William

[William]

Thanks Guys, I was delighted with the Commas, and the Small Copper larva continues to thrive!

Tipping Point

With the sun finally shining over the past few days, I've been delighted to see lots of the spring emergees on the patch. Orange Tips seem to be doing particularly well, really enjoying the Cuckoo Flower, Garlic Mustard and Honesty I've planted!

Orange Tip

Orange Tip

Orange Tip

Such are the numbers that today I found an amazing 8 males roosting in a small patch of Cow Parsley in the corner of the garden - a strange sight given their normally pugnacious nature!

Spot the Orange Tips!

Orange Tips

[Butterflysaurus rex]

I wish I had 8 Orange Tips roosting in the corner of my garden William! My particular area is practically an Orange Tip fee zone. You have to travel in land a bit to find some in any numbers. I'm not finding it easy this year.

I'm really enjoying some of the thin DOF you're using in some of your images, it gives them a nice & dreamy look. Well worth sacrificing a little bit of sharpness for in my opinion.

All the best

James

[Wurzel]

Cracking OT shots - I too am really struggling with OTs this year - I keep seeing them but getting a shot is another matter entirely

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Beautiful imagies William, proving that you can never have enough Orange Tip Pictures!

[David M]

Superb shots as ever, William.

We must all 'fill our boots' whilst this delightful species shares our spring.

We are a long time without them.

[William]

Thanks for the kind comments guys, much appreciated. It's always a challenge to make the most of the brief Orange Tip season, but as luck would have it, they've been coming to me

BWs,

William

[Pauline]

Your photos are a delight to view William and they always bring that something different with them.

[Neil Freeman]

Lovely photos William and those roosting Orange-tips are a great find.

Cheers,

Neil

[William]

Thanks Pauline and Neil - it's more Orange Tips I'm afraid!

Recent Doings

Unfortunately, Orange Tips remain the only thing I've really had the chance to photograph so far this year, owing to rubbish weather and a lack of time on my hands, they're proving very accommodating, enjoying the Garlic Mustard and Bluebells in the garden, there are few butterflies I like more, so charismatic!

Orange Tips

Orange Tip - Female

Orange Tips

Orange Tip - Female

Orange Tip - Female

I realised a long-held ambition today when I found a mating pair in my 'wild patch' - all that gardening was worth it!

Orange Tips

Orange Tips

And whilst looking for Early Purple Orchids yesterday I spotted this male perched on my quarry, my two favourite things in one photo!

Orange Tip

Finally, one of the Brown Hairstreak larvae I rescued from a flail-cut hedgerow earlier this year.

Brown Hairstreak Larva

[Katrina]

Superb orange tip on orchid photo!

[William]

Thanks Katrina - I was delighted to get it!

Odds and Sods

The weather has been pretty poor here recently, and has prevented me from getting out and making the spring Duke/Dingy and Grizzled Skipper pilgrimage (yet!) Still, there has been plenty going on in the garden.

Orange Tips...

Orange Tip

And their eggs...

Orange Tip Ovum

Orange Tip Ova

And best of all, a sight I have waited for (for several years), a freshly-emerged, 'home-grown' Common Blue, I found him this morning, drying his wings on my specially-planted Bird's Foot Trefoil, and managed a few pictures as he took his first flight - stunningly fresh!

Common Blue

Common Blue

Common Blue

Common Blue

Common Blue

[David M]

Great images of the Common Blue, William.

They're absolutely divine when fresh and you couldn't have captured one any earlier in its adult life cycle.

[Pauline]

Your OT shots have been superb William . You must be finding it wonderfully rewarding to have your gardening efforts starting to pay off and be able to view the results on your doorstep . Motivation for others to follow in your footsteps.

[William]

Thanks David - it was positively shining! You're quite right Pauline, it's been a real joy to see the butterflies flocking to the garden this spring. It's taken some (but not all) of the challenge out of photography!

Kicking Off

With a bit of warm weather over the past couple of days, it's been nice to see things getting going on the patch. Yesterday, I enjoyed my first Small Coppers of the year, and at the same spot, the rather strange sight of this Painted Lady feeding on Bluebells, two sights I normally associate with different ends of the year.

Painted Lady

The Brown Hairstreak larvae are thriving...

Brown Hairstreak Larva - First Instar

Brown Hairstreak Larva - Second Instar

Buoyed by the Common Blue I found in the garden, I visited a local spot and was delighted to see large numbers already on the wing (c.30), with mating pairs and a good mix of males and females.

Common Blues

Special Edition Common Blue

Common Blues

Common Blues

Common Blue

[Pete Eeles]

Loving that last shot in particular, William! Nice work!

Cheers,

- Pete

[William]

Thanks Pete - nice to get a bit of the place in the background, and a lovely place it is too!

Recent Doings

Unfortunately, I've been very busy recently, but this weekend managed to sneak out and look for some butterflies, well worth the effort! First stop was Buckland Wood, under heavy cloud. It's not a place I've visited before, having always been lucky at Thurlbear, but, being in the area this year, I thought I'd give it a go. It's rather like Thurlbear, but more open, and less oppressive, and (apparently) more Dukes, though I didn't manage to find any in the rubbish weather.

Still, there were plenty of Dingy Skippers around to keep me amused, and a quick look revealed a few eggs on Bird's Foot Trefoil.

Dingy Skipper

Dingy Skipper

Dingy Skipper

Dingy Skipper Ovum

Next up was Thurlbear in the evening sun, which was, as ever, cracking. Lots of Dingy Skippers were seen, along with abundant Common Blues and Small Heaths, and my target, Grizzled Skipper. Dukes have apparently been scarce there this year, and I worry for their future.

Grizzled Skipper

Grizzled Skipper

The Small Copper larva finally emerged yesterday - delighted to have reared him from egg right through to adult, thank you Pete for all your advice!

Small Copper Larva

Small Copper Pupa

Small Copper Pupa

Small Copper Pupa - 2 Days Before Emergence

Small Copper Pupa - 1 Day Before Emergence

Small Copper

The Brown Hairstreak larvae are all second instar now and quite active feeders.

Brown Hairstreak Larva

Brown Hairstreak Larva

Orange Tip larvae are hatching on the Garlic Mustard too, this one was pretending to be one of Guy's Purple Emperor caterpillars, hiding in a rain drop!

Orange Tip Larva

[Goldie M]

Very interesting photos William, keep them coming Goldie

[bugboy]

Your Common Blue's somehow passed me by when you posted them those wide shots are fantastic . Might have to have a browse through the trefoils looking for Dingy eggs now, they look like they may be quite obvious. (As far as butterfly eggs are concerned at any rate!)

[William]

Thanks Goldie and Bugboy, more luck than judgement with the Dingy egg, it was on the first Trefoil that I searched! I think they prefer shorter growth, the kind that you find in stony areas and anthills - good luck, and well done with those Glanvilles

BWs,

William

[Pete Eeles]

Excellent shots William! For anyone wanting to locate Dingy Skipper eggs, take a look at this:

http://www.warwickshire-butterflies.org ... s-2008.pdf

I found 4 today in the space of 15 minutes at Greenham Common.

Cheers,

- Pete