www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Just looking at the moth in your previous post Wurzel, I had to look it up as it is one I have never seen myself, Four-dotted Footman I believe.

Cheers,

Neil

Cheers Neil That's the fella, I've seen one before (and probably posted it on UKB ) but I'd forgotten what it was

Work 15-06-2021

As the GCSE marking, sampling, inputting of data and the endless reams of paperwork were almost completed I took another lunch time off and headed out towards the Pits. It seemed like the heat was keeping the butterflies down and apart from a Mother Shipton this little section was very quiet although judging by the height of the grasses and the flower buds almost set to burst forth that could all change in a few days and there could be Meadow Browns, Marbled Whites, Ringlets and golden skippers. I can’t wait!

I cracked on and made my way through the line of trees but the Specklie wasn’t waiting for me after line of trees today. In order for a fair comparison with yesterday I kept to the path on the way down the field and counted only those butterflies that were about a metre on either side of the path. By the time I’d reached the end of the field to turn round I’d counted 17 Small Heath and 3 male Large Skippers which seem to have divided the path up into their own domains. Some of the Small Heath paused for a few shots but I didn’t try too hard on the way out as I was eager to not let the butterflies sneak past me and end up being double counted. On the way back, count done I was able to pause for longer and then the Small Heaths started playing up, flying in and buzzing a Large Skipper when it was perfectly posed and I was perfectly poised or scrapping with its mates. After all the comings and goings I stepped back through the line of trees and all was serene with only a Red Admiral fly by near the Primary School and a Small Tortoiseshell near the Nursery to momentarily pause the peace. All in all a pleasant 20 minutes or so topping up the vitamin D.

Skippers in the sun
Time away from paperwork
With scrapping Small Heaths
Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Work 17-06-2021

With the GCSE evidence, paperwork and grades submitted I desperately needed to get out at lunch to clear my head and decompress (I think that’s what they call it?). It didn’t look too promising when I looked out of the window when I stepped outside the block it was still plenty warm enough and the lack of glaring sun would hopefully make the butterflies better behaved. It started predictably enough with a/the Mother Shipton zipping way from my lens before I had a chance to approach it. Then a Large Skipper hove into view. This one did behave and settled down on a Hawkbit leaf in the standard three quarter/X-wing position. As it relaxed further it lowered its hind wings flat onto the leaf and I realised that I’d never really noticed how round they were before. Leaving the chilling skipper I continued on my way across the grasses and the concrete run of the old Pits. A really dark and flappy butterfly took to the air, a Meadow Brown which I followed with my eyes only until it disappeared down among the grasses. It thought that it had escaped but I managed to spy it out as the tall blades of grass (and I mean tall some of them are almost up to my chest now) and then use those same grasses as a screen so that I could work my way round and get side on to the butterfly and position my lens so as to get an unobstructed view. With a few shots taken I again left it where it was and continued on my way but I only made it a short distance further into the Pits as yet another Meadow Brown did its slow motion, floppy eruption. From here it was round the large Bramble, a Small White passed by and I found a couple of Large Skippers. One of which was adopting an interesting pose. It was holding its forewings flat to its hind wing and pointing slightly back. It’s something I can’t recall seeing before. So that was the Pits and things were going pretty well. As I broke through the line of tress to the fields a/the Specklie flew at me and then around and it landed on the patch of bramble in the corner. As I approached and took a few shots I noticed a weird blob on a leaf behind it. I took a few record shots and then turned my attention back to the Specklie. The Specklie then made off, doubtless to check the rest of its territory, so I reverted my gaze to the blob. It looked to be a Crane Fly laying on its back with its jaws clamped around the ‘neck’ of and its legs encasing the thorax and legs of another fly. They made a right gruesome twosome! The path along the side of the field held only 6 Small Heath today but the numbers of Large Skippers had stayed stale at three. I only did the transect one way so it’s possible that there were many more Small Heath just out of sight and beyond the meter or so that I was looking at. What I did notice was that the Small Heath seemed to like to sit on the much shorter turf and then as I approached they’d dart away to the much long sward to either the left of right. With time pressing I turned about and headed back directly mainly keeping my eye out for anything different from the Heaths and Skippers but alas there wasn’t anything and even the Specklie had failed to return to its post. Back in the Pits the Large Skippers were again throwing that unusual pose and I spotted a third Meadow Brown to add to the tally. Right at the end of the long turf the Mother Shipton finally agreed to have a few photos taken of it. So ended a much needed breather! A gruesome twosome
And Meadow Browns are on the scene
Plus odd posed Skipper

