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A week without PC seems a long time! Nearly missed out on your beautiful images which have lured me into unfamiliar territory, ie. Flickr. Love the birds and mammals as well as the butterflies, especially the Amazon Milk Frog

Pauline wrote:A week without PC seems a long time! Nearly missed out on your beautiful images which have lured me into unfamiliar territory, ie. Flickr. Love the birds and mammals as well as the butterflies, especially the Amazon Milk Frog

I do apologise for Flickr. It is a double edged sword. It is free and does give you somewhere to load pictures and find a few like-minded people but it is also a place of the most obsessive social media type behaviour. And once you find out what is driving the behaviours it is quite entertaining.

I must comment on your latest pics of the holly blue which I found very exciting.

Cheers for the photos to see me through Peter

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I was encouraged to visit a new location for me, about fifteen miles away. My expectations were not huge, but I have now visited four times in two weeks and had splendid visits each time. I shall add a few pictures from across the visits as each time I have seen variations on the same cast but with sufficient variety and fun that I keep returning. There are few places in Northants which are as rich and unspoiled by the Forestry Commission landlord.

The site is Bucknell Wood and it is one of the sites for Wood White in Northants. But as you will see it is also home to hundreds of Silver washed frits including a good number of Valenzina form. This year it has a large population of White Admiral, both Purples and I'm told White-letter but I haven't seen any so far

I know many of the diaries have featured similar shots but they are a record of a lovely hot spell with woodland butterflies.


Silver-washed Fritillary - Argynnis paphia (form Valenzina)


Silver-washed Fritillary - Argynnis paphia (form Valenzina)


Silver-washed Fritillary - Argynnis paphia


Purple Hairstreak - Favonius quercus


Purple Hairstreak - Favonius quercus


Purple Emperor - Apatura iris


Purple Emperor - Apatura iris


White Admiral - Limenitis camilla


White Admiral - Limenitis camilla


White Admiral - Limenitis camilla


Wood White


Wood White egg laying


Love amongst the Ringlets

I have enjoyed seeing your pictures and hope mine share my lovely summer with you all.

Another set of splendid images Peter. I do so like the style of your photography and I'm already looking forward to your next post

I can see why you keep going back for more!

A wonderful series of photos! It's several years since I have seen any Valesina SWF and your photos make we want to refresh the experience. That Northampton wood seems to be an excellent site for this and many other species.

Mike

A fantastic set of shots Peter - I especially like the Wood Whites - a species I missed out on earlier in the year so I'm hoping for a chance to see the second brood.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

A day out at Ivinghoe Beacon was very rewarding with a very large number of freshly hatched Chalkhill Blues to be seen. The weather forecast was for a dull start after overnight rain, brightening later to become warm around lunchtime. It was spot-on. So our arrival co-incided with the warmth and several butterflies had clearly just hatched and were not yet fully expanded and others were taking maiden flights (which seems the wrong expression - as they were predominantly male ). We were rewarded with some lovely opportunities to spend time and photograph one of the finest blues...I think.


Chalk Hill Blue - Polyommatus coridon by Peter Willmott, on Flickr


Chalk Hill Blue - Polyommatus coridon by Peter Willmott, on Flickr


Chalk Hill Blue - Polyommatus coridon by Peter Willmott, on Flickr


Chalk Hill Blues - pair in cop by Peter Willmott, on Flickr


Can we join in...? by Peter Willmott, on Flickr


Chalk Hill Blue (female) - Polyommatus coridon by Peter Willmott, on Flickr

I always feel sorry for the females, some of the 'football hooligan' male behaviour must be so tiresome. and so after the attempted foursome it was a joy to find this one female away from the crowds having a pleasant drink in the cool...

PS...Having been able to tag my picture on Flickr with the terms: randy males, sex, mating, coupling I am expecting to be deluged with visitors for that one picture. I may just pop back and add 'foursome' just to frustrate those looking for porn . It may just break the Internet!

