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Gems....

Stunning.

Thank you David, the two males that myself and Mark found were certainly stunning, and made photographing them that much easier and, very pleasing on the eye.

All the best, Nick.

Some beautiful images Nick.

Cheers,

Neil F.

Thank you Neil, appreciated as always.

All the best, Nick.

Beauty and the Bug..........

lovely atmospheric PB shot!

Thanks Mike, your a true gentleman.

All the best, Nick.

Truly beautiful shots, Nick

Thanks Susie, appreciated. The beautiful deep red markings towards the lower regions of the wing undersides are rather like Small PBF than PBF, but thats nature for you.
All the best, Nick.

Last week when i was in Chiddingfold Wood on a gloomy afternoon, i decided to check on the four Orange-tip`s eggs i had found on a single plant of Mustard Garlic. As i approached the flower, now i know this is quite unbelievable, there was a very fresh female Orange-tip resting on top of the plant. Now what are the odds on that happening, a 1,000,000 to one, or more? But there it was.....

Nectaring female Orange-tips..............

Lovely shots Nick Is the final shot an aberrant - the spot on the fore wing looks huge in comparison others?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Well spotted Wurzel! I think it is ab.crassipuncta: "the discoidal spot of the forewings very large".

Cheers,

- Pete

Thank you for your kind comment on my two photos Wurzel, appreciated as always. :DAs for the female Orange-tip, i noticed the large black markings on the wings as the butterfly flew past me, so i followed her hoping she would land, and got lucky. She was also ovipositing on some Garlic Mustard just to the left of the yellow flower between bouts of nectaring. After trying to find a name for this aberration,and failing, i posted the two pictures together, [the one on the Bluebells was taken a week earlier, the ab. was photographed the day i posted] making it quite obvious that the black spots on the butterfly in the second photo, were indeed a lot larger, and hoping someone would pick up on this. Thankfully you did Wurzel. Thanks again, and all the best, Nick.

Wood Whites which emerged about three weeks late on my local patch are only being found in small numbers this year, counting only twelve on average on each visit i have made since their first appearance. Putting their numbers down by, between 50%-75% of last years count. Some parts of the wood only producing one or two individuals on a very good day, if you are lucky. So i would like to see how the second brood fairs, [which is only a partial brood] because normally you only see a third in number of the first brood average. So if only twelve were seen on average for the first brood, you are only going to see about four individuals for the second brood on any visit to this wood. I hope i am wrong. Below are two photos of a male and female.

I hope you're wrong as well Nick as I was hoping to head over for the second brood I saw my first Wood Whites last year and they were first brood so it would nice to see some second brood individuals as they are supposed to have a slightly different appearance? Lovely shots of a lovely butterfly - forest foodies they are

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Ps no worries on the ab spot I'm surprised it was me that noticed it though !

Hi Nick, some great photos, loving the Orange Tip ab. on the yellow flower, I'm not sure if Pete intended the pun but it is a 'well spotted' individual.

Cheers,

Neil F.

Thanks for the kind comments Neil, appreciated as always. I did`nt notice the pun, so well spotted,............ i just could`nt resist.
Thanks also Wurzel for you kind words, i will keep you posted regarding the 2nd brood Wood Whites, a butterfly i am quite passionate about. You mentioned the second brood WW`s being slightly different, they are Wurzel. For a start they are a lot cleaner,a lack of grey on the wing`s undersides, especially the males, as shown in the photo below.I have seen them whiter than this, and also a very light creamy colour, they also have a lack of hair in the upper leg region compared to the first brood. The black markings on the upperside wing-tips of the females are very faint, or absent, as in the next photo.This a first brood female, but the upper wings are very typical second brood WW, and the black markings on the male`s upper wings are darker than that of the first brood males.Upperside of a second brood male.
All the best to you both, Nick.

Hi Nick.

Some extremely useful observational comments about a species I know you are both passionate and knowledgable.

I particularly like the wing close-up in the last picture

Great stuff.

Kind regards. Mark