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Marbled White - Favourite Photo of 2023

Week 10

We’ve reached the half-way point! It’s generally around this point that I remind everyone that the grand finale in only 10 weeks time will be the favourite overall butterfly photo so hopefully you’ve already made your selection so as not to ‘use it up’ during the individual species threads .

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

Marbled White

This was taken during one of my lunch time forays at work. They seem to be extra flighty when I find them at work? Whether this is due to the time of day (I’m out around midday day when the sun and the temperature is highest), the time of year (they’ve just emerged so only have one thing on their minds) or the location (not an awfully big area of habitat) I’m not sure? However it does explain why I chose this as my favourite shot; it’s one of the few fresh individuals that actually sat still long enough for a shot!
Have a goodun

Wurzel

I Took my shots of the Marbled White at Monkton Nature Reserve, it was my first visit there and I was surprised to see the Butterfly field there, I made myself a member right a way and hope fully in the New Year I'll be back I only found the NR in late June and feel I must have missed out not being there in Spring, I won't mistake missing Spring there next year Goldie

Saw the bulk of my Marbled Whites ,as usual on the North Downs (Kent ) ,very few were found in Orlestone forest this year compared to the last two or three seasons .
This one was found around the "Dragonfly pond " at Sandwich bay reserve . I was actually looking for paired Dainty Damselflies ( which i did find !) and was a fresh individual ,and it looked to be still drying its wings . I was amazed to see just how Blue the hindwing spots were ,can,t say i,ve noticed this before.
Allan.W.

A deceptively variable species, here's a couple with very prominent upperside hindwing ocelli.

Every year, there seem to be slightly more Marbled Whites flying on my local patch as they drift down from colonies a little further up the Colne Valley. This rather splendid brand-new female provided some good poses on 27th June. Dave

A handful of Marbled Whites on my local spot - isolated from any other colonies but hanging on (just). A survivor possibly from a bird attack but i like the underside shot:

Prior to finding Large Blues at Daneway Banks on 16th June, I had several Marbled Whites fly by. I barely bothered with them after this.

Some nice fresh examples seen at Blythe Valley Park near Solihull on 22nd June provided my best photos this year.
I also saw them later at a few other sites but by then they were looking more faded and once again they seemed to go over quite quickly around here.

Cheers,

Neil.

A midsummer trip to Box Hill provided a couple of butterflies which settled obligingly whilst everything else was charging around on a hot day.
Also a mention for this one, because it's the closest I've ever seen one to where I live. There's been a colony (probably an accidental introduction from some meadow cuttings) for a few years some 1.5km away, and I was walking back from there along a footpath when I found this one, which had probably wandered from the same place. It didn't hang around for more than a quick photo, just lurking in the shade for a bit to cool off. As it was only a few minutes' walk away, this sighting held out some hope that we might someday be able to add Marbled White to our garden list.