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Dark Green Fritillary - Favourite Photo of 2022

Week 4

Last week I wondered how many butterflies would still be on the wing – possibly not as many as there could have been after the series of deluges we’ve had…still on a lighter note the Shops have already started selling Christmas goods!

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.
Here we got then!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Only seen DGF at one location this year in early July at St Cyrus NNR in North East Scotland. The site was recommended to me by local expert Ben Freeman. There were plenty on the wing but it was a very hot day and they were flying around at break neck speed. Managed a couple of photos eventually.

As ever, this species was at its best in early June at Box Hill in Surrey. I made two visits (on 8th and on 15th) and was thoroughly entertained on both days. On the first of these days, they were mostly out on Burford Spur......but on the other I found many of them nectaring on the bramble by the old fort.These were males - females tend to appear later, and I didn't really catch up with any until the first week of July. This one is from Denbies on the 5th of that month.I also keep returning to this one seen on 15th June on the same visit to Box Hill tucking into something noxious in full brilliant sunshine against a dazzling chalk background.I confess to a bit of post-production with this image, or all you'd see would be a silhouette...

Dave

Dark Green Fritillary

This species seemed to have a good year this year and I encountered them at a wide range of sites. However my favourite by far came from a trip to visit the Outaws in Wales. I’d just returned from a trip to the local Nisa (and a sneaky look in the field behind it) and I wasn’t needed for anything so I had a little look around the garden. The path around the left hand side of the house has a large scrub which I think is a Hebe? In the past it’s fed Small Torts, Red Admirals, Peacocks, Meadow Browns, Painted Ladies, various Whites and the odd Hedge Brown including one very nice ab, so it’s always worth checking out. On this occasion the Small Tort sat on the side of the house and basked whilst a Red Admiral supped nectar and a Common Blue did likewise. However my attention was drawn to a mid-sized brown/orange butterfly. It was a DGF and not something I’d expected and not something I’d thought of as a garden species. The incongruity of it assured its selection as my favourite for this species.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Due to the time I spent abroad this year, I only saw DGFs twice on UK soil.

The first was on 14th June at Whiteford Burrows on the Gower; indeed, this was the only fresh one I saw in this country in 2022:

I'm torn for choice for my favourite DGF pics from 2022, but have narrowed them down to three. All taken on the 13th June at Bloody Oaks Quarry, Rutland.
This first photo has been chosen because it clearly shows the upperside differences between the sexes, male on the left. A male feasting on wild thyme. An underside view at rest.

David M wrote: ↑Sun Nov 13, 2022 4:36 pm Due to the time I spent abroad this year, I only saw DGFs twice on UK soil.

I never left the UK and still only saw DGFs twice in 2022.

The first time was during a few days visiting our daughter in Emsworth in early June when a drive up to Old Winchester Hill produced a number of fresh males plus a single female.
The second time was a couple months later up at Arnside Knott in early august when I saw a few females still flying although most of these were worn and well faded with just a couple looking reasonable still.
Cheers,

Neil

I saw most of these up north whilst looking for HBF. They seemed to have had an excellent season as unlike the afore mentioned HBF there was no shortage of them!