle Cliff colony was strong. The Wall and Grayling were also ...

I notice the white ones have violet spurs. According to my flora this is characteristic of the Sweet Violet.

Misha

Pete

Definitely your option 3.

Misha

Roger, I'm interested in your mention of second brood Cardinals. Some years ago, when on holiday in the Almeria and Nerja areas in October, I formed the impression that the females were probably aestivating. At the start of my trip the weather was still hot and none were to be seen. Then we had a ni...

I always consider the sighting of the first non-hibernated butterfly marks the real start of spring, so three cheers for the first Small Copper seen today on the Bournemouth cliffs, only 2 days later than my earliest ever sighting. My attempts to photograph it were frustrated by a nagging easterly b...

Hi, Pete
Nobody else seems to be in a hurry to answer. I wonder why. You're certainly right about the first, but I think I,ll pass on the second. I don't suppose you have an underside of it?

Misha

They look good to me. Excellent site by the way, and fine photos.

Misha

I'd go for E.meolans.

Misha

The entrance is at SU 919906 in Riding Lane. Found it courtesy of Google.

Misha

Dave is right. It's a hoverfly in the genus Eristalis, well known mimics of honeybees. There are several similar species.

Misha

I agree. Freyer's. I don't think Tree Grayling occurs on Rhodes. I found a list on google.

Misha

I also had a Red Admiral today, fluttering just outside WHSmiths in the centre of Bournemouth, my second of the year, the other being on 14th Jan. Once again I have managed to see at least one Red Ad. in each of the winter months.

Misha

I have seen all the species mentioned by Guy in March, and would add Black-eyed Blue, often flying around bushes of various Brooms, and African Grass Blue, in irrigated areas. You may be too far east for Lorquin's Blue, but worth looking out for.

Misha