Susie

[Susie]

I checked my emperor moth cocoons the other day but no sign of emergence yet.

[jenks]

Cotswold Cockney wrote
"Male day flying Emperor Moths this time of year look remarkably like Painted Ladies in flight too. They are very swift in flight responding to a distant calling female" .

Ahh, Emperor Moth. I have to admit I`m not good on moths. I`ll do some research and maybe revise my sighting. Thanks for the info !

Jenks.

[David M]

I'm a bit sceptical about this as Emperor moths are absolutely huge and are quite clearly not Painted Ladies either in flight or at rest.

[Gibster]

I always think that flying Emperor Moth males - and Oak Eggars for that matter - resemble tiny, low-level, out of control fighter jets. I always find myself waiting for the explosion!!!

Jersey Tigers look a lot like Painted Ladies in flight, but more yellow. Caught me out a few times...

Cheers,

Gibster.

[Susie]

One of my facebook contacts has painted ladies pupating at the moment so it is quite possible Jenks did see painted ladies that someone had released.

[David M]

One of my facebook contacts has painted ladies pupating at the moment so it is quite possible Jenks did see painted ladies that someone had released.

I saw a Painted Lady myself in south Wales this time last year so I'm sure there'll be one or two about.

[Susie]

So today was another of those days that looked like it should be a good day for butterflies as it was so sunny but it was again just so cold that nothing was flying.

I was sitting out in the garden enjoying a cuppa trying not to get hypothermia when I saw a flash of orange on the bowles mauve and became terribly excited. I dashed indoors for a camera and when I came back the butterfly was still there! How often does that happen? Then I saw why....

[Gibster]

Aaah...that'll be a female Misumena vatia. Apparently they are able to change their colour to match the flowerhead, although the process takes a few days. Not sure it will end up the same colour as your flowers, mind! White, pale green and yellow are favourites.

Nice sequence!

[Susie]

Have you seen a bright yellow one that I photographed a couple of years back? It perfectly matched the kingcup flowers.

[Jack Harrison]

Bowles Mauve again showing how good it is.

One GV White in my garden today. It was far too cold for me to venture outside to attempt to photograph it.

Jack

[Wurzel]

Cracking shots and the spider is really chowing down I've had a spider like that that was almost luminous green

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Nick Broomer]

Lovely photos Susie, the Crab Spider in your photos as far as i know can only be one of three colours, green, [which i have never seen] yellow and white
which i have photos of, a yellow one killing a female O.T. and a white one feasting on a S.W. It normally takes four days to change from one colour to
another.

[Susie]

Thanks, chaps. Crab spiders are amazing.

I went for a brief walk this afternoon around a little local spot which is better than Five Oaks for orange tips. I ain't telling where it is though. The wind meant the butterflies weren't settling so I just took some photos of the bluebells which are coming out.

[Debbie]

Really lovely Susie.

[Neil Freeman]

Beautiful photos Susie,

I especially like the second one, I can imagine all kinds of faerie folk living there

Neil F.

[Jack Harrison]

I can imagine all kinds of faerie folk living there

There must be some fairies on this group who could superimpose portraits

Jack

[Susie]

I don't know how to do that unfortunately.

There may be some fairies living in the log pile .. but it's probably just frogs and inverts and the odd snake

I know, how sad am I to actually photograph a log pile, but there is a kind of beauty in it, don't you think?

More of the same

My little bit of England This is the view towards the north downs. The oaks are just starting to get leaf.

"This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,—
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England."

[ChrisC]

great words from the the great bard himself like it

[Susie]

A welcome interlude ...

As you may have already read in their diaries I joined Sussex Kipper and Mark Colvin yesterday at sites in the Arundel area. The sun shone, the sky was blue, the birds sang, and - wonder of wonders - the butterflies were on the wing! It was a lovely day in good company.

Pearl bordered fritillary was my main hope of the day and we saw plenty of them as well as many other butterflies as listed in Neil and Mark's diaries.

This Duke of Burgundy who has survived the dreadful weather of the weekend had to be my highlight of the day though.

Edit: Mark, it's official, I have Old Timers and am losing the plot! The photo I had no recollection of is mine and I took it at Rewell last year!

[Susie]

I was stuck indoors for one reason or another for most of today but managed to escape for an hour at 5.30pm to my local bluebell wood and saw one green veined white. Better than nowt.