Never mind the randy foursomes - I've never seen such a detailed view of butterfly genitalia as in your 'pair in cop' photo. The 'clasp' mechanism is clearly displayed. Some beautiful topsides as well - I agree these are very beautiful butterflies when newly emerged.

MikeOxon wrote:Never mind the randy foursomes - I've never seen such a detailed view of butterfly genitalia as in your 'pair in cop' photo. The 'clasp' mechanism is clearly displayed. Some beautiful topsides as well - I agree these are very beautiful butterflies when newly emerged.

Do you think I need to tag clasping genitals as well?

I shall review the other pictures and see if I have anything else of interest as it had not struck me as different but I see your point. Thank you for your kind words Mike.

regards

peter

More cracking images Peter - I agree with Mike I've never seen the genitalia so well exposed

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Possibly the talk of genitals has stopped many people making comments about the Chalkhills. I have visions of people looking in and making a speedy exit. Apologies to anyone who was offended or worse

I have just returned from a brief visit to the Peak District. I took a camera but had no real thoughts about butterflies as it was a family break. But during one walk at Longshaw Fell I was able to get close to a nice Dark Green Fritillary. Just a couple of shots...

Dark Green Fritillary Argynnis aglaja by Peter Willmott, on Flickr

Dark Green Fritillary Argynnis aglaja by Peter Willmott, on Flickr

Lovely dusky DGF Peter Sorry if I helped scare people away from your PD

Have a goodun

Wurzel

What a beautiful metallic sheen that DGF has, Peter. Reminds me a bit of female Mountain Fritillary, although rather larger and more impressive!

Wurzel wrote:Lovely dusky DGF Peter Sorry if I helped scare people away from your PD

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Not at all. I started it, with my schoolboy humour. I will try to be better.

Went back to Bucknell Woods after MikeOxon made his recent visit and report of continuing abundance. Once again it was a super day with hundreds of butterflies. You could have picked a few baskets of ripe blackberries, it felt like mid-August.

It was definitely a day for Silver-washed Frits with many looking to be in nearly new condition and acting quite frisky. I was specifically looking for a pairing shot and whilst I witnessed a great deal of courting interest I suspect it was too cold today to remove your underwear (metaphorically speaking)

But as Mike reported it is a wood with large numbers of valensina present. I was with a friend today and we counted at least 30 individual butterflies of varying degrees of valensina colour. I nearly managed to repeat Mike's trick shot of two in one frame, however another butterfly broke up the party before I pressed the shutter. In all we saw around 100 SWF. I have never seen as many in one place in the UK and I hope this year is not just a one-off as it has become a real favourite site for me.

Amongst the sightings which didn't get a photo mostly because they were faster than we were can be included: one Purple Emperor at height and speed; 2 second brood Wood Whites; a good collection of dragonflies (Emperor, Brown Hawker, Migrant hawker and Common Darter). But I managed a few pictures as you can see below.

Silver-washed Fritillary - Argynnis paphia ssp f. valensina by Peter Willmott, on Flickr

Silver-washed Fritillary - Argynnis paphia by Peter Willmott, on Flickr

Common Blue - Polyommatus icarus by Peter Willmott, on Flickr

Red Admiral - Vanessa atalanta by Peter Willmott, on Flickr

Silver-washed Fritillary - Argynnis paphia by Peter Willmott, on Flickr

Small Skipper - Thymelicus sylvestris by Peter Willmott, on Flickr

Common Blue - Polyommatus icarus by Peter Willmott, on Flickr

Hope there a few more visits in the year yet. After I get back from France.

As always, a wonderful set of images . Interesting that you've still got so many Fritillaries on the wing up there, at my favourite spot for them, Bookham Commons, they've all but finished for the season, my last couple of visits have only turned up a few females flitting around, probably relieved at the absence of males!

More fantastic images Peter Looking forward to hearing about what you see on the continent

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I shall look forward to your next instalments from France with great anticipation, Peter.

Meantime, thanks for sharing your latest array of images, particularly that last Common Blue, which is a cracker.