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

I was out at Shipton today with Millerd and Trevor and a cracking day it was too! Trevor suggested that I come home and post immediately but the best I could do was this image from below as a taster of things to come (at the rate I'm going, around Christmas time ) Vernditch 21-06-2021

I had been looking forward to this trip all weekend as it would be an escape from all the household jobs, shopping trips, meal prep and actual Work work. However as we drove out the weather stayed grey and dull and showery but more out of force of habit than in any great hope I carried my camera as we set off up the rise along the hardcore path. Due to the recent wet weather we didn’t take the usual turning to the right and instead pressed on the main track which terminates at the entrance to Kitts Grave. About 10metres away from the gate I spotted a Butterfly Orchid looking a little past its best but still identifiable.
1 506
Pleased with this and thinking that this could be the only ‘butterfly’ I would see we carried on through the gate, down the small path hemmed in on both sides by tall vegetation and then came out onto the patches of grassland which encircle the small woodland copses and spinneys. As we broke from the cover so did a blue butterfly. In the dull light I couldn’t work out what it was but luckily I saw it land and managed a few record shots which showed it to be an aged Common Blue. There were also good number of Orchids here all Common but in a variety of shades of pinky purple depending upon the density of spotting. Round through the wood and round along the path that runs parallel to the Blandford Road we went with only a Sally Snail – one of the giant edible ones – for company. It was as I’d expected, possibly too cool, probably too wet and definitely too dull for butterflies. As we made the next right turn that would take us past little fields and scallops before arriving back where we’d started at the gate to Kitts Grave the rain dwindled to nothing and there was even a slight brightening. As the path opened up on my left hand side onto a small field I scanned across looking for brightly coloured flower tops amongst the straw and pale green background that would signify another Orchid. What I hadn’t expected was a big dark ginger beastie glowing in the gloom. It was my first DGF of the season and so I tried approaching it. It was a few metres into the field and by the time I reached it my jeans were sodden from the knees down but it was worth it for some shots of a lovely fresh DGF. The butterfly had other plans and took off when I was only half way towards it. As it did so it flushed some Meadow Browns (which made a nice change from the more usual other way round) and another DGF that went off like a mortar shell. It set off a chain reaction and in the end I’d watched as a further 4 DGFs, 8 Meadow Browns and 5 Small Heath had all been set off and flushed up. I tired my best to follow a couple of them but in the end settled for watching one which luckily reached the hedge that bordered the field and then did a U-turn before flying on slightly past be and going to ground. With a bit of careful stalking I got in close enough for a few shots and one reasonably close one before I was called back to join the family. When the path reached the section of miniature valleys I once again diverged from the family walk and in the first section spied three individuals and managed to photograph 2. The first was less flightly and I wasn’t too sure if the open wing shots would come out as it was vibrating its wings. The small areas of scratching and light damage made me wonder if this more to get the body temperature up than pumping haemolymph into it wings? I also managed a couple closed wing side on shots from distance and then it became much more amenable after a short flight. The second took a while to come round and spent some of the time hiding away in the grass. Eventually it came round even crawling onto my hand at one point while I was trying to delicately manipulate blades of grass out of the way. After a week flutter from my hand I left it in peace. I’d lost track of time and so had to run to catch up with the other but even as I did I spotted a couple more DGFs flying over the grass tops back near the start of the reserve where I’d seen the blue earlier. So what a fabulous little trip despite the gloom!
A rainy trip out
Despite this find the Dark Greens
Ginger lit the grass

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Your 'blob' from the previous post is curious. The victim is a Sawfly of some sort, the other fly I can't work out at all, superficially resembling a Cranefly but since none are carnivorous as an adult it can't be...

Edit: Dioctria linearis, the Yellow-legged Robber Fly

That's some 'taster' shot, Wurzel What a stunning female Brown Hairstreak Christmas it is then for the full report

I've tried (and failed!) not to look at your "taster" Brown Hairstreak as I've not gone through my images yet and was trying to avoid spoilers... She's a lovely one, no mistake about that. That was a great day out despite the relative lack of sunshine: good to see you and Trevor again.

Lovely DGF too, Wurzel. They can be very amenable to human contact when the sun is in for a while and seem happy to sit on your hand. I think that maybe they (and other butterflies too) appreciate the warmth being radiated as it helps raise their body temperature to the level at which their flight muscles can work properly.

Cheers,

Dave

Cracking shots of the DGF's, particularly the underside shots.
They must one of the hardest species to coax on to a finger!.

Your spoiler shot is just the start of what I am sure will be three
posts from three individuals all with similar images!.

It was indeed a great day at Shipton B, great company, the weather
was nearly what we ordered, and a good showing of our quarry, PLUS !
an immaculate, totally unexpected female Wall Brown.

Sincere thanks to you and Dave for a wonderful day.

Stay safe,
Trevor.

Cheers Bugboy Thanks for the ID, I didn't have a barney what but was and as you say Craneflys aren't carnivores so I was clueless
Cheers Mike Yep Christmas it is, I start making headway and then we get a few days of good weather and I end up even further behind It's actually pretty great
Cheers Dave It was a cracker that day but I still need to get Trevor his open winged fresh male, something for next season
Cheers Trevor You're right Trevor but the images will be from ever so slightly different angles - we should stack them together to make a 3D model Where did that Wall come from? She wasn't supposed to be there but I was quite glad as it meant we didn't have to trek up the hill

Larkhill 23-06-2021

It felt odd at Larkhill this morning. Ln one way it felt like the season here hadn’t quite caught up what with Grizzlies still flying and looking none too shabby yet at the same time the Common Blues were looking very jaded and almost shadows of their former selves. As I rounded the corner onto the main track a few Small Heath forgot their petty squabbles and hightailed it out of there. A Grizzlie sat still for all 5 seconds, just long enough to register that there was a butterfly present and that it was a Grizzlie before it was off. However as I watched it flee the scene I spotted a tiny white flag flying from the grass flagpole. It was a Common Blue. As I continued along the path the butterflies seemed to want to follow this familiar pattern – a few Small Heath, a Grizzlie and the familiar white flag of a Common Blue all barring the later hot tailing it outta there. However a near perfect and so lately emerged Small Tort halted the repeating cycle and prevented me slipping into my own version of ‘Live, Die, Repeat’. Things got even more interesting further on as I was able to sneak up on a Grizzlie. In the morning light it took on an almost plum coloured hue and it sat in just the right position that I could get round and get some underwing shots with the sun streaming through a la stained glass. This really made my morning and it wasn’t even 8 am yet so I set of back down the slope towards the car, stopping on the way for a third Common Blue when I was about half way back. I hadn’t intended on heading out during lunch but when the time came I thought that this season is definitely one where you need to make hay when the sun shines. Although that wasn’t really the case on this lunchtime as the cloud cover had built and the best that the sun could muster was the occasional brightening. Therefore I restricted my activities to the area around the Pits and didn’t venture along the hedges or the field. My wanderings around meant spotting the odd Mother Shipton and a few Large Skippers but what was most noticeable today were the few Meadow Browns. They occupied spaces in the long tussocks and sat on the Bramble feeding up. It contradicted the state of play with Larkhill nicely. There the Blues were still hanging on as were the Grizzlies but here we’re into Meadow Browns and Large Skippers. A double header
Larkhill is lagging behind
Pewsey pulls ahead

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Work 24-06-2021

I hadn’t intended on going out over the lunch break but this is the one of two days when I have a KS3 class before lunch meaning I can get out for an extra 5 minutes and so I grabbed my camera and made for the Pits. Almost immediately a butterfly flew up despite the relative gloom from the cloud cover. It was swiftly followed by a few more, going up like little puffs of smoke a la Death Eaters disapparating. I also spotted a Mother Shipton and a little way ahead a second – the former was looking tired but the later was still in fine fettle. As I approached the large Bramble patch a few more Meadow Browns went up and then let the slight breeze carry them away sideways to crash land amid the tallest of the grasses. A Large Skipper zipped off in that way that they do and then shining out like a beacon I spotted a Small Tortoiseshell. It went up but not too far and landed eyeing me cautiously from its vantage point on the Bramble bush. On the other side of the Bramble there were more Meadow Browns and another Large Skipper and the Orchids were looking fully formed and resplendent. On through the line of trees and today the Specklie was back keeping guard at the edge of its territory but then it all went a bit quiet. As I’d wandered down the path on previous visits Skippers and Small Heath would take off from the path and flap or zip into the longer grasses. However not this time, instead all was quiet so I scanned across the field which revealed the butterflies scattered about in the grasses. So I cut across the field finally spotting a few Small Heath and plenty of Meadow Browns. A second Small Tortoiseshell went up from its undetected hiding spot and so I set off after it. It seemed to be intent on a search mission as after flying strongly for a few metres it would go down and flit from flower top to flower top before setting off once more. I left it to carry on and wished it well finding what it was seeking before getting back onto the track and starting back. My first female Large Skipper fed at the edge of the field and then a few paces on my way I stopped again for a third Small Tort. This one seemed to have odd shaped wings but I couldn’t work out whether it was deformed or whether the wings hadn’t fully ‘inflated’? Either way the oddly curved wings worked perfectly fine and after getting a few shots I stood back and watched it fly up into the boundary hedge. It flew towards another Small Tort and so I tried for a few distant shots and that’s when I realised that there were a few more – in fact along the little stretch of hedge with the Bramble growing tall and wide I counted a further 8 Small Torts but there could have been more lurking at the top or at the very back of the hedge and hidden from view. The best one deemed to come little closer and I clicked away at the darkest Small Tort that I’ve encountered – a beauty! It seems that there had been something of a simultaneous emergence as in previous visits I’ve only encountered singletons. Promising myself that I’d make a return visit I started back noting several more Large Skippers, a few more Small Heath and plenty of Meadow Browns. There were more of the same as I worked back through the Pits and the final flourish came from a Red Admiral. It landed on the fence of the Nursery and I debated about whether I should try for a shot, a debate which became moot when it flew off anyway. A lovely little sojourn but where are the Ringlets and Marbled Whites?

A mass of emergence
Peppers the hedge with orange
Small Torts all over!

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

You'll not get a mrgeen for those Small Torts, as we now have some around here!.
But your very dark one with bold black markings does deserve one

Great stuff, stay well.
Trevor.

Cheers Trevor I was chuffed with the Small Torts as I often miss the arrival of the second brood so it was great to see them reaching double figures on a tiny patch of hedge

Work 25-06-2021

I’d looked ahead at the weather forecast and so hadn’t planned on going out this lunchtime but for once the forecasters had got it wrong and in a positive way. So instead of the rain showers and dark cloud it was dry, warm and surprisingly bright under the thin covering of white cloud. I took the now ‘usual’ route and started of checking out the Pits. A Large Skipper greeted me on the corner and it looked a little more jaded than I’ve been used too though it could be 10 days old. As I took my first steps across the threshold of the Pits what looked like two Meadow Browns flew up from the tall grasses and flew in their inimitable weak bouncy style to another clump. One looked much bigger than the other and so I watched to see where it would land and once it was down I stalked in part crouching and using the tall grasses as cover. As I manipulated my lens through the stems I saw that it wasn’t just one but a pair in cop, what I’d taken to be the second was actually a third Meadow Brown which was either trying to interlope or was a bit of a third wheel. After this I carried on through the Pits finding another Large Skipper and a few more Meadow Browns rose puff of smoke like from their hiding place deep within the tangle of stems. The Specklie wasn’t in its usual position so I continued on down the path. The butterflies were again sticking to the longer, unmown grasses on either side so there could have been many more butterflies present I just couldn’t see them. Saying that I did spy out a few Small Heath and Meadow Browns and the verge leading into the hedge held a few Large Skippers and a notable Small Tort. By now I’d reached the section of hedge and so I peered up and in as far as I could, straining my ciliary muscles to catch a glimpse of the gorgeous orange of a Small Tort. I could only manage 4 today but there was another at the end of the track bringing me to a total of 6. At the fence at the bottom of the field I turned round and retraced my steps pausing again that particular section of hedge. This time littered among the Meadow Browns and occasional Large Skipper I counted a more respectable 7 Small Torts and so I set off chuffed. The best was yet to come for a few yards on I stopped by a small bush/stand of scrub on the edge of the hedge. I’d been wandering along enjoying the fact that the sun had finally come out when a mass of movement had caught my eye. On this one bush I saw 3 Small Torts, 4 Meadow Browns and 3 Large Skippers all bustling around each other and getting in each other’s way. This felt like a fitting end to my break and so I scooted on back noting that the Small Heath had come out in force, the Specklie was back on guard duty and spending a moment to watch a Blackbird sunbathing. And to think I had intended on staying in the Lab… Poor weather ahead
But I head out anyway
Turned out nice again
Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Daneways 26-06-2021

Due to Co-vid both Philzoid and I had missed out on Large Blues as during their flight people were asked not to visit and encouraged to stay away…however this year restrictions had been eased somewhat and so the Large Blue was back on the cards. The journey was quicker than I remembered and SATNAV took us in the back way so we were soon parked in the Daneways Car Park and making our way up the hill to the bottom entrance. Over the stile and looking up at the steep hill before us this would have been the perfect time for a Large Blue to complete its narrative obligation and pop up to greet us. However living on Roundworld there is a distinct lack of narrativium and so we had to settle Blues of the Common variety which were delicately dusted amid the Meadow Browns. A DGF shot by, the first I’ve seen at this site and then something black and white caught my eyes – Marbled Whites which were just waking up it seemed and so were actually sitting still. After a steady climb up interspersed with the occasional stop for a photo of this and that we reached the bench and sitting on it was the same bloke I’d met at Bentley Wood when looking for Small Pearls. He’d been around the site and seen a few and pointed us in the right direction – towards the far end and the Old Quarry had been best for him. As we’re thanking him and making off a Large Blue revealed itself in the longer grass on the verge of the wide path. It must have just woken up and climbed up the stem but then it disappeared to the other side of the wire fence just as quickly as it had come. Oh well at least it was ticked off the list ad so we set off along the wide track to the far end. Along the way there are plenty of Meadow Browns, a few more Marbs, a Small Tort and oddly a Speckled Wood out in the middle of some grassland. We kept scanning along the wondrous display of wildflowers seeking out a glimmering sapphire but it was shorter turf on the track that seemed to hold the Lions’ share of butterflies. Basking on the darker bare patches of earth we found first a Dingy and then a Grizzlie. Then near the gate we had a little flurry of activity with a Small Heath, Ringlets and a couple of Common Blues turning up and playing boisterously between the two sides of the fence. Once through the gate I switched my eyes up a gear as this in the past has been one of the best spots for spotting Large Blues and onwards we travel along the undulating paths, deviating occasionally to check out any insects that cross our paths. Philzoid gets distracted by some Hoverflies but press on and reach the foot of the steep incline at the Quarry. Up the slope there are a couple of people watching out for Large Blues but I check out the bottom area first and sure enough there is a Large Blue and I get a quick record shot. I follow it with one eye whilst the other is watching the cloud that’s sneaking up on the sun. Then as the cloud caught up with the sun and enveloped it in fluffy greyness the butterfly plopped down and refused to move. I called out for Philzoid and we then started filling our memory cards with this obliging little fella. Once the sun broke free from the clutches of the cloud the butterfly shot off along the fence line heading back into the middle of the reserve and so we set to checking out the steep slope of the quarry. At the base there were a few Ringlets flapping around a bus but every time I’d try for a shot they’d be off. Also here but more amicable was a Small Copper. As he flew in and landed its amiability became understandable as it was pretty aged. Muttering “you look how I feel” we set off up the near vertical hill, more like a cliff face actually. About half way up there was another Large Blue and then a glorious female, much larger and more strikingly marked than the males. She worked her way left and right zig zagging up and down the slope looking for places to lay. After a few futile attempts to follow her we kinda gave up and waited for he to stop relatively near to us which she did, even opening up to about half way. Chuffed with this we ended up back at the bottom of the slope where the ladies that had earlier been up the slope whilst we were at the bottom had a Large Blue on their finger. When they asked if we’d like some shots the butterfly decided to fly off and so we watched where it landed and then made our approach. In the shadow of the cloud it sat, wings closed but with the coming of the sun it moved out into the open and started basking. As we focused and clicked away we could see that had greatly reduced markings on the fore wing – down to just three spots in the row. It didn’t want to fly very far which suggested that it was only recently emerged but this was countered but the slightly tatty fringes and the grainy underside wing... Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

For your open wing Large Blues, they were not very obliging
in that respect when I saw them. Your penultimate shot in particular
deserves a .

Good luck with the BH today, stay well.
Trevor.

Great shots of the Large Blues, Wurzel. I've still to visit Daneways, and it seems as if it has an array of other species as well, so next year perhaps... Your mix of sunshine and cloud definitely helped in getting the wings to open - I was ironically "cursed" with wall-to-wall sunshine at Collard this year, and that kept them firmly tight shut down there.

Cheers,

Dave

Cheers Trevor That particular Large Blue was very well behaved and hung around the bottom of the slope for a good 30 minutes or more I can't work out if that level of spotting is normal or whether he was a little under-endowed in that department
Cheers Dave Daneways is a cracking place with all sorts of butterflies on offer, huge swathes of wildflowers and many orchids to boot and once you're up the hill the site itself is a bit easier to work than Collard - if you do visit tell them I sent you so I can get my commission

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

It's great to see your shots of the Large Blues at Daneway, Wurzel That last one has got to be ab. alconides we saw one there a few years ago, how time flies

Cheers Mike Thanks for the ID, I was wondering about that one as those markings are very sparse

Daneways 26-06-2021 Part 2

...We left this butterfly with the volunteer Ranger and started up the hill again but this time taking the longer but more gently climbing diagonal paths that criss-cross the hill. On the way up we spot a couple more Large Ones, one of which is pretty worn and carrying several mites but we’re reduced to record shots as the steepness of the slope made following anything in the hope of getting some great images pretty risky. The third Large One that actually was a pretty Little One (about the size of a Brown Argus) however was slightly easier to photograph as it sat nicely atop a flower head on one of the few flattish terraces near the top of the hill. As we’d reached the summit we carried on along the top fields hoping for a few Large Ones here. There probably were a few about but to prevent trampling large swathes of the grasses were roped off and in my experience this is often where the butterflies hang out. Along the top a few Common Blues flew amid the Knapweeds as well various Meadow Browns and Marbled Whites and at one point we follow a moth until it goes down which proves to be a Heart and Dart (?). As we’re about to take the wood covered path down the bank back to the middle section a Large Blue briefly pops up to send us off. We then walked down the hill and spent a little time looking around the middle section where both a male and a female were keeping a few other enthusiasts busy. The male in particular played hard to get but the female was a much easier prospect as she was in egg laying mode. The trick came in anticipating both where she would land and how she would be orientated. After a couple of false starts – the wrong patch of Thyme and in the wrong place so I was at the wrong angle – eventually I got it almost spot on. By now I was starting to feel a little parched so we decided to walk along the mid path to the gate and then head back to the pub for some refreshment. Along the way the Meadow Browns and Marbs playfully fluttered above the grass tops. As we wandered a familiar figure appeared on the horizon, Bugboy. After a brief catch up and pointing out that the Quarry at the end was probably the best spot we wished him well and carried on. We didn’t find any more Large Blues along the way but a dusky Small Tort did sit nicely on the deck for us before we went through the gate and started down the hill where there was a second and then a third. Philzoid lapped these up as they’re something of a rarity in the east but for me the star of this section was a Ringlet that actually sat still for long enough to get a few shots off! All too soon we were sitting on a picnic bench with the stabbing pain of brain freeze from slaking our thirst too quickly…well I was anyway. After two years it had definitely been worth the wait and my only regret was having to leave this fantastic reserve. Near vertical slopes
Among the clumps of Wild Thyme
Large Blues fly again

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Hi Wurzel. Enjoying your diaries again. Loving the DGF at Vernditch. Not a location I am familiar. I’ll add a for those Large Blue shots at Daneway. This species is still on my list for the UK, having seen one in Chamonix a few years ago.

Regards Kev

Cheers Kev On the other side of the road to Martin Down is a part of it called 'Kitts' Grave' and this runs into Vernditch. It's a strange bit of land as a few steps in one of three directions and you can be in three counties I reckon Daneways is the easier to work of the two main sites for Large Blues - the pub at the bottom of the hill is great too

Larkhill 30-06-2021

With the car parked and shaking as every other vehicle flew past I set forth for a quick wander of the walkways at Larkhill. As I strolled the small bit of path a couple of Marbled White flew by and a Ringlet passed on as I reached the corner. However they didn’t stop and so I set off up the gentle slope eyes peeled trying to peer through the grasses to find the butterfly within. This tactic didn’t work however as the butterflies saw me before I saw them and so they would be long gone before I’d even considered raising my camera. The Small Heath and meadow Browns that pulled evasive manoeuvres without me spotting them prior I could understand but the Marbled Whites were another matter. They would be there completely invisible one minute and the next once they’d taken off they’d stick out like a sore thumb –I suppose they have a similar adaptation to the Zebra with its black and white stripes. Another butterfly that also suddenly just appeared as if from nowhere was a Grizzlie – but alas it was still in June and not July.

The Common Blues didn’t employ this sudden dash for it tactic. They seemed content to hang-fire and hope that I just went away. Indeed I did but only after getting a few shots WINK. As I strolled along the path I must have entered their roosting area for I picked up one and then another. The third opened up and stretched his wings open wide (I was sure that I heard a yawn as he did so) but the fourth remained tucked up in bed. In amongst these the Browns continued their sudden appearance followed by prompt disappearance but I was getting better at spotting the Marbled Whites now though not quite good enough to capture them on my memory card. On the return back down the hill the Browns kept doing their thing and the Blues did theirs so instead I started perusing the broad leaves of the scrub. I’ve noticed before that Ringlets in particular have a penchant for these and they use them for basking spots. This meant that I wasn’t surprised but was still slightly chuffed when I spotted one doing as I’d expected; perched with wings open wide absorbing the early morning sun. Onwards I went and a Small Tort had me swinging my camera around ready but alas to no avail. I didn’t mind though because he moved a Red Admiral on. It had been in a pretty poor place photo wise but now sat on the edge of the Hawthorn out in the open. Brilliant – this species has been a right pain this year! After this I briefly checked out the longer grasses at the bottom of the hill and a White Plume moth was a nice find, then there were the two obvious Marbled Whites on the corner which fly on across the road, obviously possessing a death wish and time had run out so onwards to work. Black and white stand out?
No! Deceptively cryptic!
Marbled Whites = zebras!

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel