The weather turned warm from the middle of July but, unexpectedly, it didn't bring out the butterflies, so whenever I saw one I pursued it as remorselessly as age allowed. This is a common blue and it was spotted on the cold, damp, misty day when we visited Whaligoe. Obviously, fine days are so rare that far north that the local butterflies come out in all weather.
When there was some sun the butterflies revelled in it, settling and then turning themselves so their open wings could absorb as many of its rays as possible; and then they closed them if the sun went behind a cloud, as if to conserve the warmth they'd absorbed. This is a speckled wood found in its classic environment, a sunny clearing in the woods while....
....this ringlet preferred a bit of shade.
A few red admirals were out earlier this year but when the weather reverted to winter they disappeared. This one was spotted a couple of weeks ago in our front garden enjoying the flowers on one of our new shrubs - we've lost the labels so I don't know what it is.
The upper side of a red admiral's wings are boldly bright with the red stripe across them, but the underside is intricately beautiful, almost as remarkable as that of a painted lady if not as bright as....
....the underside of a high brown fritillary.
By the end of the month the weather had turned miserably cold and the butterflies seemed almost to give up. In the few brighter moments some species came out - this is a meadow brown seen at Littleferry - but it's a wretched time for them. It happens to coincide with Butterfly Conservation's annual count. If I had filled out their form for the whole of our two-hour walk this morning, and not just the fifteen minutes they ask for, the grand total of butterflies seen would have been zero; but then the temperature at nine this morning was 10.5C.
No comments:
Post a Comment