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Lovely photo's Nick, I've yet to see a Wood White, may be this year! We don't seem to get them up here, least ways I've not heard of any Goldie

Thanks Mark, your comments are always appreciated. I am pleased that you liked the close-up of the male`s upper wing photo, as it is my favourite picture of a WW, its actually in the act of copulating, and changed the way i looked at butterflies photographiclly.
Thank you for your kind comment on the Wood White photos Goldie, if you ever decide to visit Chiddingfold Wood on your travels to see this beautiful butterfly, let me know and, i will be more than happy to show you around.
All the best to you both, Nick.

I have got to hand it to you.............On my way back to the car, after another visit to my local patch i found this little fellow roosting on this fistful of Bracken furls.

The Dingy Skippers are, in this area doing well,
But the wind was high and, strong, as it would blow,
So, the Skippers kept themselves.......so low,
Presenting the shot, that would`nt go down.......so well.

Not sure where Chiddington Wood is Nick, must be South, I don't know a lot of places down south, I usually go to Kent alot to family. If I go to Dorset for instance I've to look things up before I set off I'll look it up on Maps, this way I'll be able to see it as well Goldie

I have sent you a PM Goldie, on how to get to Chiddingfold Wood.

Lie-over.............

Cracking shots Neil - how do you get Dingies to stay so still? Looking through your reports really makes me want to see Wood White again

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel, the Dingies were`nt that easy, its just a game of patience. The wind was quite blowy, so they were keeping low, when i wanted them elevated, landing on the dead Hard Heads for a nice easy picture, would they play ball? no. But i persevered. By the way, i did`nt know i had changed my name.

All the best, Nick.

Sorry Nick One of the dangers of typing on an iPod - titchy keypad and rubbish predictive text For a time there it kept trying to change my name to Surely

Have a goodun

Wurzel

As if there is not enough Neils on this forum already....

Cheers,

Neil F.

Early to bed.............late to rise........I watched this individual go to roost just before five on a sunny afternoon, other butterflies were still flying over an hour later. Going back early the following day i saw an early flying Wood White, shortly followed by Dingy Skippers and a Green Hairstreak. But this Brimstone and another one i found low in a small bush, were`nt in a hurry to get up.........

Springhead Hill, 1st June

A late afternoon visit to this small but beautiful butterfly site with my very good friend Mark Colvin, to photograph the Small blue, produced a good number of these tiny insects. Some in good condition, some not so good...............after a short time looking we soon found a couple high up on some grass stems and, in nice condition.............well worth the visit.........

Here are a few photos depicting two stages of the Orange-tip larva, which i rescued from the council`s mowers. I did`nt` do this to monitor the life cycle of this insect,[well i do have to look on it now and again, its only natural] but just to have the satisfaction of seeing it fly off into the countryside next spring, when really it would`nt have without my intervention. I had originally taken two eggs, but the second egg had a shadow in the middle of it and, eventually the caterpillar that survived ate it, along with the seed pod it was on.This is the first photo i took,and it is about 15mm in length, and is about one-two weeks old. The larva is actually resting just above the empty egg membrane it emerged from, [pure luck that it was sitting just there when i took the picture].The next photos were taken on the same day, three days after the first picture. Today the caterpillar now about 25mm in length, left its Garlic Mustard stem to go walk-about, so now i have given him/her some sticks, which the larva is now inspecting, regularly going up and down, doing whatever they do to make sure that the stick is just right for them.

Sunday, June 9th

I had decided to get up early today [5 o`clock] for my visit to Denbies, on the North Downs, Surrey, to photograph the Adonis and Common Blues roosting, and then later when the sun made a appearance get some open wing shots. I arrived at 6.40am and, was finding my first roosting butterfly a few minutes later. I thought i only had a couple of hours of cloud before the skies would clear and then sun would show itself. So i tried to find as many roosting Common and Adonis Blues as possible for the closed wing photo, hoping to find one or two in the right pose for my camera, well five hours later i was still photographing sleepy butterflies tucked away in the vegetation. The sun was`nt showing, and i had to visit family mid-afternoon, so it was of home, only slightly disapointed that i did`nt get any open wing shots, maybe next time. Below are two photos of a male and female Common Blue.

Super Common Blue shots, Nick.

I do like a Lycaenid on a grass stem. The female is my favourite

Good hunting.

Kindest regards. Mark

Thank you for your kind comment Mark, a butterfly that i neglected last year, but that was mainly due to the poor showing of this beautiful insect locally with only a handful seen. This year i have`nt seen one on any of the local sites, so that was the reason for the Denbie trip, to put things right and, i`m sure another trip is on the cards in the next few days, weather permitting.
Thanks again, all the best, Nick.

Denbies continued.

Having found a dozen or more male Adonis Blues, i was quite disappointed in the colour of the wing undersides, as the last time i photographed these insects it was the second brood in 2011 and, the males wing undersides were quite stunning. The difference in colouration of these first brood butterflies were quite staggering, or at least to me with my limited knowledge of this beautiful insect, as this was my first experience of capturing the first brood of this species on film. I have posted three photos below depicting three very fresh individual males, the 1st, a dirty looking butterfly, which looks as if it urgently requires a bath, the 2nd, is light brown in colour and, the 3rd, a darker brown to the underwings.

Lovely shots Nick I know what you mean about the difference in appearance between the first and second brood and I think that the second brood is also more "showy" on the topside to.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks for the comments Wurzel, and the acknowledgement on the wing undersides of the Adonis Blue. I was expecting something more like this little fellow, such beauty, but i live and learn.

Denbies.........female and male Adonis Blues......