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Thanks, Wurzel. It was great to see the Coppers - bright splashes of red-orange against the green of the hillside. Finding the happy couple was lucky - I had spotted the pre-nuptial pursuit but lost track of them until they appeared on a bit of path already joined.

I hope the season goes on late down in Dorset for you Neil. It usually seems to extend well into September with the latest flying Marbled Whites I've seen anywhere. I'm also glad I'm not the only one failing to see low-down Purple Hairstreaks!

Monday 17th July: back to work and the late afternoon local walk. It was good to see increasing numbers of Common Blues and Brown Argus, as well as the many Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers.There were even some distinctly brown Common Blue females for a change. However, I found another mating pair of Gatekeepers - considering the numbers of both sexes around, I'm surprised there aren't dozens of pairings on view. The female looked particularly new, with very complete fringes.For once I managed not to photograph any of the many Commas and Red Admirals that have been frequenting the tree-lined and shady paths...well, nearly so. It was a very bright individual. Dave

Hi! Dave, there seems to be lots of Butterflies out at present, I've never seen has many Brown Argus before at Temple Ewell, you don't seem to have to go too far to see all the ones you mentioned.Goldie

That's right, Goldie, my nearest Brown Argus are only about ten or fifteen minutes walk away (and one year when they didn't mow one patch of grass, there were some only two minutes from home!). They are doing very well this year, as you'll see below... You have the Northern version up round your way, which I still haven't seen

Tuesday 18th July: a near repetition of yesterday, with warm hazy sunshine at the end of the afternoon. I investigated a small sheltered patch almost cut off by scrub and bramble from the main meadow area, and found it buzzing with Brown Argus. There were other species too: A Common Blue roosting among the still active ArgusA rare Small White photoA Peacock appearing again to "float" above its surroundingsAnother bright and fairly fresh CommaNaturally, I had to devote some time to the Holly Blues nectaring on the brambles (showing their preference for pink). Dave

I know what you mean about a 'rare Small White' what's happened to them this year? On a nicer note - great Brown Argus shots and I see that you're back to your whispering ways

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Very few and far between, those Whites, Wurzel, and come to think of it I haven't seen many GVW lately either... The local Brown Argus crop is excellent this year, certainly equalling the Common Blues, and yes I've been having words with those Holly Blues again!

Thursday 20th July: Another almost identical late afternoon stroll, though after all the recent rain I wondered whether things might be a bit different. First off, among the duelling Commas there seemed to be one that looked a bit different. I think this looks like the first of the new "standard" type overwintering form, but it was behaving like all the others.Here's the contrast with a fairly fresh one of the summer hutchinsoni form.
I then came to a shaded bit of path where the ground remained quite damp. Round my feet circled a Holly Blue, every so often stopping on the ground to take on board minerals. I was very encouraged by this behaviour as I knew that sooner or later it would become chilly down there out of the sun and would come up to the pathside shrubs and bask. And so it did, repeating the pattern several times, though it carefully selected dappled sunny patches rather than full sunshine. It's a notable bit of behaviour, reliable in providing open-wing views unless it's too warm.
The next highlight was finding a Small Copper in amongst the Common Blues and Brown Argus - the first on my local patch this year and taking the 2017 species total here to 23. The Common Blue females seen today were very brown - one had very few blue scales...... and another had none at all that I could see.However, there were Brown Argus to contrast with them. Finally, a nice Red Admiral that made no attempt to come near me at all. Dave

Good to see the Whispering is still working dave Useful bit of behaviour to note for future use as well

Have a goodun

Wurzel

You’re certainly getting your fill of Holly Blues this year, Dave. The spring brood gave you plenty of opportunities and now the summer one is following that up!

Thank you Wurzel and David. Truth be told, the second brood of Holly Blues has been less numerous than I've been used to, but then the weather has performed a bit of a downturn since they started to emerge. However, as long as it stays reasonable for the next couple of months, I would expect a third brood again in the early autumn.

Friday 21st July: More of the same on my local patch this afternoon, though I tried to concentrate more on the Common Blues today. First of note was another new Comma, setting up a territory as if it was April. He'll wear himself out and not get round to hibernating if he carries on like he was doing.Speckled Woods are appearing again, a few Peacocks were nectaring, and after months of myriad Meadow Browns here, I finally spotted a mating pair.There were nice new examples of both sexes of Common Blue around.Examining the photo of a relatively new male after I'd returned home, I noticed that as well as a few black spots, it had orange spots at the inside corner of the upperside of its hindwings.I wish I'd noticed at the time so that I could have maybe taken some clearer shots, but nevertheless they are quite clear to see. They are exactly where the first set of orange spots would be on a female. I've posted this separately to see if anyone knows anything of this possible ab. It's certainly unlike any other Common Blue male I've seen.

Dave

Hi Dave,

Lovely shots of the male Holly Blue and interesting observation on the behaviour.

Interesting Common Blue as well...I have never seen a male with any hint of orange on the upperside of the wings either.

Cheers,

Neil.

Cracking find that Common Blue ab Dave I had a look in the Cockayne Collection - the dark spotting could make it an ab. hylasoides or ab. nigromaculata but there didn't seem to be anything resembling the orange spotting
Great Comma, and not H.Comma things have gone far too quickly this year

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks, Neil and Wurzel. It's amazing what you find going through those photos of an evening! That Common Blue is really unusual and no one has come up with a precedent for it... yet.

