www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Starting this week, here is the opportunity to post your favourite photo(s) of a particular species taken in 2013 (or the last time you saw one!).

This is part of a series of topics which will grow over 20 weeks throughout the winter, eventually covering all 59 species which are regularly found in the British Isles. The intention is to showcase three species per week (in alphabetical order), so please wait until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos. Our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants.

Details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome and please feel free to contribute observations of behaviour, stories of personal encounters, anecdotes or other interesting points.

Vince

My first trip to Shipton Bellinger of 2013 is one I’ll never forget. Not only did I enjoy excellent company but also a profusion of butterflies. There were Blues and Whites everywhere along the hedge margins as well as both male and female Brown Hairstreaks. By the end of the visit Philzoid and I had chalked up a total of 18 species. It was one of the commoner species that really made this a stand out day.
As I was checking a Brown Argus I stopped dead in my tracks. There in front of me was a Brimstone with its wings wide open. I called Philzoid back and we spent the next five minutes photographing this unusual sight. As well as open wing shots from directly above we worked all the angles and my favourite was this one slightly form the side as it shows of the huge thorax. If this butterfly was a human it’d be Arnie!
The sun eventually came out and almost immediately the butterfly took off and after a short flight landed in the more usual posture. Have a goodun

Wurzel

Great open wing shot, attached is my only photo of one also from Shipton Bellinger.

Andy

A real Spring Brimstone here, taken at Park Corner Heath.

it was a fantastic year for garden brimstones. sometimes up to a dozen on the buddleia. but before they flowered the red campion was appreciated.

I have gone for a pair seen at Martin Down back on 31st May. The female sat motionless with wings wide open as the male accosted her. He often had his wings open too, but wouldn't keep still. As Wurzel noted above, these butterflies have very large thoraxes - which must give them their staying power: near enough a year as adults, half of which is spent in hibernation and the other half on the wing almost constantly. Dave

A couple from me.

First this Spring example taken in the Wyre Forest, a bit tatty but after surviving through last winter until early June this year he has every right to be.
And a summer brood one taken at Lulworth Cove in early September when there were quite a few nectaring on the Valerian growing out of the walls on the way from the car park down to the cove.
Cheers,

Neil.

It was a spring male Brimstone that gave me my best moment this year. It's rare to see one settle at all at this time of year, but I spotted this one in Clydach, nr. Swansea, on 19th April. As ever it was not for settling but given the air temperature was only about 11c, as soon as the cloud cover obscured the sun it literally dropped to the ground and played dead. I could have picked it up such was its torpor, but instead opted to get a rare close up:

I have two favourite Brimstone photos from 2013. The first was only the second butterfly I saw in 2013 - on the 14th April at Kithurst Hill in Sussex. It just shows how late the spring was! The second is a female taken on August 4th at Malling Down. I love the contrast of the purple Buddleia and pale lime butterfly.
Cheers
John

My photo was taken at Lydden on the 19th August, I'd bought a new Camera and was trying the lens out, I found it didn't take too good a photo unless you were near your subject so I used my Bridge camera for this shot.
It's a favourite of mine because it shows the Brimstone in another light really stretched out, it looks half caterpillar half BF. Goldie

My photo, taken on 5th March, includes a bonus 'passenger', which Susie identified for me as a Solitary Bee.
Mike

I like this image of a Brimstone feeding at Wild Basil because it reminds me of what a glorious summer it was for our British Butterflies.

I like this female because of the position of the wings:
Perhaps they were like that because there was a male close by:
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Colin

This is my favourite, the first one I've had that sat still!

Jo