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Pearl-bordered Fritillary - Favourite Photo 2019

Week 13

Hopefully the Christmas decorations will be down by now and we can get on with the serious business of preparing for the butterfly season ahead. I always find that the best way to beat the post-Christmas blues is to do something that you really enjoy…like looking through your butterfly shots from the previous year and choosing your fave.

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos as then it will be easier to keep track of things? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As in previous years details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome as would any accompanying stories and anecdotes or other observations of behaviour and interesting other points.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Had pretty good results at Abbots Wood last year, coming across individuals spilling out along the rides near the main clearings several times. Hopefully a good sign for an expanding population. I also managed to add an egg to that particular tick list I found a rather nice ab. and here's some obligatory underside shots, one of each sex

My favourite photographs are two shots of the same male. I was keen to get some side on images at eye level to show off those beautiful eyes.

Does anyone else see the head of a White-fronted Goose on the underside of the hindwings....or is that just me?


http:eastsussexwanderer.blogspot.co.uk

This was indeed an 'April' Fritillary for me in 2019....I saw four early emergees on Easter Monday (22nd) at Ewyas Harold Common, near Pontrilas:

Pearl Bordered Fritillary

I had a good year with the Pearls and they seem to be holding their own at Bentley Wood in the Eastern Clearing and the neighouring enclosures though next year I need to take a more extensive wander so I can get a clearer picture. I was lucky enough to find some really fresh individuals roosting which meant I got some cracking underside shots. My fave however is of a topside view. When I visited with Philzoid we found a mating pair in one of the positions they adopted was with both individuals wings wide open and in the same plane, a bit like a ‘Pushmepullyou’. It gave the impression of one giant Pearl!
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Here is mine - not that is a particularly good photo - but that it is a specimen from. Newly introduced colony ( official) on the Hants/Sussex border. I have been helping Sussex BC monitor this site and it’s only 10 minute from home so a real novelty and not far from some of its historic sites in eastern Hampshire.
Kind Regards
Mark

On the last day of April, a day on which I had also visited Denbies and Mill Hill, I made my way up to see the PBF at Rewell Wood. The walk from parking at Fairmile Bottom on the A29 was well worth it - the butterflies abounded and the work put in by Neil and others to create suitable habitat has clearly paid off admirably. A visit about a fortnight later to Bentley Wood in the company of Wurzel was also productive - they seem to be doing well here too. Dave