Reverdin

[Rogerdodge]

Rev
Brilliant reports.
I really wish I could have been there with you.
As usual your photos get better and better.

See you soon.

[Reverdin]

Look forward to the time you can come up to North Yorks.... you obviously have been practicing for the climate recently - I have found a nice real ale pub here I didn't know about. Good times will be had.

I have never until now had what I would judge to be a decent underside shot of a Peacock... Why bother? - well... I think they as beautiful as any other butterfly

Peacock's more subtle side

also - our Purple Hairstreaks are spinning high in the Oak tree at the bottom of the garden, and I just watched a Small Copper ovipositing on the sorrel in my little wildflower patch

[Reverdin]

Here is the result from the Small Copper I watched yesterday.... 4 years of "environmental manipulation" now counts as a success!!

Small Copper ovum on Sheep's Sorrel

Small Copper ovum on Sheep's Sorrel 2

[Reverdin]

Ha!..... back on line after a computer disaster, self inflicted by me trying to make extra room on me c drive deleted an important driver & lost connectivity - all with no-one else to blame

Had a few days last week in Somerset, and made the most of some average weather to visit Shipton Bellinger for the first time, then Lulworth and Durston another day.
Brown Hairstreak has been something of my nemesis, so having paced the hedgerows to weariness, I settled down by a vaguely promising Ash to console myself - a nice bloke wandered past and said "they're over there".. half a dozen or so, gesticulating in the direction of the other side of the adjacent field. " might just be your lucky day".... as I bemoaned my BH sterility...
so I set wearily off to where several others were patrolling the said hedgerow. Started at one end and just as I was starting to think there would be nothing, the most beautiful fresh female BH was good enough to nectar away before my eyes - first of several to show themselves along a very short section of hedge...

Female Brown Hairstreak 1

Female Brown Hairstreak 2

Female Brown Hairstreak 3

Female Brown Hairstreak 4

The first time you really see something, is a memorable one indeed.

[David M]

The first time you really see something, is a memorable one indeed.

Certainly true with this species. I was mesmerised when I saw my first BH at close quarters last year.

[Reverdin]

I really think this has to be the most difficult UK species to see.... means a lot!

[Reverdin]

Tried Lydlinch to see if Brown Hairstreaks were in evidence there.... true to form, not a sausage!!
However, there were some beautiful, if not uncommon butterflies around...

Brown Argus

Common Blue underside

Common Blue upperside

[Reverdin]

Finally went down to Lulworth - no Adonis seen, but a really quite fresh Chalkhill was showing off....didn't expect to see that!!

Chalkhill Blue

Then moved on to Durlston in the hope of Adonis... and after a heavy shower....

Oh... and can anyone name the wee beasties this Adonis was treading on as they tried to procreate ???

Adonis underside 1

Adonis underside 2

Adonis upperside 1

Adonis upperside 2

Adonis upperside 3

[Gibster]

Hi there, bugs aren't really my strong point, but the ones in your pic could be (note COULD be!) Myrmus miriformis...maybe!
Have a look at http://www.britishbugs.org.uk/heteropte ... ormis.html for a pic.

Cheers,

Gibster.

[Reverdin]

Close enough for me thanks Gibster, I am constantly in awe of the collective intelligence available on this site

[Gibster]

You wouldn't be if you met a few more of us

[Reverdin]

[Reverdin]

A Red Admiral warming itself in this morning's autumnal sun..

V. atalanta

[Reverdin]

I've been using a different way of "developing" my RAW images over the last few days, and some re-do's seem worth a new airing..

Spotted Frit and friend

Male QoS

Weaver's ups

Weaver's uns

Marsh ups

Marsh uns

There will be more to follow

[Reverdin]

Now for another focus on Green Underside Blue, and Black Eyed Blue..

Green Underside male

Green Underside male

Green Underside male

Green Underside male

Green Underside underside!

Green Underside underside!

and Black Eyed...

Black-eyed Blue male

Black-eyed Blue male

Black-eyed Blue underside

Black-eyed Blue underside

[Padfield]

Great pictures, Rev!

Those underside pics illustrate something Tim C pointed out to me years ago. The black spots on the forewing of alexis tend towards the outer margin as they go south, where in melanops they turn back in towards the base. It makes the two species spearable regardless of the condition, or whether you can see the marginal markings.

G

[Reverdin]

Ah.... so they do... the marginal marking differentiator is much less obvious than that now you say... fascinating how not so subtle differences can be easily unobserved.... and I thought I had looked closely!!
I remember your alexis photo from last year when I thought I would really really like to see one like that, unbelievable Blue shade, as stunning in it's own way as bellargus.
- Hope your torso is not as blue as the butterflies

[Reverdin]

A few more dimly lit ones, hence the inescapable noise...

Skipper, ?malvae

Sooty Copper underside

orion underside

orion upperside

[Rogerdodge]

Paul
It is interesting to compare our efforts with this Sooty Copper side by side.
Yours at f10, and mine at f11.
My longer focal length (180mm) compared to yours (100mm) makes a lot of difference to the cleanness of the background I think.

[Reverdin]

owch yes indeed - I MUCH prefer your clean background to mine... still working on getting the best I can out of my setup. Hope this is bringing back some good memories