Hopefully I'll get up to oodles in the next few weeks, Wurzel - numbers of Holly Bues are on the up!
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Peacocks outnumber Small Tortoiseshells on my patch this year by a factor of ten to one, something I don't think I've seen before. Astonishing really as I only saw a handful between August and October before they went into hibernation.
To find a settled white butterfly, David, it has to be early in the day or possibly early evening (if you can't spot one tucked into a roosting spot for the night!
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) This is certainly true of the spring broods, though they are more inclined to nectar later in the year.
Thank you, Goldie - more Hollies today!
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I hope some do find their way to your garden: it seems to attract a lot of other butterflies.
Friday 10th April: More glorious warm sunny weather. I went out early again, to avoid the heat as much as anything, and found that half eight was only just early enough to find things still warming up. Almost immediately I spotted the tell-tale silver triangle of a Holly Blue sitting in a spot where I find them every year - a large wild buddleia bush nowhere near flowering but which this species seems to find attractive for early basking. After a few side-on shots, the butterfly flexed its wings open for a second or two before taking to the air.
I saw 15 of this species overall today, but none of the others was as obliging.
No big surprises today, just variations on the theme that has emerged during this week's sunshine. I did find a few Small Toroiseshells, dispersed now into the open field areas along with increasing numbers of Peacocks moving away from the paths and wooded bits.
The Commas stay behind and stick to their territories along the paths and bask on the brambles.
Orange Tip numbers remain high, though I've not seen many females. This one was unusual as it had distinct black spots in the middle of its hindwings.
Speckled Woods are beautifully fresh at the moment, the spring brood being distinctly brighter than those at the end of the summer. Here are two - one from this morning, and a second from late in the afternoon which as well as being vibrant in the yellower light also has markedly scalloped borders to its wings.
Also seen late on was a Brimstone nectaring before retiring and amazingly well-camouflaged against the foliage.
Finally, a Small White had settled down, but had unusually dusky scaling on its underside. Unfortunately, I disturbed it while trying to get a clearer shot.
Dave