www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Good morning UK B'ers,

I managed to grab 30 minutes at Bramshott Common in a quest to tick off a lifer; my first SSB.

I found patches where there were a number of blues but to the untrained (!) eye I couldn't see the silver studs on the wings and presumed that I had stumbled on a large colony of common blues. Would I be the only person to go there and not find them!?

However, having reviewed my photos (on the iPhone, of course!!) I think I may have snapped my quarry, in which case I am over the moon.

Please can the more qualified amongst you, (basically all of you!) have a look and confirm if they are indeed SSB's.
Thank you in advance for putting me out of my misery!!

Flutter on!

CJB

Hi CJB,
By the powers vested in me by UK Butterflies, you are hereby released from your state of misery - these are indeed Silver-studded Blues.
BWs, Neil

Thank you Neil!!!!

Now for the elusive (to me!) DGF, HBF, WLH and BH, amongst others!

Flutter on!

CJB

I remember when I first saw S-sBlues at Silchester Common, many years ago, I was disappointed that none of my photos showed any sign of studs! Last week, when I was there, the studs on many specimens were glowing in the sunshine and really did look like silver! Do these things vary year by year, depending on weather conditions?

Hi Mike,

I must admit that it completely threw me. I read other posts saying 'I turned up, walked from the car-park and they were everywhere'. So, when I arrived I thought that I just kept finding common blues and was generally throwing my toys when I couldn't find them.

Really pleased to have ticked a new one off the list and now on to the others eluding me. As a Gloucs local, where would you recommend for a dead cert DGF near Cirenceser?

Flutter on!

CJB

'Dead certs' are tricky - otherwise our hobby would not be so interesting!

Leckhampton Hill, just South of Cheltenham. was always a good place for me, though I've not been there for a few years.

Recently, Jack Harrison wrote to me, suggesting that Swift's Hill SO876066 (near Slad) was a good place for DGFs. Others who live more locally to you may well have many other suggestions. Good luck

Hi Mike,

A wise caveat there!!

I will investigate your suggestions and report back.

Flutter on!

CJB

There are usually a few DGFs on Daneway Banks (Silver Washed too in the areas adjacent to mature trees).

Thank you David!

I am local to Daneway Banks (spoiling) and have tried in vain for DGF's there.

I hope I can break my duck this year!

Flutter on!

CJB

MikeOxon wrote:Leckhampton Hill, just South of Cheltenham. was always a good place for me, though I've not been there for a few years.

Hi Mike - although I was born less than a mile away (in Warden Hill in Cheltenham), I lived in Leckhampton through the 1960s up until 1981 when I went to university, returning to nearby Charlton Kings before moving to Thatcham in 1995. My family has a long history of living in Leckhampton; the Cotswolds (in general) are my spiritual home and are responsible for me becoming seriously interested in nature. I have so many stories that I could tell that I'd still be here at midnight writing this, but won't! But it is, indeed, a small world

Cheers,

- Pete

Prestbury Hill near Cheltenham is a good place to see Dark Green Fritillaries they can be found all over the reserve especially where there is knapweed growing. I would suggest that is the best place to see them in Gloucestershire. They were on the wing in great numbers in the last couple of summers. I'm hoping to visit this site again next week. Leckhampton Hill used to be a good place to see wall browns too, although i haven't seen any at this site in the last couple of years though.