www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

As winter approaches, a light-hearted if self-indulgent post recording a few of Minnie's (my Jack Russell) encounters with butterflies. Feel free to add any of your own animal companion + butterfly pictures.


(Chequered skipper)


(Long-tailed blue)


(Mountain green-veined white)


(Camberwell beauty)


(Queen of Spain fritillary)


(White admiral ...)


(... and white admiral caterpillar)


(Violet copper)


(Iolas blue)


(Purple emperor ...)


(... and purple emperor caterpillar)


(Large ringlet)


(Scarce copper)


(Poplar admiral - the leg is Matt Rowlings's)


(Southern white admiral)


(Thor's fritillary)


(Swiss Zephyr blue)


(Green-underside blue)

Guy

Good fun - thank you...

Woof-woof!

I think Minnie has a larger tick list than me!

I can add a canis and a felis.
Vince

Love it, Guy! Just the thing to cheer me up at a time when my SAD is taking its toll.

Interesting to see that Large Ringlets aren't just obsessed with human beings.

Thanks Tony, Buggy, Vincent and David. And good to see your curious friends, Vincent. Great expressions on their faces!

Guy

Jack

Here is Flossie standing guard over a Purple Emperor and in more playful mood - you have to watch your legs when she finds a giant stick!
Kind Regards
Mark

Mark Tutton wrote:Here is Flossie standing guard over a Purple Emperor and in more playful mood...

Didn't know you had a canine companion, Mark. She's lovely!

Thanks Jack! The more we learn about you the more we realise there's a cute little cub lurking within that leonine exterior ...

I recognise Flossie from some of your other postings, Mark. She's obviously a good butterfly dog - patient and well behaved. I have to say, it felt very strange going back to Switzerland this year and revisiting my old haunts without Minnie (she's fine - I just had to leave her in England). You get used to having a dog with you.

Purple emperor rides are among the few places I don't pick up Minnie's offerings, but just move them discreetly to the side. Is Flossie saying proudly, 'I did that!'?

Guy

She is a good dog and I think one or two UKBers will have encountered her in their travels.
She always knows when we are going butterflying when the lead comes off and no ball appears - then she just gets on to do her thing never going more than about 30m without coming back to check. She will sit patiently if I am taking a photograph but is always keen to get back on the move when I am finished - typical Springer always busy.
I am not sure if she was responsible for the descent of that particular Emperor Guy, but there was certainly one occasion when a male gave her a good buzzing and attempted to land on her collar, I thought it was going to end badly as she was definitely not impressed by the audacious insect!
Her favourite time is when the duke of burgundy is out and we spent lots of time on the South Downs - I am sure that if I have walked 10miles she will have done 30! And she somehow nearly always seems to find a lost tennis ball - normally from down a rabbit burrow.
Thanks for the compliment David
Kind Regards
Mark