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Delightful, Andrew. I've never known so many high quality images of Orange Tips as this year.

Cheers David. For myself I have definitely tried to make the most of them this year.

Very kind of you Wurzel, a lucky find for sure!

Cheers

Beautiful Photographs Andrew I love to see Orange Tips on Blue Bells, fantastic, Goldie

Thanks a lot Goldie, me too!

7th & 14th April 2019 - Wiston

A small selection from a couple of visits to the roadside meadow at the Sussex village of Wiston.

The site itself.
First order of business, check every flower head.
It was here I found my first ever OT pairing.
I've seen this a few times now recently.
On a rather breezy day, did this OT choose this perch for shelter and stability, or was it just chance ?
Cheers.

Fantastic set of shots Andrew I still need to find a mating pair to add to my 'collection' and time seems to be running out for this season

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Great image of the mating pair, Andrew. There are so many about this year that I'm surprised more of us haven't captured this...still time though!

Lovely Butterfly shots Andrew, a mating pair has well, I've yet see see a Female OT Goldie

Thank you Wurzel, David and Goldie. Best of luck with your spotting!

19th April 2019 - Lullington Heath

I was fairly certain the Small Coppers would now be out at Lullington Heath, so a trip to East Sussex was in order.


Tappity-tap from above on the walk up, a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
I made my way to this area, my main hunting ground, and straight away saw the first Copper. Brilliant!
In total I counted around 15, including no less than 3 pairs in cop.
Also about were Brimstone, Grizzled Skipper, Green Hairstreak, Small White and a male Orange-tip passing through.
And this Peacock, who I thought looked in pretty good nick.
Some other insect life, a quick internet search tells me this Hoverfly could be Syrphus ribesil or Syrphus vitripennis.
Down one of the rides of next door Friston Forest, it was nice to see this Greenstreak on a Bluebell.
A very enjoyable day, thanks Lullington!

Cheers

Some fantastic shots there Andrew, I like the Hair Streak on the Blue Bell best though Goldie

Great stuff Andrew Three pairs of Small Coppers in cop I've never seen or photographed one pair That is a sublime Greenstreak shot

Have a goodun

Wurzel

What a wonderful image of the mating Small Coppers, Andrew. 9.9/10 for that one. Then you go and get a Green Hairstreak on a bluebell....

....I'm creased with envy.

Just trying to catch up with some diaries. Some great shots recently Andrew, Ornage-tip, mating coppers, Green Hairstreaks on Bluebell, your diary is positively dripping in Spring at the moment

Green Hairstreaks do have a liking for bluebells! A very nice shot, Andrew.

Dave

Hi Goldie, thanks! It is a striking colour combination.

Thanks Wurzel, they weren't wasting any time that's for sure! If I see any more I'll send 'em your way!

Thanks David. Luck was with me for those Coppers, they didn't have their wings open for very long and were moving around. They seemed more comfortable with wings shut.

Cheers Bugboy. Isn't it a great feeling to be out and about this time of year seeing such sights!

Thanks Dave, never caught one up till now!

April 2019 - Billingshurst

A few more shots from my April Billingshurst visits.


I don't think I've seen damage quite like this before, on this Orange-tips wing. Was it caused by a bird, the claws maybe ? I don't know, I would have thought there would be more tearing, any ideas welcome. It wasn't holding him back any.
I found this female Speckled Wood in the middle of one the meadows. She wasn't very active, sitting in the grass or occasionally nectaring. She looked in beautiful condition, do you think she might have emerged that very morning ? The shots were taken around 11:00am.
I was following an Orange-tip male across the meadow, hoping he might stop for a bit, when he disturbed two white butterflies in cop. Great! I thought, I'll wait till they settle and get some shots. They apparently had other ideas! Flying up, and up, and up, alighting at the very top of a meadowside tree. Foiled!
100% crop, Small Whites ?
Orange-tip male and Green-veined White. Of course at the time I completely failed to notice the OT eggs.
Cheers.

A great set of shot with a lot of interest. In reverse order -I'd go for Small Whites too . Next up I reckon you're right about the Speklie as she looks immaculate, not a hair or scale out of place Now for the biggy...it looks almost like those two holes have been hole-punched through the wing, it could be a bird claw strike but I'd have thought that the holes wouldn't have been that clean, there would have been some tearing? The rest of the wing looks pretty messed up as well almost as if there were two slightly different fore wings fused together if you see what I mean A bit of a poser but all the more interesting a shot because of it

Have a goodun

Wurzel

What a great image of the Green Veined White, Andrew. Not been too many on my patch so far this year so I need to put a bit more effort in.