2020 Butterfly and Moth Images

Went to a local Knapweed patch and there were 100's of butterflies, often 2 or 3 to a flower.

Saw my first Burnet Moths of 2020






Clouds of Meadow Browns



Increasing numbers of Marbled Whites



and Small Tortoiseshells



and Large Skippers





Declining numbers of Small Heaths

 

Burnet Moths on Sunday were 5 Spot, saw first 6 Spot today. Masses of Large Skippers around this year. Going on a Garden Tiger hunt tomorrow.

6 Spot Burnet Moth



More Large Skippers 2 to a flower, almost got 3 on one.

 

Saw 2 Scarlet Tigers in a polytunnel at my plot.

 

Took a friend (who usually visits reserves) on a short 'butterfly walk' around a footpath and field boundary on the edge of our village this morning to demonstrate just how may species are within a few minutes walking distance.

Saw 15 species of butterfly, 3 species of dragonfly and a couple of Burnet Moths. Could have been 20 butterfly species, but didn't see any small tortoiseshells, small coppers, common blues or speckled woods today and the skippers wouldn't settle enabling ID of both small and large.

But very pleased to see 2 White-letter Hairstreaks



and with a Comma for indication of size

 

First Gatekeeper to visit the garden.

 

OMG, they're going to have babies - net your brassicas now!



Mating Large Whites (AKA Cabbage Whites) on Pig Parsley.

 

Gatekeepers now the most plentiful butterfly around here






Loads of Peacocks have reappeared




Plenty of Green veined whites about




Only seen 2 'Common' Blues this year




Dozens of Cinnabar Moth caterpillars on Ragwort at the moment




Still trying to find a Painted Lady. Several have been seen fairly locally, including one in a friend's garden (all reliable sources). And Purple Emperors and White Admirals have been photographed 15 mins walk away!

 

A rather poor photo of an Oak eggar, who keeps coming into the kitchen of an evening...

Morning routine is now
- turn on coffee machine
- locate oak eggar(s)
- catch and release said critters
- make coffee...


(Apologies for blurry photo - aforementioned coffee not yet drunk, and dirty window-frame - far too much gardening to do housework!j

 

The only shot I could get of a Clouded Yellow before it flew off.


Silver Washed Fritillary.

 

Correction on my previous post, not Silver Washed but Dark Green Fritillary.

 

Gatekeepers and Meadow Brown



Small White