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Small Heath - Favourite Photo of 2021

Week 16

From the ‘silvers’ and onto the ‘smalls’ which must mean that there aren’t that many weeks remaining before the grand finale and the Overall Favourite Butterfly Photo…so now’s the time to be doing your last minute selection and/or making sure that you’re happy with your choice! The few remaining weeks will fly by.

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 and stay safe

Wurzel

An attractive example of the species even though it does look sad with its teardrop eyespot.

Going through my photos from last year, it seems that I took very few photos of Small Heath, probably due to the fact that they had an 'average' year around here and tended to fade into the background when I was looking for other species.
This is probably the best from the few mediocre shots that I did take,
Cheers,

Neil.

My Small Heath was spotted at Temple Ewell last July, the weather was dull and the poor thing looked like it was suffering from the cold day has, were we.
Not a good shot but the only one I managed to take of the SH for last year.

These poor things emerged in May when the weather was anything like butterfly-friendly. I only photographed them on one occasion, 14th May, when the sun shone for long enough for me to risk going out:

Small Heath

My favourite for this species hailed from Martin Down and came very late in the season, half way through September in fact. I chose it as over the years I’ve noticed that Small Heath (like a lot of the Browns) show quite a range in variation of the spotting. This one showed possibly the most extreme end of the spotting that I can recall and was almost giving Large Heath a run for their money what with its 6 ‘eye’s arranged around the margin of the hind wing.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

I saw plenty of these in 2021 - mostly a consequence of being in the right place at the right time a lot more than usual. I always find them tricky to photograph and difficult to get a decent photograph when I do. This one was high on the Mendips in early August.

I saw so many of this species in so many different spots that singling out an image is almost impossible. On 24th June down at Denbies Hillside, before the Chalkhills emerged to monopolise the slopes, they were out in serious numbers. In one straight line traverse of the main part of the hill I counted 230 individuals, and estimated that there were therefore likely in excess of a thousand Small Heaths flying across the whole site.

However, it was ten days earlier at Aston Rowant that one of the species appeared that was quite markedly different from all the others. This was an example of ab. alba, a very pale form that really stood out from the pack when in flight. Dave

A couple from me ,i never seem to take much notice of Small Heath ,they seem to be rising in numbers again in Orlestone after some very lean years ,when they became quite a rarity ! but at Dungeness they were everywhere ,and i wish i,d made the effort to do a count ,at the same time as we were countiing the Coppers ...............but i reckon on one particular day we saw easily 200 +.
Regards Allan.W.

Interesting first image that, Allan. I've never seen them feeding on blackberries before.