www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Don't get much opportunity to shoot macros these days but out doing a fashion photoshoot in the Peak District on Monday and caught these two between costume changes!



7D, 100 IS

Yesterday in our garden several holly blues, this one has to laid an egg on the flowers of holly shrub.
Cheers Sezar

Markulous. That photo of the paired Orange Tips shows quite strikingly how much smaller that male is than the female.

Males and females are usually of similar size but I have seen some very small male OTs. It would seem that size dosen't matter after all

No OTs here on Mull today. Well 'no anything': it's been raining heavily (now that's a surprise!)

Jack

When the sun finally came out, I continued in my challenge of Holly Blue... Not yet quite done - a better one is always out there, somewhere.....

I have a sunny corner of my Caterham garden planted up to attract Whites. On 6th May I observed a female Orange-tip laying eggs on three of the plant species (Honesty, Garlic Mustard and Hairy Bittercress).
So far the Brimstones have ignored my Buckthorn.

Vince

It was good to get out for a while and see my first Green Hairstreak of the year. They have only been out a couple of days here as they are generally a little later than other sites with Cradle Hill being north facing. Only 2 were seen but hopefully good numbers will be seen here shortly with the reports coming in from other areas. 2 Grizzled Skipper also seen along with my first Large Red Damselfly and Hairy Dragonfly of the year.

A much overcast and windy day spent in Abbotts Wood. As the sun started to show in the early afternoon a few Pearl Bordered Fritillaries started to show. A little later Grizzled Skipper also put in an appearance with at least 3 flying and one showing the underwing well. Amazingly no other species seen apart from these two.

NickB wrote:When the sun finally came out, I continued in my challenge of Holly Blue...

HB_m_3_low_MRC_08_May_2013.jpg

HB_m_2_low_MRC_08_May_2013.jpg

HB_m_1_low_MRC_08_May_2013.jpg

Not yet quite done - a better one is always out there, somewhere.....

Looks like you live in the Holly Blue capital of Britain - great pics Nick!

Cheers,

- Pete

From the wet Isle of Mull

One thing I have noticed from my computer desk in wet west of Scotland is the subtle change in the style of photos this year – a change for the better I feel. Not all photos are now simple close-up portraits of butterflies; it could be said that those are the modern equivalent of the spread specimens of collectors from days gone by. No, today, there is often more emphasis on showing a butterfly in context; in its habitat.

I suppose that annoying ex-pat in Switzerland started the trend by letting us see the surroundings and others have attempted to emulate his style. Of course, Guy has the patience that many of us lack (or are unable to achieve) of getting really close to his subject, Nevertheless, today many pictures on ukb that have taken from more comfortable working distances are not just illustrating the butterfly, but the environment in which it lives. I like this development even though there remains a place for "voucher specimens".

Jack

Pete Eeles wrote:

NickB wrote:When the sun finally came out, I continued in my challenge of Holly Blue...
Not yet quite done - a better one is always out there, somewhere.....

Looks like you live in the Holly Blue capital of Britain - great pics Nick!
Cheers,
- Pete

Cheers - One of the best sites in Cambs for HB I would say...
...and 2 mins from my back door!
(and just over the wall is the "Cambridge Blue" - over 3,000 real ales and counting.... )

(and just over the wall is the "Cambridge Blue" - over 3,000 real ales and counting.... )

Lucky sod. See my comment in Guy's diary:

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=4872&p=70423#p70429

Jack

Jack Harrison wrote:

(and just over the wall is the "Cambridge Blue" - over 3,000 real ales and counting.... )

Lucky sod. See my comment in Guy's diary:
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=4872&p=70423#p70429
Jack

I'll have one for you, Jack......

My bad knee is obviously due to lack of real ale lubrication I must suggest that to the doctor who hasn’t been able to do much so far.

I am trying to keep cheerful about the knee trouble but the lack of mobility is seriously curtailing my butterflying. Off to the physio on Monday to see if that helps.

