Susie

[Wurzel]

A fantastic sequence of shots Susie, especially envious of the Glannies

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Susie]

What a combination, Green Hairstreak on an Orchid and Glanvilles as well !.
Lucky Lady, and great images.

Best wishes,
Trevor.

Thanks Maximus, Trevor, Bugboy and Wurzel.

I was so excited when the green hairstreak landed on the orchid, it was pure luck. Unlike the glanville on the dandelion stalk where I gave it a bit of assistance! Lol

[Wurzel]

Good to bump into you today Susie, looking forward to seeing your shots!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Susie]

Good to bump into you today Susie, looking forward to seeing your shots!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

It was lovely to bump into you and Philzoid too! Quite unexpected to see you so far from home

It was nice to bump into John W later on too.

[Susie]

My main thanks go to Phil and Wurzel yesterday for giving me the heads up on bordered bed hawk moths being about. I've wanted to see these for more than 10 years and was thrilled to see some very shortly after they had said the wed beasties were about. Smashing!

I saw about half a dozen wood whites in the end, plenty of brimstones, some green veined whites and speckled woods too.

[Susie]

Today I headed to a hill in Wiltshire. As the clouds gathered on my journey down my spirits fell too. Upon arriving I met our very own Trevor who I discovered used to live just round the corner from me (small world! ) and he cheered me up no end by saying that he had seem some on site this morning. Although there wasn't much on the wing due to the conditions I found two marsh Frits and a brown argus. While taking photos one decided to take a rest on my bag

[Katrina]

Loving the butterfly on the bag photo. I wonder if it was attracted by the butterfly badges

[Susie]

Thanks Katrina. Quite possibly.

[millerd]

Brilliant, Susie! I hope to visit that hillside sometime soon... It's quite a site.

Dave

[Susie]

It's well worth a visit, Millerd! Good luck.

https://www.facebook.com/susie.milbank/ ... 6045871972

Hopefully the above link will work and you can see the moth.

[MrSp0ck]

If its at Oaken Wood, its Broad-Bordered Bee Hawk, we often find the eggs on the Honeysuckle there, they have fenced off around the most favoured honeysuckles.

[Susie]

Thanks, Martin

Yesterday I went to Kithurst Hill and had a short while in the meadow. I had gone to see small blue and they were everywhere but not really settling. Also seen were my first meadow brown of the year, some common blues, dingy skippers, brimstone, a single duke, and some beautifully fresh red admirals. A high light was a swam of bees which has landed on a tree branch.

[Susie]

A quick trip to Iping this afternoon with the kids and dog turned up a couple of Silver studded blues. I wasn't sure if they'd be there yet so didn't take a camera. My daughter took a snap on her phone for me.

[David M]

Not bad at all for a phone camera, Susie!

Lesson learned - always take your camera! I've been caught out too often in the past to forget this now.

[Wurzel]

That's a great shot for a camera Susie - I always take my iPod now just in case

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Susie]

My brown hairstreak master tree at the end of my road is no more! Looks like it was cut down on Friday. When I saw it today I turned over a log and found a hibernating hornet, who must have been made homeless when the tree was cut down. I relocated her to a hole in the tree stump so hope she will survive the next couple of months. I guess the brown hairstreaks will gather elsewhere

[Susie]

[NickMorgan]

What a shame. I can sense your frustration. The destruction of habitat really infuriates me.

[Susie]

Thanks Nick, the only consolation is that the habitat here has deteriorated rapidly in the last few years. The blackthorn is either very overgrown or trimmed to oblivion. The request that the highway authority only cut part of the adjoining hedge disregarded. All this has resulted in the abundant hairstreak population dropping to the point that I didn't see one last year.

A positive is that I carted home a load of the ash andit burns beautifully in the log burner. I'll certainly be cosy for the rest of the winter

[Wurzel]

At least there was some consolation - with the cold weather returning this week you'll be glad for it I'm sure

Have a goodun

Wurezl