Pauline

[Maximus]

Really lovely shots of the Black Hairstreaks, Pauline It's also interesting that you found some Glanville Frits at Wrecclesham, what a pity there's no access the whole site now. At least they're hanging on.

[Pauline]

Cheers Mike - it's definitely worth a trip to Ditchling if you can fit it in anytime soon. Even if they were introduced still lovely to see

Thanks Wurzel. Recently, Alan T showed me an incredibly useful gadget that he bought using GPS and maps I believe. Carried in the pocket it can be used almost to identify where a particular tree is. Trouble is, I'm not much good with technology either

Thank you David. It is being assumed that the butterfly has been there decades and if that should be the case one can only hope it continues. I have noticed several species of butterfly (in particular SSB, PBF, and Duke) behaving quite differently on different sites so that was not too much of a surprise. I think they are able to be quite adaptable.

I was pleased to get those shots Goldie. Not as good as some other folks shots but they'll do for me, for now! You might remember 4-5 years ago I reared this species (which may have sparked my interest in immature stages). Because they were reared and not in a natural environment I took the liberty of being a bit more artistic and creative with the shots:

[Pauline]

Given my recent success with the Puss Moth and my fascination with the whole process, I decided to rear this species again this year:

Eggs just hatched. I hadn't realised there was such a variation in colour but there clearly is as these 'twins' show:

At this stage they remind me more of little seahorses than cats:

Growing fast this one is settling down in preparation for a skin change:

[ernie f]

Hi Pauline. I just loved your pics of the Puss Moth recently and these cats are kooky little devils aren't they? I can understand your fascination with them. Now you mention it - they do look a bit like seahorses.

[Pauline]

You know better than some how long I can spend looking for and at such creatures Ernie so it will not surprise you to learn that I spent an hour watching that one eat the skin it had just shed. Here are a few shots:

[Goldie M]

WoW! Pauline , it's got a huge head, those shots are really good , so clear your right it does look like a Sea Horse
Goldie

[Andrew555]

So much good stuff here Pauline. Great shots of the spider in action, and I'm with Goldie, I love me a Marbled White.
Glad you got some good shots of the Black Hairstreak, those older one's are pretty epic.
Good to see the Puss Moth cats, great close up's.

Cheers

[Pauline]

Thank you Goldie. I keep trying but look at Art Frames!!!!!!

Thank you for your very kind words Andrew. It was great to meet up with you the other day and I am looking forward to seeing your shots including the mating pair

It wasn't a great morning having had a tooth reconstructed (I hate dentists) which left me feeling sore and impoverished . The only way to take my mind off it was another butterfly fix so I briefly visited both Havant and Cosham. No luck yet at the former but as Paul has already reported 4 or 5 males were dog-fighting in the higher branches at Cosham. The site is very different from when I last visited with much of the grass over my head 2 males came down to re-fuel for more scrapping I expect but even the privet which they chose was too high I managed a couple of shots on full zoom (tightly cropped):

I also spotted another Longhorn beetle which I believe to be the aptly named Black and Yellow Longhorn beetle:

and for Goldie and Andrew, another Marbled White :

[Andy Wilson]

Great Black Hairstreak shots. I was at Ditchling today and my hands were shaking a lot. Maybe I should invest in a monopod!

[Wurzel]

Great to see the Whitters Pauline Only two species to go and then you'll have a full house

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Art Frames]

Pauline, I love those two Black hairstreaks you reared and took the shot of. Beautiful.

But those puss moths are a subject I'd love to shoot. very artistic

[David M]

Must be great to be able to see both Black and White Letter Hairstreaks in successive days, Pauline! I wondered when Marbled Whites would emerge. I expect we'll see quite a few this year.

[Pauline]

Hi Andy, good to hear from you and thank you. It's good to know I wasn't the only one unable to keep a steady hand but in the circumstances I think it was understandable . I haven't had a chance to look at other postings yet but I hope you got some nice shots. Either way, it was great to see them wasn't it?

