www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Never been Lee but now I want to Great butterfly shots but that penultimate landscape/tree shot is a cracker, real ethereal

Have a goodun

Wurzel

3rd & 4th July 2014 - Chiddingfold Forest

I visited on the 3rd July on my own and then spent a lovely day on the 4th July with an old friend, at Botany Bay in search of His Imperial Majesty.
Plenty of butterflies and Purple Emperors were seen on both days, but no alas no purple photos.

After Chiddingfold, we went on to Hindhead Common, which was quite beautiful.

Those first two images evoke everything I love about summer - promising looking rides with mature growth as well as fine weather.

Sometimes, the UK does it better than anywhere else!

Thanks Wurzel and David

12th July 2014

My local allotments in Epsom and a very photogenic Comma

Lovely images of Summer, Lee. Particularly of Chiddingfold forest.
There is no better place to spend a fine Summer's day.

Are there any Silver Studded Blues on Hindhead common, habitat looks good.

Best wishes,
Trevor.

Thanks, Trevor.

I love Chiddingfold Forest and completely agree. I'm looking forward to going next season; I didn't make it this year.

I don't know about Hindhead Common and SSB, but will see what I can find out.

Best wishes,

Lee

I can't say I've ever seen them at Hindhead, but it's a big area, and I may just have missed them. There are usually plenty not far away at Thursley.

Dave

Cracking Comma shots Lee - especially the second one - I like the partial stained glass/Batman-esque pose

Have a goodun

Wurzel

18th July 2014

Time for Chalkhills and a evening trip to Denbies.

This male Meadow Brown had the most mites I've ever seen on one butterfly
While this Marbled White was being shined on from above.
Plenty of these about too.
But the stars of this evening were the blues.
I have a thing for butterfly photos with a bit of blue sky.
Lastly, this ab had a symmetrical underside but looked normal from above.

millerd wrote:I can't say I've ever seen them at Hindhead, but it's a big area, and I may just have missed them. There are usually plenty not far away at Thursley.

Thanks, Dave. I've not been to Thursley, but I should. I will probably see you at Fairmile this year

Wurzel wrote:Cracking Comma shots Lee - especially the second one - I like the partial stained glass/Batman-esque pose

Thanks, Wurzel. I liked that one too

I think the burnet moth is a six-spot burnet, rather than a five-spot; the spot at the shoulder counts as two spots (it is often split by a narrow black line). July is late for the downland form of five-spot burnet, as well.

Thanks, Matsukaze, happy to stand corrected.

Best wishes,

Lee

26th July 2014 - Sheepleas

Another high summer trip to the Sheepleas complex, which was fast becoming a favourite location.

This female Meadow Brown had become dinner.
These were in a thankfully healthier state, busy making new Meadow Browns.
However, it wasn't only Meadow Browns in the meadow.
Each meadow within the complex is slightly different. The Nettle Meadow is lovely, while the adjacent Cowslip Meadow has a more calcareous feel to it, with lots of wild thyme. It is also home to Chalk Hill Blues.

1st August 2014 - An evening with the Blues

A return to Denbies for some roosting Chalkhills.
It wasn't only Chalk Hills, Common Blues were there too.
Another spider dinner; this time a Marbled White. I'm not sure the spider got its colour disguise right

Lovely shots Lee, they take me back to the Summer and Sunshine, bitter cold day here with Snow. Goldie

I agree with Goldie - lovely warming shots! The female Chalkhill is beaut - I'm sure she's an aberrant as I'm convinced that I can see white/blue spots in her marginal spots - a bit like a Silver Studded Blue's sometime look?

Have a goodun
Wurzel

Wurzel wrote:I agree with Goldie - lovely warming shots! The female Chalkhill is beaut - I'm sure she's an aberrant as I'm convinced that I can see white/blue spots in her marginal spots - a bit like a Silver Studded Blue's sometime look?

Thanks, Goldie and Wurzel.

I agree with you on the Chalk Hill Blue, although I think I have seen that spotting before. They are such a variable species.

Best wishes,

Lee

3rd August 2014 - High Summer at Howell Hill

A beautiful early evening of browns, blues, umbellifers and skyscapes

The fields around the reserve are beautiful.
Browns
I had fun with the emerging flower heads.
Blues
Just as beautiful on the way home.

Glastonbury - 22nd/23rd August 2014

This was the town rather than the festival and what a delight it was. Small Tortoiseshells were everywhere!
Glastonbury Tor
England's green and pleasant land; The Vale of Avalon.