Lovely butterfly.

Dave

Nothing spectacular, but the new round of Common Blue, Brown Argus and Small Copper are appearing on my local patch between the River Colne and the M25. Interestingly, the Brown Argus shown below was slightly larger than the Common Blue, though they could not be persuaded to sit next to one another....

Yes, it fascinates me that Small Tortoiseshells and Peacocks lay clutches of a hundred eggs or more, yet the Comma lays one, perhaps two in a location. In my patch, which currently seems to have the better strategy? It has to be the Comma. A much underrated butterfly too - all the coverage goes to F...

In my neck of the woods by far the commonest of the five is the Comma. I've just returned from an early evening walk of a mile or so alongside the River Colne near Heathrow, and they were everywhere. Next in number came Red Admirals, frequently tussling with the Commas, and then Peacocks, who were m...

Jack - my guess is WLH sitting happily on a bramble flower...

Dave

From the cosy perpective of Heathrow Airport (second only to Gravesend I think in regularly scoring the highest UK temperature of the day), 2010 has certainly been the best year so far since 2006. It's very dry indeed. Interestingly, this is what the Met. Office had to say about June 2010 in the UK ...

Over the years, I've seen individuals both with and without these additional white spots - purely guessing, I'd say one third with and two thirds without. Which doesn't answer the question, of course, but it is probably within normal variation.

Dave

Quite apart from my own experience from last year, I believe it has been documented that Peacocks can fit in a second brood. Perhaps a learned soul can find some references for us!

Dave

Jack - what you say about Peacocks is certainly true. Last year, there were several nests of caterpillars in my locality (near Heathrow) at the end of August, and the butterflies emerged during the first couple of weeks of September. Luckily, the summer continued throughout October in these parts an...

Or an escapee from a tropical Butterfly House. This is one - I couldn't tell you what it is, I'm afraid.

Dave

Without seeing their legs - which would be conclusive, they look a lot like sawfly larvae to me...

Dave

That's an Essex Skipper - the black undersides to the antennae make it certain. Here's a Small one for contrast.

Dave

Yesterday I was up in Rugby, so took the opportunity to go over to Ryton Woods with my three boys in tow. No Purple Emperors seen (though some have been spotted here this year), but we saw at least half a dozen each of White Admirals and Silver-washed Fritillaries in the woods and a profusion of Mar...

Looking at the map, this isn't all that far from Fermyn Woods as the crow (or perhaps the Purple Emperor) flies.

Dave

Or of course for those that remember Monty Python... a giant hedgehog!

Dave

At the risk of offending dog-owners everywhere, perhaps this monster feline could just eat a dog or two - preferably one of those that scare my five-year-old witless. You know, the ones that "wouldn't hurt a fly...a big softy...doesn't normally growl like that"

Dave

I just spotted this on the Cambs/Essex BC site: "Friday 9th July Bedford Purlieus (TL040996) A Purple Emperor (IN CAMBS) on southern ride while watching White-letter Hairstreak on thistles. Plus White Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary. Roger Orbell" Worth a look by anyone in the vicinit...

Went to Black Park in Buckinghamshire today. Plenty of White Admirals and Silver-washed Fritillaries, but no sign of the Purple Emperor seen here a few days back. However, I saw my first new season Brimstone, and spotted a Comma laying eggs on nettles - many of which had little hope of survival beca...

I should think it's entirely possible - I witnessed a wasp decapitate a newly emerged Peacock with absolutely no provocation whatsoever last year.

Dave

Thanks, Felix. Looking through my photos from the day, I found another which did not have the streaks or elongated spots, though it still displayed the "sausage", and the markings were generally heavy. As SSB populations tend to be isolated from one another, I imagine this sort of thing wi...