Sunday 23rd July: with a bit of sunshine in the forecast, I set off down to Bookham to seek out possible Brown Hairstreaks. No luck (and quite soon, no sunshine), just countless Gatekeepers on the brambles (sorry, Wurzel, Hedge Browns on the hedgerows... ). I started looking for variation in the spotting, but it seems the population of this bit of the Home Counties is very boring and none sported anything unusual. There were a couple of paler, or partially paler individuals, however. Also seen were a couple of Commas, a Small Copper, Common Blues, Meadow Browns, Ringlets and a Small Skipper. Unfortunately I missed the Painted Ladies that were around earlier when the sun was out.

However, I did meet up with Bugboy, and we resolved to try our luck at Denbies.

Dave

23rd July part two: Despite a few spots of rain initially, it proved warm and bright enough to encourage a few butterflies into the air, the problem being that they were mostly tucked down low where they couldn't be spotted - until you were right on top of them. Nevertheless, as Bugboy and I made our way across the hillside and back, a few hardy Chalkhills opened up, especially later on when for a short spell the sun actually shone brightly. There were also good numbers of Common Blues, with females varying from quite blue to very brown. The highlight was catching sight of a second brood Adonis male, a brilliant contrast to the silvery blue Chalkhills and more "ordinary" Common Blues. It did mean I missed the mating Chalkhills which Bugboy was watching. Everything always happens at the same time. Finally, there was a single worn out Marbled White, spread-eagled on a bit of scrub and displaying the red parasites that bedevil the species. A thoroughly worthwhile afternoon spent in excellent company: good to see you again, Buggy!

Dave

23rd July part three: a bit of sparse sunshine at the end of the day tempted me out locally. Nothing remarkable, though more fresh Brown Argus are appearing, and there were a few Small Heath about, something missing from the Denbies visit, strangely enough. Dave

Hi! Millard, I'm envying your Adonis I keep going to Temple Ewell looking but so far I'm not seeing them. Goldie

Given the conditions you got some decent images of that Adonis, the next time we visit we'll have to be closely studying any of the females we come across!

I had a look through the abs. list and found a name for that ''silver-studded' Chalkhill, ab. argenteoguttata (I'm glad it started with an 'A', it's a hell of a long list of abs to search through!)

Those Adonis can't be far away down in Kent, Goldie. However, I know Denbies can be quite an early site for them but this is the first time I've seen one in July even here.

Thank you, Buggy - I knew it would have a name! I'm glad you didn't have far to wade through that list to find it.

Monday July 24th: poor weather again, but a bit of sunshine at the end of the day tempted me out locally once again. Just a few minutes from home, I found a female Speckled Wood wandering in and out of the grass at the bottom of a hedge, looking for somewhere to lay. Not far above her, apparently oblivious, was a male. They really are distinctly different. Despite the fact that the new winter Commas are appearing, there are still fresh hutchinsoni examples going strong. Further on I started to worry as the path edges had been severely mown, taking lots of nettles and nectar sources away. However, next to the river, it was obviously too risky for the tractor to do so much, and a good stretch of fleabane and below it, trefoil, was untouched. As if the underline the fact, I found two new Common Blues,one of each sex. Interestingly, they paid little heed to each other.

A quick dash into the main meadow area revealed a Small Copper - there has to be a colony based near here somewhere but I haven't tracked down where it is yet. Here is a general view of the area where they have turned up recently, though I saw none here in the spring. A female Red Admiral basking between egg-laying bouts completed the outing. One thing was especially noteworthy today - the sheer volume of ripe blackberries. Why anyone is paying good money for these in a supermarket right now beggars belief. I could fill a £2 punnet in 30 seconds.

Dave

Tuesday 25th July: at last, better weather, but I was stuck at work until three. I dashed off afterwards, heading for Aston Rowant to make the most of the sunshine. It was, however, quite windy, which as ever made things a bit trickier. There was a lot flying, including a couple of elderly female DGF which dashed madly about and were chased by every other butterfly they came close to when attempting to nectar. Chalkhills were the most numerous, though Meadow Browns must have been close, and perhaps closer attention to the Brown Argus would have put them in contention too. Also on the list: Small Tortoiseshell (one - very old indeed), Marbled White (very few, but also very worn now), Gatekeeper, Small Heath, Small Copper, Common Blue, Small White, Large White, Brimstone, Peacock, Red Admiral, Comma, Small Skipper, Essex Skipper and Silver-spotted Skipper. 19 species in all. Highlights included watching a female Chalkhill being accosted right in front of me by a male and mated within 30 seconds at most - no courtship whatsoever...... others of the ilk: It was also good to see the Silver-spots nectaring characteristically on the many scabious flowers - a very attractive pose every time. They did rest elsewhere too. A selection of the best of the rest:A final postscript, as has become common for me this year: can anyone ID this attractive moth, clearly a day-flyer, but not one I think I've noticed before?A very good end to the day, with lots of sunshine.

Dave

Fantastic array of summertime Blues Dave and great Silver-spots I reckon your unknown moth could be a Dusky Sallow

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Those Silver Spotted Skippers are gleaming, Dave....in fact, just about all of your specimens are very striking, and I can't wait for the weather to break round my way so I can go and see some for myself!

David,

Enjoying your diary for July. Impressed with the number of variations on your blues. I don't think I analyse my photos closely enough (still learning).
Like the Brown Argus' too, they look lovely.

Regards Kev