Cheers Dave
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Now you come to mention it I know what you mean, why is that they're all 'golden' or orange and brown?
Cheers Bugboy
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
The Ox-eyes seem to contrast nicely
Cheers Neil
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Seeing what is about at non-butterfly sites is great, but doesn't always go down well with Mrs Wurzel
Cheers Bugboy (again) - I'll get a bucket ready before I read your next couple of posts
Larkhill 07-06-2017
This was the quickest of quickest of stop-offs – I didn’t even make it to the paths as I was rushing to get to work and not be late. As it was I manged to find two Large Skippers immediately I left the car so I kept an eye on them while I got my camera from the boot. One made to leave so I concentrated on the second, a few shots in the bag and I was away to work.
And that was it for that week due to Breakfast revision sessions, after school sessions and meetings.
Larkhill 13-06-2016
A morning stop-off and things were warming up nicely. I walked down the Eastbound track scanning ahead and then left and right. I wasn’t expecting too much as the outgoing trip often yields fewer butterflies but this time things were different. There were a couple of Small Heath and a velvety chocolate butterfly caught my attention. My first Ringlet of the year which was closely followed by my second.
Further along I added two Large Skipper and 3 Meadow Browns before turning round and starting the return journey. Again there were a few Meadow Brown, the same Large Skippers but this time a Small Tort and Red Admiral put in an appearance. I was left musing whether they’d been there previously and I’d missed them or perhaps they’d just dropped in. Either was they made a nice change from the other species even though there were still largely orange/brown.
A little further on I found one then a second Common Blue, both males but the second was certainly getting slightly past it.
Larkhill 15th June 2017
AM
I set off down the Eastbound path expecting to see plenty of butterflies but it was actually pretty quiet. I then remembered that due to the change in the times of the school day I’ve been making my walks 30 minutes earlier, so when I arrive at Larkhill now only the early risers are up and about. Those up with (and hoping to avoid) the Larks this morning were a Small heath and Large Skipper. I’d reached the same place that a couple of days earlier had held my first Ringlets and there was my first Marbled White of the year. Rather unusually it seemed to want to land high up on the Hawthorns rather than down in the grasses where I’d expect to see it.
I got down to the half way point and saw a second Marb, a few more Meadow Browns and Ringlets (they’re old hat now) and a couple of Large Skippers. At the bottom of the little depression a female Common Blue shone out form the grass looking gorgeous.
On return journey male Common Blue failed to impress but I was wondering whether it was the same decrepit one that I had seen a few days previously only ravaged by a few more days. A Red Admiral erupted form the path and there were three Small Torts in the little lump of Hawthorns. By the time I was back at the car my tally of Marbled White had reached three.
PM
I started the stop-off at half way point and there were Small Heaths and Large Skippers a plenty along with 2 Meadow Browns and a single each of Marbled White and Common Blue. Rather than turning left and taking my morning return journey I turned right, got to the top of the hill and turned right again along the track which cuts not the MOD land. There must have been an emergence of Small Torts as at least 5 were flying in this one little area. On my return back to the car there were a further three Small Torts down on the deck so 8 Small Torts in as many minutes.
Have a goodun
Wurzel