www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

I chanced a cloudy start today for Velvet Bottom near Cheddar to look for Dark Green Fritillary, and was rewarded for sunny periods by 12:30pm until I left at about 2:30pm. (Thanks Accuweather!) There wasn't the mass emergence that I saw last year with several on the wing at the same time; this year I saw butterflies in ones and twos, maybe hampered by breezy conditions. Nevertheless, I counted well over 20 sightings between 11:30 and 2:30 although several may have been repeats. A bit too breezy for decent pics but I got this one:



If anyone wishes to visit, head for Charterhouse from Cheddar by turning left at the top of the Cheddar cliff road. Proceed up the hill just past the Charterhouse Centre where you will see a left turn signposted Shipton and a small lane right. Turn right into this lane past the wind turbine about 1/4 mile where there is parking for about half a dozen cars. The butterflies congregate around the tumps adjacent to the parking area, also along the heather/gorse bank running alongside the lane leading North.
Most of the butterflies I saw looked quite fresh so they should be around for a week or two yet.

After visiting Lord's Wood this morning with disappointing results I continued on to Velvet Bottom. I had to wait out a shower but it was well worth it with many DGF on the wing this afternoon, peaking around 3pm. A few were looking a bit tired but there were enough that were still fresh looking:



I was also witness to this extraordinary display:
http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/phpBB2/v ... php?t=1395

Observations at Velvet Bottom regarding the food plants and their prevalence would be of interest to me.

To be honest I didn't pay much attention to the food plants. There is gorse and heather to provide shade and I think there is active management of the habitat as some areas were sectioned off this summer. Dog violets must be there in some numbers but not particularly widespread as the butterflies are concentrated around quite a small spot.

Thanks for the reply. On Mill Hill the area is inundated with violets, but no DG Frtis.

http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Violets.htm