www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

That is one tired looking Painted Lady Goldie looks like how I feel at the moment

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hello Goldie ,
For me ,your Pale Painted Lady is a warn AB;Pallens ,Rivoldini has posted a couple recently ,one in the July Sightings and another in the August sightings ………………………………..Excellent ……….nice find !! Regards Allan.W.

Hi! Wurzel, I thought it was tired looking but Allan thinks it's an ab ! It certainly looked to be in one piece I just thought it was faded, I didn't get the chance to take any more phots I just got the one it was so quick.

Hi! Allan, I hope your right, I can add it to my ab list If it is ,my Garden has certainly done well this Summer, makes up for the fractured foot Goldie

I hop it turns into an aberrant for you Goldie - it certainly lacks the peachy colour

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Just catching up with your diary Goldie - I've not had much chance to get on the computer lately. That rain was something special wasn't it! Love the photos you took before it came, hard to pick a favourite but I do like the Holly Blue. And what a year it seems to be for the Painted Ladies! Hope the weather picks up again soon.
Janet

Your PD's been a riot of colour lately, Goldie. I'm especially envious of that fresh-looking female Holly Blue.

Bet you were chuffed to bits to see that?

Hi! Wurzel, I hope so too It would add some thing to the year at least.

Hi! Janet, Many thanks , It's been unusual this year seeing so many different Butterflies in the garden all at once, I'd seen the Holly Blue a few times and it hadn't stayed long enough for any shots, then another one turned up and they flew around together like Butterflies do, it was just after this that this one arrived , I'd just time for a couple of shots before it took off again
The weather's been awful over the last couple of days but I've still seen Butterflies in-between the showers when the Sun was out.
By the way Brown Hair Streaks have been seen at Gait Barrow, unfortunately I can't get there this year.

Hi! David, you wouldn't believe how many times in the last few weeks I've tried to get a shot of one that's opened it's wings fully I'm still trying!! I hope the weather picks up soon

Saturday was an awful day , the wind was scary at times but we missed the worse of it here with Cumbria seeing the worse of it.
Yesterday was another miserable day, the Sun showing itself briefly between the rain showers, it's amazing though the Small Whites were taking advantage of this even though the flowers were full of water, when I saw a Peacock also taking advantage of the short spell I was surprised I hurried in and grabbed my camera for a quick shot Goldie

Great shot of the Peacock Goldie It looks like the minute the sun comes out so do the butterflies - mind you at the moment they have to; looks like they've got just as little idea about what's going to happen to the weather as the forecasters Fingers crossed that things settle down soon and the Jet Stream gets back on course

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi! Wurzel, the weather was awful yesterday until 1-30pm and than the Sun broke through, although still cloudy at times ( which helped getting some shots ) the Butterflies were every where again, I'm hoping today I'll see more again.

Yesterday the first to appear were the SW's still up to their mating tricks The Painted Ladies looked in good coditon and landed on the ground a lot before flying up to the Buddleia. Speckies were also flying, one in particular made me laugh, hugging the my sliding door when ever the cloud arrived I also managed a shot of a Large White before it took off.
My biggest surprise was to find a Holly Blue on the Lavender, has I watched it a cloud came over the Sun and it shot into my Camellia bush , I followed it and waited until the Sun came out again and got a partial open wing shot they seem to be regular visitors these days. All in all not a bad day after all.Goldie

In the garden today this little frog jumped out and was just missed by the lawn mower, I picked it up and put into one of the bird bath's I keep on the ground, it enjoyed that for while before taking off.

I also took more shots of the Painted lady and the first Red Admiral for a few days flew in but it was again the Small Whites who took over the Garden arriving every few min's Once again they were in the mating mood Goldie

A cracking set of shots Goldie especially the first translucent looking Holly Blue Also great sequence of the Small Whites failed courtship Hopefully the weather will start to improve next week so might get a bit of lengthy summer weather rather than this one nice day a few not so good cycle that we seem to be in at the moment

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi! Wurzel, I thought you might like that shot!! The weather todays been awful, it's never stopped raining and the weekend
doesn't seem any better, the forecast for next week seems much better, I may pay Brockholes CP at Preston a visit Goldie

Some nice shots there Goldie! Especially the Holly Blues of course... I was up in your part of the world last week visiting Arnside for the day to see the Scotch Argus - I'd completely forgotten that there are Brown Hairstreaks at Gait Barrows or I'd have detoured for a look. I passed the sign for Brockholes on the M6 too - is it far off the motorway? That might be another side trip on a future visit...

Cheers,

Dave

Love those images of the Small Whites, Goldie. Keep persevering with the Holly Blues - you'll crack it sooner or later!

Hi! Dave, sorry you didn't get to Gait Barrow, I went last year and we never saw a one and we were in a group looking for them
Brockholes is right next to the M6 , if your coming back from the lakes just follow the signs for Brockholes. It's easier to visit going up to the Lakes, it's just following the signs at the roundabout and turning left at the lights. there is a charge of five pounds for the day though.
You won't see any fritillaries there but the White and Purple Hair Streaks are there at the entrance to Bolton Woods.

Hi! David, the little devils keep eluding me I still keep trying though Glad you liked the White's there's been loads of them in the Garden this year, let's hope the weather's better next week.

Today was a rough day for Butterflies, it rained this morning and when the Sun did finally come out the wind was blustery and cool, definitely cardigan weather I did see more Whites and the Painted ladies were still about I counted three but what really caught my eye was this tiny White Butterfly with the very dark colouring more than I've seen before, it could be the time of year for it's size but the darkness of it really stood out.
I took a shot of it while the Sun was out and then it moved onto some Nettles, ( I always keep some at the bottom of the Garden
next to the Hydrangea ) when the cloud came it looked even darker. Goldie

That's a beautifully marked Small White, Goldie. I don't think I've ever seen one with that black suffusion on the forewing before.

It certainly caught my eye David , I'd never seen any marks like that on Small White before and the Butterfly was half the size of the Small White has well. Goldie

I don't know what happened but my post didn't seem to get through the other day Goldie so I'll try and remember what i wrote and try again I think it went something along the lines of...

That is a stunning looking butterfly Goldie - but more of a grey than a white I don't know if round your way you enjoyed the heatwave but I seem to recall that the tone o a butterfly can be influenced by temperature and I just read on Guy Padfields PD that the smaller size could also be due to the heat (if you got it up there that is)

Have a goodun

Wurzel

HI! Wurzel, thanks for your post, Vince has put the Butterfly in the Species album I think because of the dark markings, i've seen small Butterflies before but never as small as this one was, it was half the size and the markings really dark.

I was at my Daughters for most of that heat wave because of my foot but the neighbours said it was hot here but they still had rain at times.

I don't know about your Garden Wurzel but every thing in mine is twice as big as last year I've had to hire a gardener to help me with it, he's been really good and kept it tidy.
Of course I've been in there too ( supervising ) Goldie

I'd love to be able to report that the plants in my garden are Triffid like but I only have a tiny concrete courtyard; not even enough room to grow some tomatoes, we can only just fit in the wood store and the bins Still one day I'll buy my own wood to make up for it

Have a goodun

Wurzel