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I have just been out for a walk around my local hot-spot in central Lincolnshire today. The weather conditions were far from favourable, with very few of the forecast sunny intervals actually materializing, and yet the butterflies were exceptional! I saw more White Admirals here today (50+ individuals) than I have since 1996, Silver-washed Fritillaries were out in excellent numbers, Ringlets were hyper-abundant, and White-letter and Purple Hairstreaks put in a good appearance.
However, the highlight of the day for me (and probably the highlight of the year) was finding a fresh female Purple Hairstreak ab.flavimaculatus. F.quercus ab.flavimaculatus

What a stunner!

Then, just on the way back to my car, a rather aberrant Comma dropped down right beside me. I can't find a name for this ab. but it has very heavy black markings and some conjoined spots. Anyone any ideas?

What an amazing aberration, Pete. I can't think of what to say to respond to that.

Wow!!! That is stunning. What a find

That Hairstreak is a lovely butterfly, Pete. You're right - I would think it would be difficut to top that this year.

The Comma is pretty striking too...

Cheers,

Dave

Tending toward Brown Hairstreak! A stunning individual!

Cheers,

- Pete

And the aberrations just keep coming!
This Silver-washed Fritillary was just one of at least three aberrant forms on the wing yesterday at Chambers Farm Wood. Would anyone like to commit to a name? It seems to have elements of both confluens and ocellata.

And yet another one, just down the road from me today. Ringlet ab.marpurgensis (View large for detail) It must be the weather...(seriously!)

Male Gatekeeper ab.bimaculata in the Lincolnshire Limewoods today.

Further to Pete's aberrant purple hairstreak I found another in Little Scrubbs Meadow on 30.7.20. Not as good as Pete's but lovely to see nonetheless.

Makes you wonder just how common that particular PH ab is given that even collectively we see a tiny proportion of the actual population, and of those (going on my own experience at least) most keep their wings closed.

Possibly quite a lot up there in the tree tops just teasing us.

Yet another CFW aberration, this time a Brown Hairstreak - ab.restricta-lineata. Found yesterday 24.8.20 by me, identified by Pete Smith last night.

Great find Adrian! Gutted that I just missed out on this one...

There'll be more!

Nice ones. I got a valezina Silver Washed Fritillary in the garden at Chambers Farm last week.

Excellent; been talked about a few times in passing but no luck yet there with one.