Whixall Moss and Prees Heath.

Medard · Post by **Medard** » Fri Jul 09, 2021 3:06 pm

Whixall Moss and Prees Heath.
Whixall Moss part one. 25-06-2021 to 03-07-2021
Unable to visit France this summer covid gave me the chance to search for a species that had long eluded me in France so my wife and I journeyed North from Somerset and spent a week at Whixall Moss in the hopes of adding the Large Heath to my butterfly folders, the weather had not looked at all promising, but as always my guiding principle of nothing ventured nothing gained paid dividends albeit a meagre three keepers and some reasonable video footage, in all I saw seven confirmed sightings of Large Heaths over the course of week that I was at Whixall Moss, so I came away reasonably happy with the results.
The White faced Darter and the White legged damselfly were two new species of Odonata this made up for the lack of Large Heaths.
A selection of butterflies seen at Whixall.
More to follow.

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David M · Post by **David M** » Fri Jul 09, 2021 4:28 pm

So glad you caught up with them, Jim, even if the weather was far from ideal.

Medard · Post by **Medard** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 6:58 am

Whixall moss continued.

A short video of the Large heath
https://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com/p57 ... #ha58bb61b

: Large Heath
Coenonympha tullia

: Large Heath
Coenonympha tullia

: Large Heath
Coenonympha tullia

: Large Heath
Coenonympha tullia

: Large Skipper
Ochlodes sylvanus

: Small Tortoiseshell
Aglais urticae

: Meadow Brown
Maniola jurtina

Matsukaze · Post by **Matsukaze** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 10:17 am

Good to see you are making the most of the summer! The larva is Drinker Moth.

You don't have to travel to Shropshire to see White-legged Damselfly - they're inconspicuous but locally quite common in Somerset, particularly on the Brue between West Lydford and Glastonbury. A good site is where the Butleigh/Baltonsborough road crosses the river. The damselflies rest in the long grass along the river and are reasonably easy to disturb, along with the even more numerous Banded Demoiselles. It's getting late in the year for them but there should still be a few around.

Medard · Post by **Medard** » Mon Jul 12, 2021 12:34 pm

Part 2 Prees heath
A pleasant visit to Prees heath, to see so many Silver studded Blues was quite an experience, my only encounter with this species in the UK was two specimens seen at Portland 2012 ,two other species seen were Small Tortoiseshell and Small Heath, White Campion and a blush pink specimen was a change from the Red more often seen in my locality, swaths of Birds Foot Trefoil added a splash of colour to the Heath along with Heather, well worth the trip.
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