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It's winter and we are getting bored. Could anybody kindly advise me whether this Speckled Wood, photographed at Gateshead in August is an aberration?

I have done a search on the internet and nothing found but it is certainly different from the type form.

Thank you

Ron

Speckled Wood is an extremely variable species between regions, as illustrated by the three photos below, all of which show a fairly 'typical' form in the location seen! I don't think it's entirely clear whether this is genetically controlled or possibly a response to local environmental conditions - but for various reasons I would lean towards the latter being more likely.

Your photo shows something that is well within the range of forms seen within the UK, so I don't think it's likely to be an aberration. However if it's substantially different from the usual forms in the area, then perhaps it either somehow developed in an unusually warm/cold/dry/damp/etc. setting, or it's a long-distance immigrant from another region.

Dear Callum, thank you very much for the prompt and thorough response. I have got the message now.

The pattern is unusual for this area but it was also the pearl colouring to the spots that made me think it was an aberration.

Thank you again and take care,

Ron

I see quite a few of these weakly marked forms in my area. They appear to be more numerous in the second brood.

Thank you David, Mine was a second brood specimen. I'll keep an eye on them this year.
Ron