Thanks everyone, glad I'm providing some entertainment
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
. The funny thing is
Maximus I used to holiday every year on the IoW as a kid but never once when the Glanvilles were on the wing!
14th May, Bookham Commons
I was overdue a visit to Bookham and with the end of my fortnight break from work quickly approaching, off I trotted to see if I could find any caterpillars and see if anything was flying. It was a good choice with the chilly wind being cancelled out by the wood allowing the heat from the sun to warm the air nicely. All was quiet as I headed over to the Hairstreak eggs/caterpillars, just a couple of Orange-tip fly bys. Orange-tip eggs littered the Cuckoo Flower but interestingly I found non on the Garlic Mustard which grows alongside it
The empty Brown Hairstreak eggs are still attached, but now the grass is starting to grow up through the small Blackthorn sucker, its near impossible to look for caterpillars without risking dislodging them so for now it’s a case of leave well alone.
Nearby I found a Soldier Beetle enjoying the sun.
![IMG_2234.JPG (341.89 KiB) Viewed 764 times Cantharis livida](./files/thumb_13753_6991d05920026c6da60790e9906c4ec9)
- Cantharis livida
Also nearby was this Winter-cress
Barbarea vulgaris on which I found several Orange-tip eggs.
Next I wandered over to where my Purple Hairstreak eggs were. Last time I was here the buds had yet to break, today there was a good 3 or 4 inches’ growth. Unfortunately, the blade of grass that I’d tied to note the twig which had survived all winter was now missing. I was unable to locate where they were
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
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I’d been here well over an hour before I saw my first (and last) Speckled Wood of the day, what a dismal spring they’re having!
Next stop, White Admirals: I spent some time searching for caterpillars but all I could find was circumstantial evidence. Plenty of leave nibbling and in the picture below you can clearly see frass on the leaf underneath the eaten shoots. Try as I might though, I just couldn’t locate any culprits.
In the absence of anything else I spent some time watching Bee Flies feeding on a large patch of Bugle, managing some half decent in flight shots and also finding a couple of white Bugle flower spikes.
The next thing that made me stop were a couple of female Broad-bodied Chaser Dragonflies
The afternoon continued to warm and Orange-tip numbers increased noticeable becoming the most numerous species seen all day by quite some margin, often taking breaks to feed for my pleasure
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
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Rounding a corner, I nearly trod on a Red Admiral which then proceeded to play hide and seek as revenge for my clumsiness!
Back at the Winter-cress I noticed it was covered in these tiny Micro moths
Micropterix calthelia. A primitive Lep that still has biting mouthparts and feeds on pollen.
One more day to go before work beckons...
![Crying or Very sad :cry:](./images/smilies/icon_cry.gif)