I can't really help a lot here as I don't use a SLR with interchangeable lenses. Mike Oxon does and he will know more about minimum focussing distance, etc. with SLR lenses.Goldie: 18-55mm lens because I can take shots really close up but on the 70-300mm lens it's very changeable , I can take shots from a distance and bring the BF up really close with out disturbing the BF, this seems to be where I've got confused into what to use.
My own observations here in north Scotland: Ringlet is becoming quite a regular in my wild garden. Ringlets happily fly in cloudy weather so long as temperature is above around 14C: clearly well adapted to northern climates.
Jack