www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Thank you Neil - it is very kind of you to say so. It has been very wet indeed today with no butterflies in sight but as I read the various diaries I am watching the wildlife in the garden thru' the window:

Decided to take a chance today and look for the Wood Whites at Chiddingfold Forest despite the unsettled weather. It took quite a bit of legwork to locate them and only when the temperature had warmed up a little, the first one being found in Tugley Wood and then further individuals at Botany Bay and on the border of Oaken Wood. Given the torrential rain the day before I was surprised to find any at all. I can't decide which I like best or indeed which are the best so I am just going to include a wide selection:

Beautiful Pauline. I wouldn't be able to choose between them either.

Very nice pictures indeed. The third is the pick of a great bunch for me.

Fantastic Pauline

They're all fantastic Pauline especially the first and last

I am not surprised that you cannot decide which you like best Pauline, neither can I. I would have been well chuffed to have taken any of those

All the best ,

Neil.

I agree - lovely set of pics. My favourites are 3 and 9 - the latter has that 'je ne sais quoi'

Unfortunately, my nearest wood for this species lost them a few years ago, when the rides were allowed to get overgrown.

Mike

Very nice set of Woodies there Pauline, you must be really chuffed with those

B'saurus

Delightful stuff, Pauline. A real sign that spring is well into its stride.

Lovely images Pauline! My favourites are 5 and 9. I love the water droplet on number 5 and the dainty aspect of number 9.

I was at Chiddingfold this afternoon too and saw 7 Wood White. I also walked for miles today (I was at Noar Hill this morning) and got home and collapsed for a 3 hour nap!

Best wishes,

Lee

Hi Pauline

Wood White is a species I have yet to see. I might have to make a visit up to Chiddingfold, I think that is probably the nearest place for me. I particularly like your last image, the subject is almost glowing

Lovely set of images - I was thinking that the fifth is my favourite, but then I went back and saw the third, then the sixth was pretty great too...so I gave up and went and had a lie down to recover from the envy

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi Pauline

As everyone has said they are a fantastic set of photos. I particularly like the third on the violet and the final photo. Absolutely brilliant.

I also love the fox and badger feeding together as I am looking at mammals this year.

Keep it up with the photos.

Thank you all so much for your comments and compliments which were totally unexpected and which I certainly value. It is a pity I missed you Lee - after that shower I decided to call it a day. It is certainly worth a visit to Chiddingfold Paul as they are lovely butterflies, quite unlike the other whites. I'm pleased you like my wildlife Paul. You will see the vixen is clearly lactating so hopefully I will see the cubs this year. I usually get Badger cubs but have not had the fox cubs for a few years. I think I agree with you on my favourites Mike ... but then I keep changing my mind Lovely to hear from you Susie and everyone else I have yet to mention.

My latest dilemma is my larva. I have been convinced that my BH have been disappearing. In fact I am sure of it. I am down to only one plant as they have been decimated by the cats which then disappear:
2 days ago I could clearly identify 4 cats on my last plant (in a net cage). These cats hatched somewhere between 24 - 29 March. Today, despite scrutiny I can only locate the smallest cat and one of the large cats which appears to have wrapped itself fairly securely in 3 Blackthorn leaves:
The cat is to the very left of the photo and is firmly attached to the leaves. Is this a form of pupation? An alternative to leaf litter? And where are the others? The other plants which were stripped bare had been put outside but these have now been put in a net cage in case cats have pupated in the soil. I really don't know where else they could have gone. I was beginning to wonder if they were in fact canabalistic.

Hi Pauline,

I hope you are not getting too disheartened. Brown Hairstreak larvae can be difficult to locate at the best of times (even in an enclosed situation), so lets just hope that there are some still hidden away.

The "missing" larvae would not be anywhere near pupation stage yet. I would estimate that they still have at least 30 days to run, so they should still be on the plants. The larva in your photo is either preparing to moult or is just typically resting on its "day leaf". It will venture out to feed at night, before usually returning to its resting point. I have never seen any reports which show that the larvae of this species are cannibalistic, so if they are disappearing, it is not for this reason.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Vince

Another grey, cool, drizzly day today. I wanted to see Dingy Skippers but all the Skippers I could find were quite naturally roosting:

Goodness me that poor Dingy looks very depressed, can't blame the little fellow, I feel like that when the sun doesn't come out too. The Grizzlie on the end looks slightly less peeved but it's a very close contest.

All the best

B'saurus

All your photgraphs are lovely Pauline, I've yet to get a Photo of a Wood White so they all look great to me Goldie

Sometimes, cool and grey is best, Pauline, when it comes to photography.

Lovely images as per usual.