Pauline

[Pauline]

You're very kind Otep - thank you. Weather here is dreadful too

Cheers Dave - pleased to see you had success on your recent visit

Thank you David - I have managed to find a couple of butterflies in the garden despite the weather. Both Brimstones were tucked away under leaves on various plants; one was the plum tree and the other in a hedge:

I wonder if you can find this one - I promise you it is really obvious when you know where it is:

....and in one of the brief sunny spells:

[Katrina]

How wonderful to have Brimstones in your garden! Great camouflage shots - amazing how green they look.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Pauline, I think I found your Brimstone, dead in the middle hiding and no wonder with this horrible weather

I didn't look a way when I saw your Grizzles either, One day for sure I'll get them Goldie

[Pauline]

They're certainly not easy to find Katrina when they are hidden away like that. Strangely, I don't think I've had any eggs this year. I moved the Alder Buckthorn to a different position but I think I shall put it back where it was.

Well spotted M. There's a whole host of us hoping that it won't be long before you see a Grizzled Skipper and with such determination I, too, am sure you'll catch up with them before too long.

The weather has been dreadful again today - very windy, wet and cold - but I needed to get away from paint fumes and wallpaper paste for an hour. Duke eggs were not hard to find at Noar Hill. In fact, I have seen more eggs now than butterflies:

There wasn't much about but I was so pleased to find this Small Heath that I couldn't stop photographing him

[Wurzel]

Lovely set of shots Pauline You did really well to find anything today it was pretty miserable - but it's all set to change in a day or two - or so they say

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

The trickiest of the Brimstone conundrums for me was the first, Pauline. I had to maximise the image to see it. Amazing how the shadow cast upon the yellow wings make them appear green.

...Duke eggs were not hard to find at Noar Hill. In fact, I have seen more eggs now than butterflies

That sums it up pretty succinctly. That said, it's encouraging to know that the Dukes HAVE been finding opportunities to mate and lay eggs in spite of the dismal conditions.

[Pauline]

Cheers Wurzel - it's been a pretty miserable Spring overall. Thankfully I have just finished the wallpapering so I am good to go as soon as it warms up!

Two things that fascinate me about butterflies David is their ability to use camouflage so effectively and their resilience - every season I find something that surprises me.

I had some fun today for a couple of hours at MHD. It was a bit on the nippy side when I arrived so I was totally unprepared when a Marsh Fritillary flew past me. I failed to locate him so spent some time watching the many Skylarks. There were plenty of butterflies about - lots of Dingy Skippers, a nice female Brown Argus, a sleepy Brimstone, quite a few Small Heath but my favourite had to be the Green Hairstreak which I watched egg-laying. I do believe it is possible to see the egg being deposited in this shot:

Taking a rest:

I did eventually locate the MF just as I was leaving:

I practised some long distance shots of the Skylarks but the results weren't great

.... and a few more:

[Wurzel]

Lovely set of shots Pauline - especially the intimate Dingy shots and you can't beat a Marshie shot

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[Pauline]

Cheers Wurzel - I was pleased to stumble across that Marsh Fritillary as I haven't been able to get very far recently. Another walk around the garden revealed that I had just missed one of the Orange tip eggs hatching - it is just possible to see the egg in the background:

There are loads of these blue beetles around right now and I still haven't identified them. I even found a couple on my car:

Later in the day I even found what looked like a newly emerged White Ermine moth on my kitchen bench! I have no idea how it came to be there. It is not a species I have ever reared:

[Katrina]

That White Ermine Moth is a beauty

[Pauline]

It certainly is Katrina. I should think about getting my moth trap out at least once this year! There has been no point to date as I wouldn't even have had time to check it but today I managed to get out for my first proper outing and catch up with a few Pearls.

It was quite breezy as can be seen from the position of this butterfly as it kept a tight hold whilst nectaring:

There were about 4 times as many males as females. The males continually tried to seek out any females, most of which were busily engaged in the important task of egg-laying and several rejections were witnessed:

I initially mistook one male for a female based solely on his behaviour and flight pattern - and the fact that he was attracting a lot of male attention. It became apparent that the reason for his lack of activity was some slight wing damage so I am wondering if the other males were also fooled by his 'feminine' behaviour.

I watched several eggs being laid but it was a while before one was laid in a position I could reach. I was a little surprised at the speed at which the eggs are laid and how secretive the females are during this period. If I remember (and have time) I shall try to return to monitor the larva:

A few more snaps below which I took whilst enjoying the spectacle:

[Katrina]

The first shot is great -interesting to see it holding on and its hairs standing on end.
Great egg photo too.

[Benjamin]

Some really lovely shots recently Pauline, I particularly like the Small Heath amongst the dead vegetation and that beautiful Ermine Moth.

[Pauline]

Thank you Katrina - I was really pleased to get that egg shot.

Cheers Ben - I appreciate your comment.

With a strong breeze and soaring temperatures I was never going to get any open-winged shots at OWH this afternoon but it was great to see Adonis flying round so fresh and vibrant. TBH, even if the wings had been open I struggle to capture that beautiful irridescence:

[David M]

Great that you managed to find a PBF ovum, Pauline. Normally, folk are only interested in the adult butterflies but there is a whole lot more happening which goes under the radar.

In spite of that, some adult stages are impossible to resist....for example, Adonis Blue.

It's nice to see that you managed to get close up with this butterfly. It is such a showstopper with its iridescent, electric blue wings.

[Wurzel]

Great string of Pearls Pauline Love the close up of the 'duck's head' on the under wing Cracking Adonis - love the dusting of metallic scales near the body on the under wing

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[Pauline]

You know me, David, always wanting to know more I waited quite a while to see an egg being laid - I had no intention of disturbing her by trying to get a shot of her laying but it all happened so fast anyway I wouldn't have had time to get in position.

Cheers Wurzel - just couldn't get the Adonis shot I was after but if at first you don't succeed .........

Back in the garden again a more ordinary butterfly entertained me ..... but who could call this little beauty ordinary:

[Pauline]

In the absence of any SSB at Bramshott, today was all about the Small Copper. There were 6-7 all very busy egg-laying. It was fascinating watching them locate even the tiniest of sorrell leaves, selecting exactly the right spot, and then lengthen and curl the abdomen right under the selected leaf, which was usually well tucked away, to deposit their egg:

A very brief respite and then they were on to the next:

I managed to find 3 eggs in total but my progress was somewhat hampered by one particular individual who persisted in landing either on me or my camera to take a rest. At that point I ecided to move on to something else:

There were lots of Dingy Skippers, some of whom also seemed to be in egg-laying mode, a couple of fresh Common Blue, my very first Painted Lady of the season (which refused to settle even tho' it looked quite worn) and other common species one woud expect to find here:

[Pauline]

There's a lot of stuff going on just now so my butterfly outings have tended to be a bit sporadic. An update on the garden Orange-tips at first 5 days old:

and as of today, 8 days old:

and one of the Brown Hairstreaks eating its shed skin:

[Pauline]

A few Blues from various locations: