Chris L wrote: ↑Mon Apr 08, 2024 12:10 pm
Absolutely awesome photos Dave. Really surprised to see the Orange Tip on the finger photos. I am lucky if I get within 10 foot of one round my way. Do you use Garlic Mustard aftershave?
Thank you, Chris!
Well, I'm no stranger to garlic...
However, there's a knack in approaching Orange Tips, and the current weather with sunny intervals plays a big part. When it's cloudy, they settle on flower heads and go to sleep. In that state they can be gently persuaded to walk onto a finger, and then you wait for the sun to reappear. They then start to open their wings and you have a few seconds to snap away before they fly off.
Wurzel wrote: ↑Mon Apr 08, 2024 5:57 pm
Cracking set of images Dave -especially like the Holly Blue
, looks like you've remembered the whispering ways
Wurzel
Cheers, Wurzel. I'm a bit rusty after the winter, and there have been very few Hollies to practice with so far - but these few have been very amenable, as you'll see.
David M wrote: ↑Mon Apr 08, 2024 6:07 pm
Great to see such numbers and variety, Dave. We've a fair bit of catching up to do in persistently dank and cloudy south Wales!
I think things have been better over this way for the last couple of weeks, David. Still plenty of rain, but mostly overnight and there have been lots of days with an hour or two of sunshine in them. Hopefully it'll improve in South Wales soon, and you'll be tripping over Holly Blues in Cwm Ivy as usual!
Sunday 7th April. It remained just as windy as Saturday, but instead of hazy sunshine, there were bright sunny intervals which became shorter and shorter as the day progressed. I saw fewer butterflies, but the same nine species all made an appearance.
The first of these was a female Orange Tip, with noticeably bold markings. I saw this individual at the start of my walk, and she was still flying around the same spot when I came back some while later. Her preferred spot was on a wild rape plant, to which she frequently returned. Whilst sitting atop the flowerhead she appeared to be going through the motions of laying, but there were no eggs that I could discover afterwards.
She was also happy to wander onto a finger.
The next butterfly I encountered I disturbed from a patch of soggy ground where it had been puddling. A male Holly Blue, it flew up to a nearby bit of bramble and (like me) patiently waited for the sun to come out again.
The slightest hint of sun, and it would twitch its wing open a little.
It turned around and appeared to try and stare me down...
..and was briefly joined by a handsome hoverfly.
At last, there was a longer bit of sunshine, and it took advantage.
A couple of fresh male GVW occupied most of the rest of my camera time. These butterflies seem intensely white at this time of year and dazzle the lens somewhat.
However, they have very attractive undersides.
Among the other butterflies...
...plus a well-marked female Speckled Wood that seemed more orange than usual.
There was also a splendid Comma, completely unmarked from hibernation, looking almost as fresh as it would have done back in October.
At the end of my walk, there was a different Red Admiral - not one of the territorial males, but a female egg-laying.
Dave