Susie

[Maximus]

As Dave says it's just eggs Suzie. This female at Hod Hill last year was so laden with eggs she found it difficult to fly. We found her on the path so moved her to the safety of a Cowslip leaf.
Lovely photos by the way

Mike

[Susie]

Thanks, it is nice to know its nothing nasty

Nice pics

[Susie]

Glanville fritillary seen briefly at Hutchinson's bank this morning.

This brimstone had no idea what danger it was in. When I left the site they were both still sitting there safely. An ant crawled up and over the spider and it didn't move a hair so intent it was on it's bigger prey

Butterfly challenge

1. Peacock - 11/01/14
2. Red admiral - 05/03/14
3. Brimstone - 05/03/14
4. Small tortoiseshell - 09/03/14
5. Comma - 09/03/14
6. Small white - 01/04/14
7. Orange tip - 01/04/14
8. Holly blue - 09/04/14
9. Speckled wood - 09/04/14
10.Green veined white - 13/04/14
11.Dingy skipper - 21/04/14
12.Pearl Bordered Fritillary - 22/04/14
13.Duke of Burgundy - 24/04/14
14.Wood white - 26/04/14
15.Grizzled skipper - 28/04/14
16.Small copper - 28/04/14
17.Wall brown - 28/04/14
18.Small heath - 07/05/14
19.Brown argus - 10/05/14
20.Adonis blue - 11/05/14
21.Common blue - 11/05/14
22.Small blue - 12/05/14
23.Green hairstreak - 14/05/14
24. Marsh fritillary - 20/05/14
25. Glanville fritillary - 25/05/2014

[Wurzel]

That was a cracking find I'm not sure I'm going to get to see that species this year. If you can get to Bentley the Small Pearls are flying well and their numbers are building nicely, probably about 10 in the Eastern Clearing today

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Susie]

Thanks wurzel Weather permitting I hope to see spf at some point. Not seen them before.

[Susie]

All plans for butterflying scuppered today due to non stop horrible rain = one very grumpy Susie.

[Pauline]

Great shot of the spider Susie - wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't mentioned. What sort is it?

[Susie]

Hi Pauline, I think it is the crab spider Misumena vatia, but I don't know a great deal about spiders so I could be wrong.

I haven't done any butterflying since last Sunday but out for a walk today I found a May Bug on the path. As the path gets a lot of footfall I moved it to the side and as I left it gave me a wave bye-bye (or it could have been giving me a beetle version of a "V" sign for all I know!) I thought it was cute so took a quick snap on my phone.

[Susie]

A trip to Bentley Wood for me this morning and a first sighting ever of Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary. Another one to go on the butterfly challenge list.

Butterfly challenge

1. Peacock - 11/01/14
2. Red admiral - 05/03/14
3. Brimstone - 05/03/14
4. Small tortoiseshell - 09/03/14
5. Comma - 09/03/14
6. Small white - 01/04/14
7. Orange tip - 01/04/14
8. Holly blue - 09/04/14
9. Speckled wood - 09/04/14
10.Green veined white - 13/04/14
11.Dingy skipper - 21/04/14
12.Pearl Bordered Fritillary - 22/04/14
13.Duke of Burgundy - 24/04/14
14.Wood white - 26/04/14
15.Grizzled skipper - 28/04/14
16.Small copper - 28/04/14
17.Wall brown - 28/04/14
18.Small heath - 07/05/14
19.Brown argus - 10/05/14
20.Adonis blue - 11/05/14
21.Common blue - 11/05/14
22.Small blue - 12/05/14
23.Green hairstreak - 14/05/14
24. Marsh fritillary - 20/05/14
25. Glanville fritillary - 25/05/2014
26. Small pearl bordered fritillary - 31/05/2014

[Katrina]

Good photo Susie!

[Susie]

Thank you! I took loads but they're all basically the same

[Wurzel]

Cracking shot Susie, really glad that you got your SPBF Did you see much of Bentley - it's a great place.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Lee Hurrell]

Glad you got your SPBF. We don't like a grumpy Susie

Lee

[Susie]

Thanks Lee and wurzel.

I stuck mainly to the eastern clearing yesterday, Wurzel. I have been there once before, years ago on a uk butterflies photographic forum meeting when we had a field trip there and it is a lovely place.

[Susie]

SWALLOWTAIL!! It was a swallowtail, it's only an F***king swallowtail!! (can you tell I'm a tad excited?)

Just flown over my garden while I was eating my lunch, flew from the south, dipped into the garden and then flew due north. Unmistakeable!

[Susie]

Butterfly challenge

1. Peacock - 11/01/14
2. Red admiral - 05/03/14
3. Brimstone - 05/03/14
4. Small tortoiseshell - 09/03/14
5. Comma - 09/03/14
6. Small white - 01/04/14
7. Orange tip - 01/04/14
8. Holly blue - 09/04/14
9. Speckled wood - 09/04/14
10.Green veined white - 13/04/14
11.Dingy skipper - 21/04/14
12.Pearl Bordered Fritillary - 22/04/14
13.Duke of Burgundy - 24/04/14
14.Wood white - 26/04/14
15.Grizzled skipper - 28/04/14
16.Small copper - 28/04/14
17.Wall brown - 28/04/14
18.Small heath - 07/05/14
19.Brown argus - 10/05/14
20.Adonis blue - 11/05/14
21.Common blue - 11/05/14
22.Small blue - 12/05/14
23.Green hairstreak - 14/05/14
24. Marsh fritillary - 20/05/14
25. Glanville fritillary - 25/05/2014
26. Small pearl bordered fritillary - 31/05/2014
27. SWALLOWTAIL!! - 01/06/2014

[William]

SWALLOWTAIL!!

Congratulations Susie - you've just had the sighting everyone dreams of

[Lee Hurrell]

SWALLOWTAIL!! It was a swallowtail, it's only an F***king swallowtail!! (can you tell I'm a tad excited?)

Dammit, just when I thought we were on the same species... congratulations Susie
BWs
Lee

[Wurzel]

Is a F**king Swallowtail a named aberrant or a vagrant species? Congrats - it's a hell of a garden list species

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Susie]

I would advise everyone to avoid seeing a swallowtail because once you get a glimpse you're going to want more and they're not easy to find!

I spent part of yesterday scouring local areas looking for likely sites but didn't have any more sightings I really want photographic proof of what I saw.