www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

HI,All
Two Red Admirals on the wing at Horsted Keynes today torn between rapid flight and frequent stops
to sunbathe.Maybe my friendly Christmas competition might have plenty of entrants at this rate !!.
TREVOR.

HI All ,
One Butterfly species we don't have here in Sussex is the Marsh Fritillary, and as i had never seen one
i made it my target species this year.Consulting the Dorset and Wiltshire BC.websites 40 were reported
at Cotley Hill.So on May 20th i left home at dawn hoping to catch them before they warmed up.
Which i did by the skin of my teeth as a warning light came on in the car near Wilton ,ruining the day
because i cut the visit short in case it was something serious with the car .
As soon i arrived at the base of the hill i saw my first ever Marsh Fritillary, then another,and another and so on
they were every where ! i was thinking this is supposed to be a rare Butterfly!.Anyway i took lots of shots and
as a bonus i had a Small Blue on my shoe,and a Green Hairstreak on my shirt.
In all a lovely day out,and that warning light never came on again.
TREVOR

Lovely photo's of the Marsh Fritillary Trevor, I've only ever seen once but it was well worth the visit, Goldie

A great day out that Trevor, just what we all need once in a while

I particularly like the Green Hairstreak on clothing!

Marsh Frits are almost a bore for me (they're outside my house).

Lovely photos of the March Fritillaries Trevor.
I'm hoping to see my first Marsh Frits in 2015. A trip to the Dorset (2012) and Gloucester (this year) yielded nothing as the weather gods completely scuppered my chances. I think I will travel down on the back of a last minute weather forecast next time, as opposed to a pre planned holiday.
They certainly look worth waitign for.

Regards Kev

HI Kev,
Cotley Hill was a real hot spot for Marsh Fritillary this year,and the weather was perfect.
I understand that this Butterfly can boom one year and crash the next,so a keen eye on the
BCwebsites is a good idea. Glad you enjoyed my shots.
All the best,
TREVOR

Great shots Trevor, really like the Greenstreak on clothing

Have a goodun

Wurzel

HI All,
More shots from 2013.
Quite near home there is a wonderful site for Dark Green Fritillaries,which in 2013, were very abundant.
this site is also host some spectacularly marked females, some of which could be mistaken for another species!.
Also last year a friend introduced me to a known White Letter Hairstreak site, and luckily we saw six and
both sexes were present.Several visits to the same site this year produced nothing.

Love the White-letter Hairstreak images - super captures.

Cracking shots of the DGFs and Whitters When you say 'a known site' would you be able to share the info as I'm always ont eh look out for Whitters sites as they're so lofty usually?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Love the WHS Trevor, it's a species I've got to see yet Goldie

Some super images, Trevor. it looks like you found the White Admirals and SWF quite fresh in 2013.
At Bookham Common, Surrey in 2013 and 2014 I have found that the Silver Washed Fritillary can be quite elusive when the males first emerge, becoming easier to photograph once the females emerge but after this some males quite quickly lose their fresh appearance.
Best wishes,
Philip

The Pearls of Abbots Wood.
HI All
This year, as usual I went to Abbots Wood for the Pearl Bordered Fritillary, I don't go there to count them them
but it is noticeable that their numbers are in decline, the most seen in one day was about fifteen. well below
say that of five years ago.Is the reason down to three bad winters,over grown rides,or the lack of new arrivals
to add to the gene pool.There is not another population for miles around. lets hope i'm wrong and 2015 is a
bumper year!.
TREVOR.

HI All,
Late this summer I was invited to witness the maiden flight of a Continental Swallowtail,that had emerged
the night before.The sight of it was something to behold,I would liken it to seeing the Purple one for the first
time, I doubt If I will have such a close encounter again.

TREVOR

Lovely photo Trevor I've yet to see the Purple Emperor, may be next year Goldie

HI All,
After some more tutoring, I have uploaded some images of Silver Studded Blues unaided!! .
These shots were taken this June at Iping common near Midhurst .Unlike last year we found our quarry quite easily.
2014 was our first visit to this site,after searching in vein for some while we saw an elderly gentleman walking
in our direction. I asked him if he knew where we could find some SSBs,yes he said,there's one down there
pointing near to my right foot .
TREVOR.

A hot summers day at Beckley Wood,
Little did I know it ,but the JCB just visible in the Red Admiral shot, would later bulldoze the site where most
of these lmages were taken,right down to bare earth! How much wildlife destruction took place can't be
calculated. We were told it was in preparation for timber extraction.

HI All,

As the Purple Emperor season waned we went back to Botany Bay on 1st Aug. this year for the second brood of
Wood Whites and they were quite plentiful and all very fresh. By late afternoon we could stop chasing them
as they became more settled, allowing very close approach. Courting and mating was taking place all around us.
One of the most enjoyable days this year.

Lovely Wood Whites Trevor - a species I missed out this year

Have a goodun

Wurzel