www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

24.04.2012.

Dear diary ( ),

this sunny morning (now it's raining ) I took my bike and went to visit a nearby forest. During hard cycling up the hill, some Whites were passing by. None on the ground.

Soon I saw something more interesting feeding on flowers - a Swallowtail. One meter away - a Scarce Swallowtail too. Both with one tail lost. Also in the neighborhood, there was a butterfly I've never seen before (in live). It was a Common Glider (Neptis sappho, Nymphalidae). On the way home, Comma was feeding on some kind of... excrement (I think).

Hi Dean. I'm interested to see common gliders on the wing already - a lovely butterfly. It often flies in the company of Fenton's wood white (Leptidea morsei). Do you get that in your region? It should certainly be flying now and I'd love to see pictures of it.

Guy

Yes, you are right Guy! That species lives in my region.

I think I saw one today, but when I stopped and got closer it "disappeared". Maybe next time.

I took pictures of Leptidea sinapis two years ago on a meadow...

Love the Common Glider, I've never been remotely near where it flies, - lucky you !

biosdr wrote:I think I saw [a Fenton's wood white] today, but when I stopped and got closer it "disappeared". Maybe next time.

I look forward to a piccie! That is one of just two species I've seen but never photographed. I saw one in Hungary in 1994, again in the proximity of common gliders, but was unable to record it (that was back in the days of 35mm, when you couldn't just point the camera from 20m away, zoom in and click...).

Guy

I've been looking forward to biosdr's reports ever since he first joined this forum.

Keep them coming!