![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
Cheers Nick and Pauline your comments are much appreciated
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Having had my fill of butterflies on Saturday yesterday was time to spend with the family. We decided to make the most of the sunshine and spent the afternoon at Kingston Lacy a National Trust estate near Wimborne, Dorset. As always though I took my camera just in case...
After a brief walk across manicured lawns and heavily weeded flower beds we found ourselves walking along a Lime tree avenue with Wild Garlic and Bluebells lining the path. The dappled sunshine dripped through the leaves and played across the wings of one or two butterflies. A Brimstone stayed out of reach and a pair of Speckled Wood spiralled and fought. There was a small patch slightly more sun drenched than other areas and this turned into a real hotspot with 3 species of bee, a few different types of small wasp and a passing Large White, Brimstone, pair of Speckled Wood and a male Orange-tip which was seemed more interested in refuelling despite the great weather when I thought he’d be off patrolling. We followed the woodland path round and while the girls investigated some bivvies I saw a Red Admiral and another Large White. The wood opened up into a grassed area with flowers along the banks – mainly Wild Garlic. Also here were a number of wire cages with trees and shrubs in. One or two of the trees had been cleared but the bases were still cleared of vegetation and served as perfect basking sites for 2 Peacocks and a Comma. Each had their own little private basking area but occasionally one of the Peacocks would try and force the Comma off of it’s site. It would take to the air and a spiral dogfight would ensue the victor of which was always the tenacious Comma. At one point it took on both Peacocks and a male Orange-tip which had inadvertently strayed in range, and still came out on top, landing and taking a breather but always with one eye open! The great thing about this little part of the grounds was that I could just sit back and enjoy the behaviour unfolding before me, while the girls were more than content to run around the long grass maze and play “Cafes” in the Pacific Island hut.
As we headed on hopping along the log stepping stones a Holly Blue fluttered by and a pair of Green Veined Whites rested fitfully – just long enough for me to get a photo and notice that it only had one antennae – I wonder what inconvenience this would cause it? In the Japanese Garden a Brimstone bombed past and while the girls ate their tea on the lawn a Peacock basked just out of reach in the flower beds. A relaxing end to a relaxing afternoon of butterflies, not bad for not even trying!
Have a goodun
Wurzel