More like a May gap round here
David, the Meadow Browns here have just started to appear over the past week, just in one's and twos though. I might be lucky to catch a Ringlet at work (normally see two or three) but I've never seen one on the marshes. They should in theory be in Epping Forest but again, I've never seen one as yet there
![Confused :?](./images/smilies/icon_confused.gif)
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Thanks
Wurzel, full on little teasers they are, hiding behind blades of grass, waiting until you line up the shot and then buggering off, flashing the uppers ocasionally, they have the full set of moves
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
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May 2020
Friday 29th. This morning, my remaining fifteen Peacock larvae from the older batch were busy with their final moult.
Today was also the day when my younger batch, who had recently moulted to 2nd instar, where returned to freedom on the marshes.
Also on the marshes the Holly Blues had been busy with the egg laying on the Goat’s-rue but there was very little on the wing.
![IMG_0044.JPG (204.64 KiB) Viewed 736 times Drake Pochard](./files/thumb_13753_2697a996fe0f76b7b3804d4b581db500)
- Drake Pochard
Out of curiosity (and perhaps a little bit of desperation) I explored the nearby Leyton Jubilee park but despite a fair amount of wildflower seeding that has gone on here, the butterfly life was as barren as the rest of the day had been, a single Small White gaining my full attention.
The afternoon became increasingly cloudy so I didn’t expect to see much else but a female Holly Blue provided a welcome distraction on the way home. She was obsessing over some Bedstraw but I think she was just a little confused with all the Goat’s-rue that was close by, the air must have been full of the scent of it!
I also caught sight of my first Large Skipper of the year but he proved to be a little tricky to pin down
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
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I didn't have to wait too long though, on
Saturday 30th my lunchtime walk at work enabled me to pin down a slightly less frisky Large Skipper, hopefully the first of many
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
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There was also a freshly emerged Small Tortoiseshell who WAS very frisky.
Meanwhile, my Peacock Larvae at home were chomping through nettle like there was no tomorrow, looking very smart in their new skins. I’m glad I returned most of them back to the wild!