You know I just love the Hairstreaks Wurzel ..... and I have every intention of getting that 'full house'

You're very kind Peter. I'm pleased you like the Puss larva shots as you're going to be seeing an awful lot more of them in the future

I must check back David as I believe I also saw a (very worn) Green Hairstreak the day before that too It has been such dreadful weather here today it perhaps gives me an opportunity to post another quick shot of that aviary with a few of the budgies in it. So far, only 6 of the 9 have ventured outside:

A few other 'odds and sods' from recent outings include this vibrant Comma:

and a colourful Lackey moth larva:

A Ladybird without any spots although I was told that this was an indication that it was very young:

....and some really pretty flowers

[David M]

That's great, Pauline! Thanks for the image of the birds. Looks like you've got two committed pairs in the middle of that perch. I'm surprised the other three haven't ventured out. Usually, budgies follow one another around so when one takes flight the others are off purely out of curiosity!

I'm sure they'll enjoy a wonderful life in that little set-up you've constructed for them.

[Wurzel]

Your Comma looks good for a Hutchinsonii Pauline Summer really is here now then

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

My thoughts exactly, Wurzel! Just need to get the work finished on the hen shed and then I can get out and enjoy it

Hi David, the budgies came from all over the country and are still bonding. The last 3 came as a trio and for the last 2 years+ had been kept in the tiniest of cages with no exercise, the result being that one of them can no longer fly. I am hoping it is just muscle tone as that may improve but none are very confident or keen to explore. I guess it will take time.

Still on the topic of birds the garden is teeming with them - so many babies. It should be a pleasure but is a constant worry with all the cats around here now. Anyway, it has given me the opportunity to practice my bird photography (albeit thru glass). I have reared all these species and more but, like the butterflies, it is great seeing them out there:

[Pauline]

With all the wonderful recent sightings many have posted this will surely seem somewhat mundane. However, having 'saved' a few Orange Tip eggs from the garden I have been wondering how this:

turns into this:

For various reasons I missed the crucial moment - a trip to Sainsburys, happening overnight etc. I was aware that there were about 10 larva on a neighbour's frontage and I considered taking a few to give me more chances to observe. However, I decided to leave them and observe them in the wild. Some might recall an incident from last year - the same neighbour had this area strimmed whilst it held larva and pupa. I rushed to the house of the person who had done the work just in time to see them thrown on a bonfire . My neighbour appeared to be horrified and stated she would never do that again but last weekend, as I ate lunch in the garden, I heard the strimmer. I raced across the lane and sure enough all the plants and larva had gone The guy had just piled all the rubbish into a large builders bag so I rifled thru it and was able to locate 6 larva - the rest must have come off their plants and been buried in the soil. Anyway, that gave me some more chances to watch at close hand and whilst I was typing last night a movement caught my eye. It was one of the cats which was gyrating about wildly like an escape artist in a zipped up sleeping bag. There were bulges and twisting which gradually subsided into something that looked like the exercises the physio gave me for my hamstring - a gradual stretching and flexing before returning to repeat the exercise, going a little bit further each time. I took many, many shots which were very similar so I will just show a few here:

The area which was a mass of wild flowers has been replaced by purple coloured stone chippings with shiny blue pots (containing nothing) on top! Lovely!

[essexbuzzard]

Don’t get me started on that one, Pauline! Have you any idea that thousands, if not millions, of Orange Tips, in various stages, are destroyed each year by councils strimming verges in the name of tidiness? Road verges yes, I get that, for visibility reasons. But cycle paths, footpaths? If they can afford to waste money like that...

[Wurzel]

Great set of shots and good to see there was at least some form of happy ending to the usual spring horror story. I echo what Essex said, they can afford to have blokes going out and strimming everything in sight but there's no money for anything else

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Don’t get me started on that one, Pauline!

Yes, this is one of my pet hates too.

We have roundabouts at major intersections here in south Wales where you have to stop and engage first gear due to the length of the vergeside vegetation yet in other areas vast swathes have been lacerated even though there is no positive impact on driver safety.

All councils are looking to save money....here's one way they can do precisely that AND improve the environment at the same time!!