Wednesday 29 May 2013

A LONG WEEKEND.... BUTTERFLIES AND SUNSHINE



I originally published this post on Tuesday afternoon but it seems that blogger is up to it's old tricks once again and it's not 'showing'  
So, I've re-jigged and re-posted it in the hope that you can all 'see' it now!!






For a change the weather for the long bank holiday weekend was, for the most part, bright and sunny with a mostly blue sky. The temperature was around a comfortable  17° - 18°C mark (I don't like it too warm!). Apart from Monday, when there was a chilly wind blowing, the conditions were right for a spot of butterfly watching.


The local reports were giving information that there were good butterfly numbers showing at a place where I'd never fully explored before...Bison Hill, about seven miles from home, on the chalk escarpment of the Chiltern Hills in Bedfordshire.

Butterfly Country



The reports were right there were butterflies on the wing everywhere..


Green Hairstreak (callophrys rubi) 







Duke Of Burgundy Fritillary (hamearis lucina)...a butterfly I'd never seen before!

female

male

male

female



Dingy Skipper (erynnis tages)








Grizzled Skipper (pyrgus malvae)

male

female



Small Heath (coenonympha pamphilus)...as always, skulking low down in the grass! 






Just a part of the panoramic view looking out from the top of the hill over the Vale of Aylesbury.





Not to be outdone by the butterflies a couple of day flying moths were on the wing.

Common Carpet
(epirrhoe alternata)

Cinnabar (tyria jacobaeae)


And to round off two good days of butterflying ....whilst I was relaxing in the garden on Sunday evening, enjoying a welcome glass of wine, a butterfly settled on one of the shrubs about six feet away from me, as if it was saying 'don't forget me'...

A well worn Holly Blue (celastrina argiolus)


And today?...It's raining yet again!!





10 comments:

grammie g said...

HI Trevor... Well worth the second effort, for these are super-super fine shot's of some stunning, butterflies and moth's !!
The Green Hairstreak standing on his head is a goody, and "the Duke" was a great find!!
Love the panoramic of the country side, just so rich in it spring colors!!
Hope this blogger crap gets straightened out for you!! : ))))
Grace

The Herald said...

Hi Grace...Glad you got to see this...at last!

I was pleased to find some good butterflies, especially the Duke of Burgundy, a new tick!

The view from the top of the hill is fabulous...when the sun shines!...lol.

As for blogger...the least said the better!...[;o)

FOREST SNAPPER said...

Trevor,i have never heard of these butterfies, you have done well in finding and showing them , well done. I will have to keep my eyes open .

peter

Douglas Mcfarlane said...

So glad this didn't slip past, (naughty Blogger service,tut-tut)I'm going to have to come back to this in a few days I think, great images Trevor

The Herald said...

Peter,thank you. They take a bit of finding sometimes! The two Skippers are very small, just over an inch wingspan, and they fly just like moths, so next time you see a 'moth' fluttering low over the grass take a second look...you never know!!...[;o)


Douglas, thank you...Glad you found it!...[;o)

Roy Norris said...

I did see it on Tuesday, but it was nice to see it again Trevor.{:))

ADRIAN said...

What a great couple of days. I can see this now.
It was well worth waiting for.

The Herald said...

Thanks Adrian, I'm glad you got to see it!...[;o)

Heather Wilde said...

Wow Trevor, what a fabulous post. Beautiful flutterbys beautifully captured :)

The Herald said...

Heather, thank you...[;o)