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Hi All
I will be in Preston on Friday.Weather permitting I will stay and spend the weekend in search of High Brown Fritillarys.
Having never visited this area any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Brian

I'd suggest Arnside Knott in the Morecambe Bay area. There will be Dark Green Fritillary flying too so you'll need to make sure you can distinguish the two before you get there!

Just head to the top of the Knott and you'll be fine

Cheers,

- Pete

Hi,

Just back from Arnside Knott - what a fantastic place!! Hundreds of fritillaries around - seem to be DG near the top of the hill and HB over on what is known as Cowslip field. Though they are difficult to tell apart!! Also saw Red Admiral, Painted Lady (both firsts of this year), Grayling (10-12), Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Large & Small Skipper and Speckled Wood. Did not spot any Scotch Argus but think we were too early.

I can't wait to go back there!!

Hi,
Thanks for the advice.
I spent several hours at Arnside in very windy conditions where I saw many 'flyby' fritillaries.
Eventually one or two settled long enough to snap although I never did get to see the underwing, but having examined my photographs i'm happy that at least two were High Brown.
I'll definitely return in a couple of weeks to search for scotch argus
Thanks again, Brian

Thanks for the post hosebirder - I was going to try and get to Arnside later this week to see Scotch Argus (I heard they were out!). But if you saw none - I'll put the trip off!

Cheers,

- Pete

I'll be heading there either Sat or Sun morning, Pete... I'll keep you posted with sightings! I find with Scotch Argus that you're either too early and see none or too late, and there are only tatty individuals left!!

Saw my first Yorkshire Purple Hairstreak of the year last night on a row of oaks I'd had my eye on not 1km from the house. My local patch is turning out to be a good'un ) having bemoaned the sparsity of butterflies after i moved up North from Bristol... you southerners would be envious at the number of Small Tortoiseshell and Wall that can be found and I can add Large Heath, Scotch Argus (if I put my foot down), Northern Brown Argus and Duke of Burgundy to the list of butterflies within a 60min radius of home.

Thanks Chris - look forward to the report

Yeah - I've often thought about spending a spring/summer in Scotland to really get to grips with the fauna there. Just need to win the lottery, buy that second house, ...

Cheers,

- Pete

Visited Arnside Knott and Gait Barrows today, Saw a number of Fritillaries some of which were getting very tatty. Also Grayling, Small Copper, Gatekeeper, Brimstone, Meadow Brown, Small Skipper, Peacock, various whites and dozen's of Scotch Argus at Arnside.The latter were difficult to photograph as they rarely settled, but eventually I found one which obliged!