Overall Favourite Butterfly Photo of 2023

[David M]

Thanks, Pete. We only saw a few, but they were all freshly emerged.

[Goldie M]

When it comes to picking favourites I'm always stuck I didn't get too many shots of different species last year but I quite like the one of a Gate Keeper in my Garden and the fact the yellow of the bloom looks nice and colour full and looks good with the Butterfly Goldie

[Old Wolf]

My favorite came from a holiday to Turkey in August where I managed a day of butterflying up mount Babadag in Oludeniz in the Mugla region.

The choice was a tricky one because there were a few lifers that day including my first Swallowtail. It may not be the best picture I took whilst there but it is of the butterfly I was and still am so excited about seeing there.

Ionian Emperor.

Taken 1700m up mount Babadag where there is a massive man made Koi pond surrounded by well watered plants and flowers including Buddleia which proved to be one of the best places I found on my day of butterflying there.

[David M]

Ionian Emperor?

No wonder you were excited.

[millerd]

That's a glorious butterfly, Old Wolf.

I can't compete, but probably the most memorable day of 2023 was down at Chiddingfold on 24th June, when I had the Purple Emperors to myself. This shot is one of many, but it still sticks in the mind nearly nine months later...

Dave

[Padfield]

I think my overall favourite has to be this (at first sight, rather sorry) picture of a Cynthia's fritillary:



To give the context: I had bumped into an elderly friend on the way to a high alpine site and had told him that if he was lucky, I could find him Cynthia's fritillary up there. He had never seen this species. The site I had in mind turned out to be much higher than he had intended to go, and it was a very difficult climb for him, so I really hoped he wouldn't be disappointed. When we reached our destination, I quickly spotted a male Cynthia's doomed to die on the water of a small pond:



I dashed in, rescued the butterfly, and put it on an arnica flower:



Shortly after, we saw two male Cynthia's chasing each other around the pond area and the rescued butterfly was gone. I think I saved a life there ...

Guy

[Old Wolf]

Ionian Emperor?

No wonder you were excited.

It was most fortuitus that it chose the brief stop it made near to where I was standing on the bridge over the Koi pond. Anywhere else and I would have missed it. I prayed to the Butterfly Gods in the cable car on the way up to send me something amazing and in my opion, they delivered

That's a glorious butterfly, Old Wolf.

I can't compete

I knew it was something special when I saw it but I disagree with that statement! That is an amazing shot of a beautiful butterfly on your hand and to say it was one of many that day makes me very indeed

Shortly after, we saw two male Cynthia's chasing each other around the pond area and the rescued butterfly was gone. I think I saved a life there ...

What a cool story and it is very heartwarming that you saved a life there! The Butterfly Gods reward good deeds like this and I suspect something good will come your way at some point

[Pete Eeles]

I think my overall favourite has to be this (at first sight, rather sorry) picture of a Cynthia's fritillary

I think my Overall Favourite Butterfly Photo of 2023 is your last photo! Brilliant!

Cheers,

- Pete

[False Apollo]

I suppose my favourite butterfly photo of 2023 is the Cryptic Wood White. I made a special trip to Northern Ireland last June to see the final resident butterfly on my UK list, long overdue! They were nearing the end of their flight period around the Craigavon Lakes, this was taken on the 15th June. I also managed to see Irish Damselfly at Montaigh Moss, possibly one of the last of the year according to the warden who had not seen any the previous day. The week I was there Northern Ireland was like the tropics, it was truly sizzling!

[Allan.W.]

Great Stuff False Apollo ! Two species i,d dearly like to see ..........(I did see Dainty Damsels though ! )
Allan.W.

[Buchan Boy]

I spent much of the summer of 2023 in Scotland,some 4 months roaming around the West coast with my wife, much time spent finding Marsh Fritillaries,Chequered Skippers,Mountain Ringlets(not many!),Dark Greens,SPBF's and PBF's on the islands and inland as well.Scotch Argus was an emergence I'd anticipated on Mull but they didn't fully appear until we reached Skye,late July.I found a small colony,down the coast from the campsite,all good,and after several glorious days getting the shots I was after and studying the dynamics of the colony and noticing they were still emerging an attempt was made to try and capture that metallic sheen they have when fresh....... blimey,mission.All to do with light angle and butterfly angle and my angle..after much time I conceded a sort of defeat but after studying the shots later,this appeared and I think I almost got what I was after.B+ maybe! ,the main body of the butterfly is too dark,but beggars cant be choosers.It actually ended up one of my favourite shots of the year..I'll share.I must write those trips up in my PD,it really was a rather lovely thing to do.
Greshornish - Isle Of Skye July 2023

Skye Scotch Argus

Those Chequered Skippers though sure take some beating.
South Shian - Benderloch - May 2023

South Shian Chequered Skipper

Dave

[David M]

...Those Chequered Skippers though sure take some beating.

Don't they just!

Absolutely beautiful.