Nick Morgan

[NickMorgan]

Thank you Wurzel. Many of the butterflies I saw that day were very worn. I think they were the lucky ones, though. We had a lot of very heavy showers this summer, which finished off many butterflies. The survivors were mostly a bit worse for wear!

[David M]

...It was a beautiful walk and I saw over 200 Peacocks.

I don't think I've ever seen even approaching that many, Nick! Must have been a phenomenal sight?

That does look to be rather attractive habitat too. A lovely part of the UK it seems.

[NickMorgan]

David,
It was rather surreal. The weather could have been better. It was really windy, so apart from the Peacocks there were not a lot of butterflies around. It seemed strange that there were so many Peacocks when there were so few other species flying.
It was a beautiful walk, ranging from a lovely sheltered track, to a more open track and then a climb up the hill to a forestry track. I am so lucky to have that right on my doorstep and I look forward to going there at different times of the year in the future.

What was even more of a thrill was two weeks later. I was in our garden in the Yarrow Valley, when I noticed a small, dark butterfly in the grass next to me. I dropped everything I was holding and ran down to the house for my glasses and camera. I was astonished to discover that it was a Scotch Argus. The reason I had done the walk in the Lewinshope Valley was that I had found a record of Scotch Argus from ten years ago from there, but now here was a Scotch Argus in my garden. I am now at a loss as to whether this individual has flown over from Lewinshope, if there is another colony somewhere, or if they have been living undiscovered in the grass close to our house. I think this is unlikely, as my father, who used to live there was a biologist and kept detailed records of the plants and animals he had seen there.

I followed the Scotch Argus to try to get a picture of the upper side of the wings to ensure I wasn't mistaken with its identity. I was even more amazed to see it laying eggs. Now I won't be able to cut the grass there and I excitedly await for next summer to see if any of its offspring survive. I will also be checking the Lewinshope Valley again and any other likely areas to see if there is a colony close by.

[Wurzel]

Brilliant stuff Nick - despite the south having a greater range of species to have a Scotch Argus as a garden tick is incredible

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[NickMorgan]

Brilliant stuff Nick - despite the south having a greater range of species to have a Scotch Argus as a garden tick is incredible

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel.
Yes, you have to wonder how many people in the UK have Scotch Argus in their gardens!

[bugboy]

Brilliant stuff Nick - despite the south having a greater range of species to have a Scotch Argus as a garden tick is incredible

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel.
Yes, you have to wonder how many people in the UK have Scotch Argus in their gardens!

pretty safe to say they will be limited to north of the border!

[millerd]

Terrific shots of the egg-laying Scotch Argus, Nick. Unusual to capture anywhere, but in your back garden...

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

..What was even more of a thrill was two weeks later. I was in our garden in the Yarrow Valley, when I noticed a small, dark butterfly in the grass next to me. I dropped everything I was holding and ran down to the house for my glasses and camera. I was astonished to discover that it was a Scotch Argus

That's fabulous, Nick. What a moment that must have been for you. As garden ticks go, that one is hard to beat.