www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Explanation first.....
You forget your login password, having been off site for a while, then you can't remember which of the several email addresses you registered last time with ( since you only vaguely remember setting it up years ago)... can't then get a new password...
Anyway, that has happened to me, and as such "Reverdin" has left the building, thank you very much, leaving only the same old me...now Kip.
I understand Pete and the other moderators aren't at all keen on reincarnations, hence the above reasoning, so I hope I can stay, now sadly in my third guise, sigh!!

What prompted my emergence this year was this scene in my garden today....
I can't remember such a late start to a season as this one, just a handful of overwintered Peacocks, Commas and Small Torts at home in icy North Yorkshire.... until this pair of mating brassicae appeared today.... can't remember seeing this species so early... ever, and no, I did not breed them myself, don't even have cabbages

Kip wrote:Explanation first.....
You forget your login password, having been off site for a while, then you can't remember which of the several email addresses you registered last time with ( since you only vaguely remember setting it up years ago)... can't then get a new password...
Anyway, that has happened to me, and as such "Reverdin" has left the building, thank you very much, leaving only the same old me...now Kip.
I understand Pete and the other moderators aren't at all keen on reincarnations, hence the above reasoning, so I hope I can stay, now sadly in my third guise, sigh!!

Any of the mods can find you Paul (reset your password, etc.)! Let me know if you want to resurrect any of your previous two memberships!

Cheers,

- Pete

Welcome back, Paul! To be fair, you haven't been gone that long ...

Guy

Re-aquainted myself with pruni again on Tuesday at Glapthorn where this year's adults are nectaring on the exact same bushes as their ancestors did. Lovely fresh female was showing off splendidly....
Then as more people descended on the pruni shrine and I had already achieved what I went for, I decided to go elsewhere.... actually quite a distant place elsewhere... never had been to Prees Heath, just had to be done..... apologies to Planet Earth for the emissions involved. argus were plentiful and a joy to behold. I do think they are a little different in appearance there to ones I have encountered at other sites.... and very beautiful...
Sorting through dozens of images, may add a few more yet.
Hopefully a taste for me of things to come in the Haute-Savoie in early July

Wow that Blackstreak is a stunner Kip

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thank you very much. She was a real lady!!

here are a few more from the day...

My first home pics of the year... female cardamines yesterday....
Also Comma and Peacock in the garden up here in North Yorkshire.

Good to see you back and off the mark Kip

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Interesting to see females so far north when males are still scarce in many places further south.

Hi! Kip, can you send those Orange Tips please to South Lancashire Goldie

I'm pretty sure everyone is seeing a selection of seasonal beauties now!
A couple more from me.....

a rather pleasant and seldom seen by me, male argiolus snapped in Northampton,
and a male cardamines this aft in my own garden...

Great shots Kip, you're giving Dave Miller a run for his money with the Holly Blue whispering in order to get that one

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Haha... I sat for 2 days on & off waiting for the right moment... culminating in an open wing male, probably same one, which shot off way before camera picked up.

This evening, found two groups of 3 male cardamines each, roosting on pale narcissi in the garden!!

I’ve deliberately planted Erysimum Bowles Mauve to attract Orange Tips but have yet to have any success. Nice to see your own have tempted this species.

I find this plant difficult up here.... it soon gets leggy and dies back, though we have some cuttings rooted... maybe that's the way to go! ... it also feels like photographing a butterfly on Buddleia, grates a bit!! The orange and purple works though

Here's one of my roosting cardamines today...

There are other reasons cardamines haunt my garden.... it is well in the countryside, and I have lots of Lady's Smock...
and Garlic Mustard

Emergences continue, with my first napi (x4), brassicae (x1) and aegeria (x2) at home yesterday...
- these two were just a few inches apart early this ( very cold) morning at home... I was surprised on 20th April last year by a mating pair of brassicae - well this female is even earlier.... maybe some of these odd early Peirids pupated in a hot spot such as a greenhouse????
My local moorland rubi population has yet to appear though.

Fantastic looking selection there Kip both plants and butterflies

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Love the Orange Tip shots Kip Goldie

Kip wrote:I find this plant difficult up here.... it soon gets leggy and dies back, though we have some cuttings rooted... maybe that's the way to go! ... it also feels like photographing a butterfly on Buddleia, grates a bit!! The orange and purple works though

Yes, I believe it is a short lived perrenial...only lives a few years before dying so keeping it going through cuttings is the usual thing.

Great photos

Cheers,

Neil