Spotted Fritillary

[JohnR]

Another daft question from a beginner. I was in fairly shady deciduous woodland (lately bluebells and garlic) in Surrey by a stream trying to ignore the Silver-washed fritillaries that were flying around until one landed near me and I can only describe it as a spotted fritillary, a chap with me called it a Leopard Butterfly. I recollect that the wing markings were all spots and no bars. Could a female SWF match this description? otherwise I seem to be in the realms of butterflies that shouldn't be in this county. It flew off rapidly and though I saw it in flight several times it was never slow enough to see the markings. I think that there were several around, and I have been seeing SWF in my adjacent garden all week.

John

[Pete Eeles]

Hi John,

This could well have been a Comma, which are bright orange and much smaller than a SWF.

Failing that it could, indeed, have been a female SWF.

Cheers,

- Pete

[David M]

Yeah, if it was of a similar size it'll probably have been a female SWF.

[JohnR]

Thank you; I know the Comma, which I have seen in the garden most years, so I'll have to settle for a f. SWF, which means another day wasted in the woods with my zoom lens tomorrow

[Lee Hurrell]

Doesn't sound like a wasted day to me!

Good luck,

Lee