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Hi Goldie,

That is a nice summer brood female Holly Blue, even if she does look a bit small

Neil F.

Thanks Neil, I've looked for her in the garden but without luck, I supose it's abit late for her now. It would be great if she'd left some eggs behind. My garden has no holly in it so I don't think she will have but my neighbour has a large Holly Bush, so hope fully I'll see some more HB next year. How can you tell it's a Female by the way

The weather today has been awful we've had abit of every thing Hale, Rain, at one point I thought snow During a break where we got abit of sun the Small Tortoise shell's were out but playing it safe on our garage roof, sitting in the Sun with a quick route into our Garage roof tiles when it rained That's what it looked like any way.

Yesterday was much cooler but it didn't deter this Red Admiral (only My 2nd this year so far) from trying to feed. We went for a short walk and spotted it. Thats the only Butterfly we saw yesterday. Hope the weather picks up later this week it looks so nice down South Goldie

Hi Goldie,

You can tell your Holly Blue is female by the thick black borders to her wings, males don't have those.

And by the way, summer brood females usually lay their eggs on the flower heads of Ivy.....no idea why they are not called Ivy Blues

Neil F.

I'm learning all the time Neil I won't forget to look for that dark shading from now on. Incidently you've got some fantastic photo's in your Dairy. I wish some of those Painted Ladies would come north I myself will be going South shortly but not until October 7th, I'm going to Kent again. I don't supose many BF will be about then.
We were in Dorset in May. I think it has to be my favorite County, can't wait to go back there Goldie

"I think it has to be my favourite County" You've just cheered this Dorsetian right up

Love the shot of the Small Tort

Have a goodun

Wurzel

The weather as been awful here in Greater Man, the only nice day was yesterday when I managed to get a shot of a Small Tortoiseshell in the Back Garden. We've had Gale force winds, rain, and today promises to be no differant. I've seen no Red Admiral's since I took my last photo, can't wait to go South in October, just maybe I'll see some thing
The weather man on the tele this morning nearly got a shoe thrown at him when he said, " Well I think it's the end of our Indian Summer," I don't think it even started up North Ah Well! we can't control the weather, thank goodness for my shot of the STS yesterday Goldie I took the shots with my Noise switch on this time hope they look better Goldie

Goldie M wrote:The weather man on the tele this morning nearly got a shoe thrown at him when he said, " Well I think it's the end of our Indian Summer," I don't think it even started up North

You're not alone 'up north', Goldie.

This has been my first free weekend since July and I've been itching to get out. However, in south Wales all we saw yesterday was cloud and today it started raining like it does in November.

Gorgeous Tortoiseshells, Goldie. Isn't it strange how nature can get away with colour 'clashes' that we couldn't wear or use to decorate our houses!

Mike

Cracking shots of the Small Tort - Mikes' right Orange and Pink, what was it thinking someone call Gok

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Take heart,Goldie! I think there will still be plenty of Commas and Red Admirals,plus a few others,when you arrive in October,given reasonable weather. Away from the downs,there are probably more butterflies around the countryside now,than there have been all summer!

Thanks everyone for your comments sorry I took so long to answer, I was out in the garden trying to get as close has I could to more STS.( I took your advice Mike) Yes the colour does clash, this next time they've gone with yellow
Seems your weather is as bad has ours David, I'm just glad about Essexbuzzard saying the weather in Kent will be good in October I'm looking forward to that now and more Butterfly shots. Thanks again everyone for your comments, Wurzal, I always look forward to seeing your photo's Goldie

Goldie M wrote: Seems your weather is as bad has ours David

It's brightened up now, Goldie, but the temperature's dropped to a mere 14c!!!

Summer is truly over.

It was yesterday 19th that we finally got some Sunshine and of course showers but like you said David only 14c.
We decided to go to Blackpool and I've put a couple of shots in of the sea, no good I thought for Butterflies but I'd my camera along just in case. We ended up in Fleetwood Country Park where it's more sheltered and to my suptise saw about six or seven STS feeding on Autum Glory. The shots I took were close up shots. I thought they would look good but I'm abit dissapointed . The close or Micro has it's called is suposed to have noise built into it for close range shots but I think the photo's look less sharp than my others, at least I saw some STS Butterflies though, not sure what is the best photo's now though Goldie ( I've put in a couple I took in My garden using P on my Camera (Programed Auto) this seems to have made them abit on the dark side, this also has noise built in, I give up Gloldie, The latter are on the yellow flowers.

Well we may have all the Commas and Red Admirals down south,but you folks seem to have most of the Small Torts! Although i have seen the odd one or two since late August,an improvement on before, they seem more abundant with you, so maybe things aren't so bad for you guys after all. Given the spring and summer we've had,thats got to be a bonus.

It's certainly is a Bonus Essex Buzzard, it would be even better to see more Red Admiral's as well though (Greedy) I'm waiting for tomorrow the weather is supose to be much better and I know if we've got any more Just where they feed. I found this Ginnel between the houses last year , sheltered and full of Ivy, they were there right up to late October . I've got so many Photo's of STS even my Computers moaning. lets hope I can top up with RA Goldie

The Small Tort on the yellow flower looks great, the yellow really beings out the blue markings on the wing margins

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzal, I thought they looked too dark I keep using differant ways camera wise to get a better effect, I took some yesterday which I've to sort yet, but I think the effect the flower makes with the Butterfly( in this case a Speckled wood) to me, it makes the photo, like the Yellow flower did for the STS. I'll put the shot up when I've taken it off the Memmory card Goldie

Finally done my photo's, they were all taken in my back garden,22nd Sept the best day we've had for a while. The Weather as gone slowly down hill since then, not too worry we could still get some nice days yet (I'm forever the optomist) Goldie

I went to my local Garden centre yesterday, It was a suprise when I got there to see so many STS Butterflies, Whites also I should have taken my camera there The weather has been horrid I feel so sorry for the poor folk's living near to rivers who have got flooded, although we've had it bad here at least we've stayed fairly dry. I thought that most of the BF would have been washed away, so I was pleased to see so many yesterday, today so far I've only seen one STS I'll have to go back to the Garden Centre. Goldie

Goldie M wrote:I should have taken my camera there

I often take my camera to the local garden centre I even photographed a White-letter Hairstreak there, once.

Mike