The Duke's Domain

[Jack Harrison]

Found between 8 and 12 Dukes on Saturday 10th May at Ivinghoe. This picture shows typical habitat that is certain to be replicated in many west facing slopes along the Chilterns. I am sure it is a case of "seek and ye shall find" - well, I hope so.

[photo has been tweaked to enhance contrast. Short open grass, a few shrubs, sheltered by the hill above and hedge below. Typical habitat in my experience]

Good showing today, one of my best.

Jack

[Padfield]

That's where I used to go for Dukes when I was a child! My little sister was at the Arts Educational School in Tring and we would go up to Ivinghoe for a picnic when we went to visit her. I will never forget my excitement when I got out of the car and a Duke flew by!! In those days I didn't know any 'sites' and I found things by pure chance.

It was also good for little blues, and the two species overlapped briefly in June most years (I carried on visiting for years after). Green hairstreaks too, at the same time as Dukes. When I visited by train I would walk from Tring and occasionally found Dukes flying in the roadside verges.

Ivinghoe is a popular site for all sorts of activities and I remember noticing, even as a child, that Dukes flew readily where the grass had been well trampled and the fragrant orchids were all knocked over (some bending at right angles to stand upright even though their stems were flat on the ground). Not all sites are so hardy...

Guy