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Brown Argus - Favourite Photo of 2016

Week 2 - Here we go...again.

The second week and the second opportunity to showcase your favourite shots of 2016! Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos - just to make it easier to organise and keep everything on track so that we can enjoy this throughout the winter months? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As like last year details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome as would any accompanying stories and anecdotes or other observations of behaviour and interesting other points.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hello,
Brown Argus have a long flight period down my way.
We can tell that this individual is early due to the Spring spurge it is nectaring on.
Later individuals have to find other, less rich, sources of nectar.
April 20th April 8th Chris

I often come across these little butterflies unexpectedly, when looking for other things. I was particularly surprised by some unusually bright specimens, seen on a visit to Aston Rowant. I think they were freshly emerged because their wings showed bright green and blue iridescence, which my camera had difficulty capturing,
Mike

I took my photos of the Brown Argus at Temple Ewell in Kent. Once I go to Kent TE is my favourite place for seeing Butterflies what ever time I go July/Aug etc, I was surprised though to see so many BA, on previous visits I'd never seen so many, in fact last year I only saw one or two on my visit, this year there were loads and all were busy nectoring so it was hard work getting too close to them has they flew off when approached, I did mange some longer shots though .
One of the BA just looked liked a Northern BA from a distance, I'd to remember I was in the South Goldie

Above is an example only notable because it's the first one I've ever recorded in my Nottinghamshire garden - thus becoming the 22nd species I've seen here in 5 years of residence. (Next year I'm hoping for Small Heath - there's a colony about 100 metres away, as the insect flutters - but I'm yet to record one inside the bounds.) Seen on August 16th.
Below is one that, though quite a worn specimen, is still showing some purple iridescence on the forewings. This one from St. Pompom, Dordogne on the 15th September.

A day in the Chiltons, with Dukes as the target species provided one of the few days this year when Brown Argus were seen in reasonable numbers. This fine specimen caught my eye in particular

Plenty of species have had poor years in 2016, but none more so than Brown Argus in my opinion. I probably saw fewer than half a dozen in the earlier part of the year and it didn't get much better later on.

For that reason, I was delighted to see three individuals on 30th July when I was walking around the north Gower coast.

This specimen was particularly fresh and cheered up my day no end:

As David says, I felt this species had a poor year, particularly in the first brood when I only saw one on my local patch. However, the second brood was a bit better, and a third brood male seen on 2nd October was a bit of a surprise. Dave

In contrast to Dave and David, I was pleased with the numbers of second-brooded Brown Argus this year although its cousin Common Blue did not do so well. Photo below taken at Aston, near Stevenage in late July.

ATB

Peter

I didn't see many Brown Argus at all this year but I not sure if this was just me being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The most I saw were scattered about at Upton Towans when I was down in Cornwall in early September. They are always a bit hit and miss around my local patch and I never see many here even in the better years and last year I didn't find any at all. I was pleased therefore to find a single male at my local site at Bickenhill so for this reason the photo below is my favourite.
Cheers,

Neil

Brown Argus

This was taken at The Devenish during the first week of October. At the time I was wandering over the far side of the reserve wondering where all the butterflies had gone when this little BA buzzed by. When it flew soothing about it didn’t seem right as it was much more ‘silver’ than normal almost as if it wasn’t a Brown Argus but a faded male Blue. It was also a right pain to follow as it zipped here and there doubling back on itself before eventually plonking down amongst the grass. Luckily I did manage to relocate it and I was really glad that I did as the underside was really well marked with white – hence the much more silvered appearance in flight. However it didn’t keep its wings closed for long and when I was able to see the forewing topside it was a cracker – almost as if I had a Southern/ Northern Brown hybrid before me. The usual dark dot on the fore wing was circled in white so it really stood out. It is the most unusual Brown Argus I’ve seen hence my choice of it as my Favourite of 2016.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Nice Brown Argus,Wurzel '
AB; Snellini ( I think ) found one at Wye NNR (Kent) last year. Regards Allan.W.

A couple of shots from Littlestone,Kent,from an early morning plant hunt,although I saw good numbers around the Dungeness
area ,and the North Downs,i didn't take too many pictures. regards Allan.W