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Ford, Heath and South - Lep authors?

You're slipping Roger - that took a whole 16 minutes

Well done that man.

Cheers,

- Pete

That's just what I had in mind. Over to you, Roger.

Guy

Caught a rarity? Fill the collection.

It's a fritillary... Do you need us to find which one?

Guy

Do you need us to find which one?

Of course!

In that case, I'll go for heath frit...

Guy

Collection = Glanville?

Guy has it-
a rarity? Fill the -
anagram of Heath Fritillary (except I missed out an "h" - sorry )
Over to Guy - the mind reading anagram solver

It's just beginning to feel a little 'end-of-seasony'. So here are a couple of geriatrics that I'd like you to identify, both photographed in 2009. One is a British species and one isn't. To eliminate guessing on the first one, I think I should introduce a 'two strikes and you're out' policy!





Guy

I'll have a go. In case I'm way off the mark, I'll give you my reasoning.

The first one is a blue or a hairstreak, because of the eyes and atenntae. Looks like a female, which makes it harder. I can just make out the slightest line and hint of orange on the hind wing. Thinking that this one is a UK resident, I'll go for Black Hairstreak.

The second one I think, is one that I saw this year with increasing black spots with an yellow ring, from the apex, down the outer margin, and white pupils in the hind wing. I can also make out at least two lines beneath the spots, so I'll say Woodland Brown.

Here's hoping
Denise

Good reasoning and some good conclusions, Denise, but in the end not 100% correct. You have one more go...

Guy

My last go, and I'll say White-letter Hairstreak and Woodland Brown.

Denise

I think Denise is correct with Woodland Brown. The other is difficult! Possibly a Purple Hairstreak?

Denise's second shot was spot on!

The markings visible on the hindwing of the hairstreak are obviously underside markings, visible because the sun is shining through the wing (the near hindwing is mostly absent). Everything that can be seen of these markings is compatible with white-letter hairstreak (but not with black, which has black points, not a black line, interior to the orange, nor with purple). I know for other reasons that it was white-letter: it was flying in a wood at about 900m with elm and ash, where this is the only hairstreak, and I saw at least four or five others the same day, mostly flitting around the top of their favourite ash tree. There is no blackthorn in the vicinity.

Yes, the woodland brown is unmistakable, however geriatric it may be!!

All yours, Denise!

Guy

Yeaaah.
Will have to think up a question.

Denise

It's all in the eyes. 6 species. Denise

1. Painted LAdy
2 Meadow Brown
3 Ringlet
4 Small Copper
5 Essex Skipper?
6 Purple Emperor

Not bad Dave.
Numbers 1, 2, and 4 are correct. Numbers 3, 5 and 6 to go.

Denise

Ok, I'll go at:

3: Speckled Wood
5 Small Skipper
6 I don't know anything that has a yellow proboscus but a Purple emperor, so need to think, unless someone else gets in before me