Butterflysaurus rex

[Butterflysaurus rex]

CONGRATULATIONS Pauline well spotted. I didn't want to make it too easy - or too impossible either I still can't believe I managed to find one!

Best Wishes

B'saurus

[Butterflysaurus rex]

Having only seen one Peacock whizz past a few days ago it was great to finally catch up with one basking in the warm sunshine allowing me my first photo opportunity of the year. This is only the second Peacock I've seen close to home.
For some reason Peacocks and Comma's seem to be taking a bit longer to get going in my local area. I'm sure it's all down to local variation and they will start to appear soon.

If I manage to find a less hyperactive Brimstone to photograph I will have a full set of hibernators before mid March! That will be a record for me If not at least I've seen and photographed all the others.

Now bring on the Orange tips..........

B'saurus

[Wurzel]

Cracking shots as per usual Rex - is it just the way it's holding it's wings or is that a 'blind' Peacock -I couldn't see the 'eyes' on the hind wing on the back lit shot? Either way I know what you mean about the Peacocks taking a while to get started as that's the case here too.

Definitely bring on the Orange-tips!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Butterflysaurus rex]

You know what Wurzel I think your right On closer inspection it is missing it's eye spots! As you point out it's the 'back lit' shot that really confirms it. Well there's another photo to add to my 'oddities' folder

With any luck it will be a good year for Peacocks, numbers have been pretty low here for a number of years, last summer they definitely increased a bit so fingers crossed.....

Orange tips will get me in shape for the summer, always have great fun running around after them

Best Wishes

B'saurus

EDIT

I've just had a look at a couple of my other shots of the Peacock Wurzel and it does have the eye spots. The backlit shot fooled me too, you can't see a hint of it but it's there all right.

Cheers

B'saurus

[Butterflysaurus rex]

After a bit of a hiatus thanks to the "dreaded lurgi" I was back in action this afternoon - still not feeling 100% but well enough to go hunting for some Orange Tips Seeing them flutter down the country lanes was just as great a thrill as ever.

It got pretty hot out there today and the OT's were rather active not stopping for long. Seeing as it's still a bit early numbers were not high, I only saw 4 males and 1 female over the course of 3 hours. Nevertheless it's still good going for April the 1st!

I really hope this will be the beginning of a torrent of Orange Tips to start off another great season.

I also saw at least 8 Peacocks, 5 Brimstones, 3 Commas, and 2 Small Torts.

B'saurus

[Neil Freeman]

Hi B'saurus, I'm glad that you are up and about again... just in time for the Orange Tips too. A couple of great photos there

Cheers,

Neil.

[Butterflysaurus rex]

Thanks Neil it was great getting up to my usual mischief again, it really made my day seeing my first Orange Tips of the year.

Here's something for you Moth aficionados out there, while out looking for Orange Tips this afternoon I came across this little fellow. I think it might be a "broad bordered yellow underwing caterpillar" please correct me if I'm mistaken. Not the wild Orange Tip Chrysalis I was hoping for but still it's not something I'd ever seen before. It was sitting amongst a rather large patch of Cuckoo flower.

B'saurus

[David M]

After a bit of a hiatus thanks to the "dreaded lurgi" I was back in action this afternoon - still not feeling 100% but well enough to go hunting for some Orange Tips Seeing them flutter down the country lanes was just as great a thrill as ever.

Absolutely agree. Is there any better remedy for early spring afflictions?

The sight of this butterfly is sufficient to put anyone's health on an even keel.

I personally can't wait to see them in my local 'zone'.

[Butterflysaurus rex]

The Orange Tips can't be too far off for you now David, today did feel like a dose of the best medicine

I'm looking forward to seeing your Orange Tip photos when they start emerging in Wales.

All the best

B'saurus

[David M]

The Orange Tips can't be too far off for you now David, today did feel like a dose of the best medicine

I'm looking forward to seeing your Orange Tip photos when they start emerging in Wales.

All the best

B'saurus

Can't be long now, Rex. I guess next weekend will see the first emergences.

[Wurzel]

Glad to hear you're on the mend Those Orange-tips are great and I'm feeling ill myself now - through envy I think I've almost crashed the car 16 times in the last few days because I've been so intently scanning the verges on the drive home and I've still not seen one

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Butterflysaurus rex]

The Orange Tips can't be too far off for you now David, today did feel like a dose of the best medicine

I'm looking forward to seeing your Orange Tip photos when they start emerging in Wales.

All the best

B'saurus

Can't be long now, Rex. I guess next weekend will see the first emergences.

I read that some Orange Tips have been seen in Norfolk so I would imagine the Welsh OT's should be imminent the period of cooler unsettled weather forecast might case a slight delay.

[Butterflysaurus rex]

Glad to hear you're on the mend Those Orange-tips are great and I'm feeling ill myself now - through envy I think I've almost crashed the car 16 times in the last few days because I've been so intently scanning the verges on the drive home and I've still not seen one

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel, I hope I've seen the last of the viral infections for this year. I hate being ill when there are Butterflies on the wing.
I hope the Orange tips reach you before you crash the car! It's likely that there are some in your area already but numbers are still low, they've only just started down here and it was hard work finding them, we only saw 5 and one of those could have been the same indevidual coming back round again

In the meantime drive safe

[David M]

I read that some Orange Tips have been seen in Norfolk so I would imagine the Welsh OT's should be imminent the period of cooler unsettled weather forecast might case a slight delay.

Problem is that it'll be the weekend after next before I can get out to look for them.

I'm sure they'll be well underway by then.

[Butterflysaurus rex]

Considering that the weather forecast for this coming weekend does not look too good I hope that the following weekend will be more conducive for OT hunting. They should definately be out in Wales by then. The best things in life are worth witing for

B'saurus

[Butterflysaurus rex]

With a rather strong and "very cool" breeze but plenty of sunshine I thought I'd pop out and look for some more Orange Tips around the area that I last saw some. I didn't have very long to look today and the conditions did prove to be somewhat "challenging" but I did see plenty of Orange Tips in the hour and a half I was there.

I've still yet to see my first Green Veined White of the year, I had a possible distant sighting today but not good enough to be sure. It can't be long now though

I happened upon my first Speckled Wood of 2014 today, Unfortunately I didn't manage to get any photographic evidence to prove it.

Other than that I saw two Peacocks and one Comma during a short but very worthwhile trip.

B'saurus

[badgerbob]

Hi James. I seem to recognise that orange-tip on the bluebell!! Good to see you earlier. That last orange-tip shot is really good.

[Butterflysaurus rex]

Hi James. I seem to recognise that orange-tip on the bluebell!! Good to see you earlier. That last orange-tip shot is really good.

Yes he recognises you too Bob look he's waving at you You know I can't believe how well that last one came out, that strong breeze was pushing him all over the place. I put it all down to a fast shutter speed

It was great to bump into you and that other bloke... err whatsizname too.

[David M]

Nice images, Rex. Spring is truly underway once you've seen your first Orange Tip!!

[Butterflysaurus rex]

Nice images, Rex. Spring is truly underway once you've seen your first Orange Tip!!

Thanks David I managed to see quite a few today despite the strong and chilly breeze. Some of the poor Orange tips were clinging on for dear life! Tomorrow looks a lot better but I don't think I'll be able to get out. It won't be long now before I'm admiring one of your OT photos

Best wishes

B'saurus