Tuesday 28 May 2013

A LONG WEEKEND....SUNSHINE AND BUTTERFLIES





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!!








2 comments:

holdingmoments said...

Superb set of pictures Trevor. Most of these I've never seen before.
A trip up Bison Hill definitely on the cards.

The Herald said...

Thanks Keith, Yeah, we'll have a look next week...when the sun's shining!...[;o)