I use Lafranchis only, so please excuse me if I sounded overly confident. It is because he is so sure that I was. This is, as you say, the paler version with the yellow fore-wing costa...feisthamelii. According to Lafranchis it covers Spain,Portugal and extreme southern France, and podalirius does t...

Martin.

Sorry to correct anyone Roger, but it's actually a Spanish Swallowtail - Iphiclides feisthamelii (as opposed to podalirius). I only know because I have a house near Marbella and my interest in butterflies started there.

Martin.

This is a heavy crop as it was 15 feet up a tree, so apologies for the photo. Bryan and I had been looking at Silver-washed all day when we spooked this fella while walking along a track. It shot straight up into a tree and stayed there. We knew straight away it was different, and it appeared to me ...

BryanH and myself had a great day today, bagging a list of 15 species, including Purple Emperor and Black Admiral! Black Admiral Purple Emperor (you know you've had a good day when PE comes second! :lol: ) Large Skipper Small Skipper Large White Small White Comma Meadow Brown Gatekeeper Red Admiral ...

Seen today myself and BryanH today at Straights Inclosure, Alice Holt. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v520/V6GTO/Butterflies/20070708_0807c.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v520/V6GTO/Butterflies/20070708_0806c.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v520/V6GTO/Butterflies/20070708_0801c.jpg h...

Sezar, I see you are in Uxbridge too. Where these taken locally?

Martin.

It's funny you should say that, Guy...I definitely think it was oviposturing!

Martin.

PS - spell checker doesn't like "oviposturing"

A pair of skippers having a chat... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v520/V6GTO/Butterflies/20070707_0602c.jpg ...mating Meadow Browns... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v520/V6GTO/Butterflies/20070707_0633c.jpg ...and a Small skipper laying eggs. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v520/V6GTO/Butt...

And to think I was happy seeing one 30 feet up an oak tree on Thursday!

Martin.

http://www.getthemessage.net/index.php?id=Mzc4Nzk

Martin.

Went back to Horsenden this morning to try to get a decent WLH shot but didn't even see one, just a solitary Purple high up. All the usual suspects were about, but I managed to get a couple of shots of the lone Marbled White so I went away happy (and VERY wet!) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v520...

Good to meet you too, Mike

Untill next time...

Martin.

Guy,
Never heard of a Golden Rectangle I just crop each shot it to where it looks OK.

Martin.

PS - Guy...have you seen anything like the behavior in the last image?

I had a very enjoyable day, in the company of some very nice and knowledgable people. White Letter Hairstreak was the target species, and we hit the bull allmost as soon as we left the visitor centre...a WLH and a Purple Hairstreak on the same Elm sapling, only 18" apart! We saw many more over ...

There's an organised walk (starts Perivale tube station at 9:45) for White letter Hairstreak. I intend being there if the weather is anything better than "monsoon"...anyone else?

Martin.

Hope it's not raining there too!

Have a good one,

Martin.

JKT, 1) The difference between medusa and oeme is the underside of the club tips...black for oeme and pale brown for medusa. 2) Not 100% but it looks right with my books and it was in the right location ( Monte Baldo) 3) my book says melampus, Lesser Mountain Ringlet, is only found in the alps. Is t...

Mike,
You must live quite close...I'm in Uxbridge, and the above shots were taken on Uxbridge Common.

Martin.