www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Thanks again Wurzel for your comments, appreciated. The Speckled Wood is one i liked the most, especially as its a rarity for me to get a shot of this butterfly, or at least a nice one.

All the best, Nick.

Hi Nick,

Just briefly signing in and catching up from a very hot and humid trip to Florida.

I thought your Orange-tip pupa close ups were really first class - excellent work. I'm pleased to see the Marbled White have started to show locally. I hope you get your first Emperor soon but make sure you save me a few ...

Good hunting.

Kindest regards. Mark

Thanks Mark for your comments on my close up shots of the Orange-tip pupa, appreciated. I`m sure the Purple Emperor will still be about when you get back, as well as the Marbled White which have`nt emerged in any number as yet. I hope you are enjoying yourself out in sunny Florida, but not too much. No sign at all so far, of DG/SWF and WA locally, so you`re not missing a lot.

All the best, nick.

This green form of a Orange-tip pupa is deformed/damaged, the abdominal region of the body below the wing case should be straight, but is now bent/creased and, there could be untold damage within the pupa to the developing butterfly in the area of it`s abdomin, how this will effect the Orange-tip when it emerges in the spring, [if it does at all] is uncertain. Thanks Vince for your input, much appreciated.

June 29th

A flying visit to my local patch produced nine Wood Whites, well worn, but still lovely to see these delightful little insects still on the wing. The most numerous butterflies seen were Speckled Woods, especially along the woodland rides, and a second brood Small Tortoiseshell was seen, which was a welcome surprise, a first for a couple of years. Also showing well were Large Skippers, but not in great numbers, one mating pair in particular caught my attention, copulating on the flower, Bird`s-foot Trefoil. The only trouble though, apart from the intruding wind, blowing the flower and the mating pair all over the place was the light, with a lot of shadow, with black areas within the bodies of the courting couple.So out came the camera`s built-in-flash, which i don`t really like to use, except when i have no other option.I only managed a few shots before they parted and, went their separate ways, the result is shown below.

July 3rd
Today i found my first Ringlets of the year and, also managed to photograph my second Speckled Wood. Another 2nd brood small Tortoiseshell was seen again, now all i need is a photo, i wish, but fingers crossed, you never know whats round the corner. On my way back to the car i found another first for the year, a Small Skipper which had recently emerged, but as i was taking a picture it started to beat it`s wings, and the next thing you know, its vanished, the little blighter. Mind you, earlier in the day some very fresh Large Skippers were really obliging, which, more than made up for it.

This is the little blighter that did a vanishing trick on me, but obviously not before i managed this one shot.

And the really obliging Large Skippers...............

And early morning the following day, a lady-in-waiting..........

Lovely shots Nick - especially the mating pair of Large Skippers

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel, appreciated.

All the best, Nick.

Later that day,....sheltering from the heat of the day,..............In a shrub called BroomDown in amongst the vegetation

Chiddingfold Wood, July 7th

One butterfly that i am seeing regularly this year, even when i`m not out butterflying, is the Small Tortoiseshell, albeit in very small numbers, a butterfly i only normally see in the spring. So it seems this lovely insect is doing a lot better this year in the area where i live in general. Sooner or later i will get an open wing shot, but for now this fellow will do for starters.While i was wandering the woods on this occasion, a young Blackcap, which had just fledged the nest, made an appearance on the side of the track, staying long enough to pose for the following photo before scurrying to the other side, and disappearing into the vegetaion.

Cracking shots Nick One step closer to the open wing Small Tort, they're just teasing you now

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel thats very kind of you. You say that the Small Torts. "are just teasing me now". In my opinion, they`re taking the p..., as you would of noticed by the angle of the shot, the Small Tort. is higher up than i am tall. When he did open his wings to catch a spot of sun, all i could do was to stand and stare, so when i eventually got home, i went straight on to ebay and, ordered myself a pair of stilts, i will not be beaten.

All the best, Nick.

Chiddingfold Wood, July 7th, continued.

The butterfly i really wanted to capture on film this visit, was the beautiful Dark-green Fritillary, hopefully a closed wing photo on their favourite food source, the Thistle. After finding a male, i decided to stick with him and, just stood there and watched him going about his business, trying to locate a female in order to woo her, then mate. He searched mainly in one small area most of the time, where i had chosen to stand, occasionlly flying off to search other areas, but always returning to the small patch of vegetation in front of me. My line of thought was, that in this heat, and it was very hot, he would either have to stop for a rest, or to refuel, or both and, thats when i would get my opportunity for a photo, so an hour and a half later and, after all the failed attempts...........i managed to capture this beautiful specimen of this species..........

Hi Nick,

Beautiful photo that is just the shot that I was after but failed to get during three days in the Heddon Valley

Cheers,

Neil F.

Thanks Neil, appreciated. There are very few of these delightful butterflies on my local patch, this was one of only two seen last weekend, so sometimes i have no choice but to stay with a particular butterfly that i find but, its something i do a lot, find a small area, and just stand there and watch to see what turns up. Sometimes it pays dividends, and its nice just to watch, relax and, maybe learn something new.

All the best, Nick.

You have been taking some very good photos recently Nick (but then you already know that, don't you ). Anyway, I particularly like your DGF and the cute little Blackcap. Hope you find your female this year.

Thanks Pauline, appreciated, as for getting a photo of a female DGF, i have`nt even seen one so far this year, infact i have`nt even seen a DGF on my last two visits to my local patch, but who knows whats around the corner.

All the best, Nick.