Lots of Chalkhill Blues at Aston Rowant

[chrisox]

Went to Aston Rowant in Oxfordshire yesterday, and despite some showers and clouds there were loads of Chalkhill Blues flying about, they were all around me as I walked along - could be a good year for them. Saw a number of females crawling around the undergrowth presumably looking for places to lay eggs. There were also Marbled Whites and Brown Arguses and Cinnabar Moth caterpillars on Ragwort. Also some impressive web funnels for the Labyrinth Spider. I know they're not dangerous but the funnel webs do look sinister particularly with the spider crouching in the depths of the funnel.

Aston Rowant is a great site, but Ohhhhh the noise from the M40 running along it's base! I think I'll take earplugs next time I go.

I've enclosed some pictures but with my simple point & shoot camera and limited photography skills they aren't the best.

Cheers

Chris

[millerd]

Aston Rowant is always worth a visit, Chris - there will soon be Adonis joining the many Chalkhills, and on my last visit up there a couple of days ago, there were already a few Silver-spotted Skippers whizzing around plus the last few Dark Green Fritillaries as well. You end up tuning out the motorway noise - until you try to have a conversation with someone, though!

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

It's a great site is Aston Rowant, and as Dave says, after a while you 'filter out' the constant drone of the traffic from the M40.