Tag: butterfly
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Small Tortoiseshell on a thistle
A pretty little butterfly, generally widespread but in decline in recent years, particularly in the south. The underside of the wings are more sombre and when closed look like dried leaves concealing them from the eyes of predatory birds. Small tortoiseshells hibernate through the winter in sheds, wood piles and hollow trees. This tortoiseshell was…
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Green Hairstreak
I almost disregarded it. Fluttering by too fast to chance a photograph. And with dull brown colouring on its top side wings, I thought it was a small moth. It was only when it landed and closed its wings that their vivid green undersides were displayed. A Green Hairstreak butterfly, beautiful. Normally liking to feed…
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Peacock on a Bluebell
After a few false starts, finally a vernal freshness to the morning. The bluebells are out in Newton woods but a week or so off their best. The more astute of you may have noticed an increase in the posting of telephoto photos. My new toy. Normal service will be resumed when the novelty wears…
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Early riser
Eighty minutes after a warm October dawn, although the sun had yet to make an appearance, a butterfly caught my eye. A flighty thing but after ten minutes of stalking I managed to grab this shot. Not the best specimen, it looks as though chunks are missing from the ends of its wings, but by…
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Ringlet Butterflies
I came across this amorous couple this morningĀ on Roseberry Common. Butterflies are usually so flighty they’re difficult to photograph but so engrossed were these I could get within an inch with my little camera set on macro. They’re Ringlets apparently, quite common.