Wednesday 30 May 2012

On the wing at Cerne Abbas

A profusion of butterflies were on the wing around the Cerne Abbas giant today - the star attraction being the Duke of Burgundy fritillary (which is, the lepidopterists will tell you, a metalmark rather than a fritillary). Also present were Brown Argus (which is a blue, not a brown), Marsh Fritillary (which is a fritillary, but was on chalk downland, not marsh), Green Hairstreak (which was green but a tatty specimen which didn't have much of a hairstreak), Common Blue (which wasn't that common), Grizzled Skipper, Dingy Skipper, Small Heath, Small Blue and Adonis Blue (which did what they said on the tin, except the Grizzled, which didn't). With one or two unidentified species of White that made 11 or 12 in total. Conditions were perfect for photographing them - bright sunlight to get them flying about followed by patchy cloud to get them settled and take the harshness out of the light. A selection of the best shots below.

Duke of Burgundy

Duke of Burgundy - this fresh specimen remained partly obscured unfortunately

Duke of Burgundy underside - stunning

Duke of Burgundy underside


Adonis Blue - male

Adonis Blue - a female

Brown Argus

Brown Argus

Grizzled Skipper

Grizzled Skipper underside
 

Marsh Fritillary

Marsh Fritillary

Marsh Fritillary - underside

Cinnabar moth

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