www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Whilst watching numerous butterflies in and around my garden this morning and afternoon, one of the Ant's nests in the house wall decided to arrange for a mass emergence. Observed this small worker Lasius niger ( ? ) loyally dragging her majesty to what fate ~ Ants are generally not wasteful so .... Numerous Seagulls circuling around high in the sky "Anting" ~ when I popped out to the supermarket at 3pm, getting petrol I noticed several Ant nests erupting in the surrounding flower beds. The Gulls will be well fed today.



In over sixty years of natural history observations, I can honestly say that this summer, despite the mixture of weather which could actually be part of the reason, has been the best I can ever remember for garden butterflies. At around 10.30 this morning, there were eight Painted Ladies basking on the patio, too many to count on the Buddleia blossom spikes, along with several Peacocks, one sole Red Admiral ( poorer than usual year for them so far ) plenty of Large, Small and Green Viened Whites ~ all most welcome to see.
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Numerous Painted Ladies sunbathing on my patio slabs again today and my own and the neighbours' Buddleias well populated too. A single Red Admiral, several Peacocks and the three species of commoner whites more numerous in the garden today too.

The Painted Ladies started settling on the lawn to bask today much to the chagrin of my resident Speckled Woods. Resident and breeding for about twenty years now. I have found their pupae suspended from fence panels and twigs when working in the garden.

Outnumbered by at least twenty to one, when a Painted Lady ventured too close to the Speckled Wood's regular perches, they vigorously and successfully chased them away punching well above their weight when compared to the size and power of the larger butterfly.

Never seen a Speckled Wood on the Buddleia blossoms, they prefer the Red Valerian....



Even the occasional Meadow Brown or Gatekeeper passing through the garden never observed to feed on the shrub.

I have to agree with you that there seem to be far more butterflies about than I can remember for years - even if in my garden I can only boast Gatekeepers, Peacocks, a solitary Meadow Brown, and of course many, many 'Cabbage' whites.

Beautiful butterfly picture, I would want to frame it if I had taken it.

Linda