Jack

Jack Harrison wrote:My bad knee is obviously due to lack of real ale lubrication

your locals have a different use for malt! Taken with a little spring water, it's not a bad lubricant either.

Mike

With the wind continuing to blow it has been hard to find sheltered spots to hunt out butterflies. Cradle Hill has been out of the main force of the wind but butterflies have still been very few and far between. The entry onto the site is fabulous at the moment being full of cowslips. Today I saw my first Dingy Skipper of the year but for the 2nd day running the Green Hairstreaks were keeping their heads down. A few pyrausta moths have been on the wing including the scarce and beautiful Pyrausta Ostrinalis.

badgerbob wrote:With the wind continuing to blow it has been hard to find sheltered spots to hunt out butterflies. Cradle Hill has been out of the main force of the wind but butterflies have still been very few and far between. The entry onto the site is fabulous at the moment being full of cowslips. Today I saw my first Dingy Skipper of the year but for the 2nd day running the Green Hairstreaks were keeping their heads down. A few pyrausta moths have been on the wing including the scarce and beautiful Pyrausta Ostrinalis.

Hi Bob

What a difference a couple of weeks makes If only my visit could have been delayed a little. There were a few Cowslips when I was there, now they are every where . Hopefully I will manage a visit later in the year. Good luck

Yesterday I did my usual Saturday morning walk down the Itchen Navigation from Bishopstoke to Itchen Valley Country Park. I found several Orange Tip eggs on Garlic Mustard in the same location as I found them last year. Unfortunately last year, the Garlic Mustard and Nettles etc along this stretch was strimmed to oblivion taking all of the Orange Tip larvae with it . I believe this stretch of the Itchen Way footpath is on privately owned land, as it is an access road to a private fishing area and farmland.
Should I mount a rescue operation for the current generation
Also seen Small White, Green Veined White, Speckled Wood and several male Orange Tips.
Today I found a new route to walk close to home. Unfortunately the verges and hedgerows look like they have been cut in the last few days . The conditions (windy and overcast) were not great so not much seen. A few Speckled Wood and whites. I also found a plant I can not recall having seen before. I thought it might be Yellow Rattle, but after checking it looks different and also too early I think. Can anyone give me an id for it

jackz432r wrote:I also found a plant I can not recall having seen before. I thought it might be Yellow Rattle, but after checking it looks different and also too early I think. Can anyone give me an id for it

It's Yellow Archangel, Lamium galeobdolon.

Paul

Me and my daughter Isabella met up with Wurzel and his daughter Kitty for our annual pilgrimage to Bentley Wood for Pearl-bordered Fritillary. Despite the recent bad weather the forecast presented a small window of opportunity with some sunshine for Sunday morning (if a little on the cool side). PBF's are also known as the April Fritillary and I have seen them on a cool and wet and windy morning in the past.(2005 at Botany Bay, the year before they became extinct in Surrey I believe). So despite the lack of sightings and the iffy weather I was willing to take a chance .... in for a penny .

After arriving at around 09:40 and some extensive searching of the Eastern clearing (Cowley Copse) we got our quarry, two fresh looking and active Pearls. A more detailed report of these and the other creatures seen should be found soon in Wurzels personal diary. The forecast doesn't look good for the foreseeable future and it's having a bad impact on my moth trapping too, so despite the low numbers it was great boost to get out and explore .. and get what we came for .

It's Yellow Archangel, Lamium galeobdolon.

It makes an excellent garden plant for shady areas as it gives superb ground cover. The variegated version – green and silver – is more interesting for the garden.

Here in the damp northwest, while it certainly grows in shade, it is less restricted to such habitats. It even grows out of crevices in my stone walls and I am using in hanging baskets. Moreover, incredibly easy to propagate from cuttings and tolerates – even benefits – from a pretty severe pruning in spring. I certainly wouldn’t be without it in my garden, so much so that I brought some potted plants from Norfolk, when I moved to Mull. I then found it’s already well established in my garden here. Despite the ease of growing Yellow Archangel, it is easily controlled and needn’t be invasive.

Jack