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Wood White - Favourite Photo of 2023

Week 20

Well here we go for the final week of the Favourite Photos of 2023. We’ve almost made it through the winter and soon the season should be well underway.

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

Wood White

So having attempted to sleep in the car and then subsequently filled my boots with Blackstreaks it was somewhat understandable that I was a little tired on the journey home. Luckily my Satnav had taken me on a quiet route home and one which enabled me to call in at Botany Bay, Chiddingfold for a bit of a break. After picking up a possible Purple Hairstreak as well as seeing my first Black Admiral I found myself crossing the river Lox and wandering up the rise with a Wood White in sight. However this individual played hardball only eventually landing having led me a merry dance up and down the path several times and then harassed a docile female for all he was worth. This meant that I don’t feel that he deserves my selection for the ‘Favourite’ but luckily later on in the visit I found a female egg laying in the little triangular field just off the main ride. She caught the light beautifully revealing the dusting of grey/black scales and the veins running across the wings. I knew straight away even back then that she would make it onto the shortlist and as the day progressed, despite several more nice captures, I drove home, matchsticks in eyelids, knowing that I had the Favourite for one species already sorted.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

I do tend to get a bit carried away with their courtship, my goal is to get a shot of both uppersides at the same time. This threesome is the closest I've come as yet.

Both of these are first generation butterflies, from Chiddingfold Forest in late May, where they were around in good numbers.

One of my most memorable trips during 2023 was a walk along the southeast Devon coast between Branscombe and Beer in May. The weather was glorious, I had the company of one of my oldest friends, and there were Wood Whites. I had previously read that a population was supposed to exist in the sheltered undercliff areas where there had been landslips in days gone by, but couldn't remember having seen any recent reports of the species flying here.However, in surroundings very different from the Surrey woodlands in which I normally encounter them, I found a couple of dozen. They were flying much higher than their relatives in the Home Counties, but stopped to nectar more often despite the strong sunshine.The area was also teeming with Holly Blues, and up at the clifftop edge overlooking Beer, I spotted a couple of likely SPBF. All in all, a terrific day out.

Dave

Seen plenty of these abroad in 2023, but didn't bother looking for them domestically.

This one is from the French Pyrenees in late May:

2nd of June in Lyme Regis, so just about in Dorset. iPhone photo of an example with a nicely patterned underside. 20 or so seen that day(some may have flown round more than once!)

Mitch wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2024 12:17 am2nd of June in Lyme Regis, so just about in Dorset. iPhone photo of an example with a nicely patterned underside...

I'll say. Were they all so heavily suffused, Mitch?

I missed the first brood of Wood Whites here in the midlands but a trip over to Grafton Wood on 10th August produced good numbers of second brood fluttering all along the main ride and down several side paths.
Cheers,

Neil.