Thanks, everyone - that Emperor was a cracker of a butterfly, and one I had almost entirely to myself. It doesn't often happen...
June had also seen the start of a number of second broods (like those Wood Whites) which usually don't appear until July. My local patch saw new examples of Holly Blue, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Peacock, GVW and Small Copper.
However, it is now time to look at...
JULY
Overall, the month was barely warmer than June on average, with a daily high of a bit less than 24 degrees. Nor was it particularly sunny, with slightly over five and a half hours each day. However, one day stood out weatherwise: on 31st, 37.8 degrees was recorded close by at Heathrow, the UK's third highest temperature ever.
As is normally the case, the month saw the highest butterfly totals of the year locally, with close to 400 seen on one or two days in the second half of the month. Several species had notable high numbers:
Peacock (34 on 1st and 33 on 13th)
Common Blue (64 on 16th)
Holly Blue (33 on 13th)
...and both Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers exceeded 100 on 20th.
I also counted 15 summer Commas on 1st, a high for the year, but not a remarkable one.
21 Brown Argus on 28th was also the highest for 2020, but noticeably lower than 2019.
Purple Hairstreaks were the only new species seen here this month (though I'd already seen them at Chiddingfold in June). Overall, 22 species were found here during July, with highs of 18 on 1st, 5th and 13th.
As with the previous months, there were other species to seek out elsewhere:
I found my first Chalkhill Blues at Denbies on 7th
Graylings at Dawneys Hill on 11th
Walls at High & Over on 22nd
Clouded Yellows at Mill Hill on 22nd
Silver-spotted Skippers at Aston Rowant on 24th
Brown Hairstreaks at Bookham on 26th
There were some further visits to Staines Moor, and one or two other particular highlights, worthy of a separate post.
Dave