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More of a rarity, the UK subspecies of the Swallowtail (Papilio machaon britannicus) is restricted to the Norfolk broads in the UK. I had only a fleeting glimpse of the adult insect this year, flying past at speed, but was able to photograph a Swallowtail caterpillar on its larval food plant, Milk Parsley.

 

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I envy you. In London this year apart from numerous Cabbage Whites, I have seen only three coloured butterflies (and but one ladybird).

 

 

You'll be surprised what flies in London during the relevant flight season. White-letter hairstreak is known along the Embankment and in some of the London parks, Purple hairstreak is widespread in London oak trees, and Purple Emperor and White Admiral flies within Greater London too. The photo of the Small Blue that I posted earlier in the thread was taken in London (albeit near the border with Surrey). All that said, it is nonetheless true that many species struggle in the bigger cities as gardens are increasingly tarmacked over and edge-land type brownfield sites become developed.

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As the butterfly season enters its final stages you can't be too choosy about what butterflies you photograph. Here's a Small White (Pieris rapae) which, along with its cabbage white cousins, is still a common sight.

 

Thambar-M and M 240.

 

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Edited by wattsy
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  • 2 weeks later...

The Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) is not a common sight in the UK (other than in notable "clouded yellow years") and is one of a small number of species that, though always included in the list of 59 UK butterflies, is actually a regular migrant from mainland Europe and doesn't overwinter in any form. August and September (and often well into October) are the most likely months to see this rather beautiful species in the UK. This one is a female.

 

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Not a great photo but a good excuse to resurrect the thread with my first butterfly photograph of the year. The recent warm weather in the UK (sadly gone) roused a number of butterflies from their winter hibernation. This is a Comma (Polygonia c-album), a common and widespread species that is seen throughout a typical butterfly year. M 240 and 90 Macro-Elmar.

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Am 16.5.2018 um 23:52 schrieb wattsy:

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus), a charming small butterfly of hedgerows and gardens. Again 90 Macro Elmar-M and goggles.

 

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well camouflaged  - and altogether a wonderful butterfly series  -    thanks

Edited by Suuumm55
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  • 2 months later...

The butterfly 'season' is of course well under way now in the UK. I haven't been taking so many photos so far this year but I took the 90 Macro Elmar and M240 out yesterday.

I was on my way to Bentley Wood near Salisbury (to see two of the spring fritillaries) but the closure of the M25 put paid to that idea and I went to Bison Hill near Whipsnade Zoo instead. This is part of the long chalk range that angles across southern England and is a well known haunt of the rare-ish Duke of Burgundy (Hamearis lucina), Europe's only member of the metalmark family. As you can see from the relative size of the dandelion leaves, it's a small butterfly and rather stretches the capabilities of a rangefinder based "macro" lens. (You can also tell by the blade of grass crossing the Duke's legs, that parallax is a real problem using a rangefinder for this type of photography😀).

Edited by wattsy
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Some other, more common, species photographed yesterday. All 90 Macro Elmar-M and M240. In most cases, I've cropped slightly to tighten the composition.

Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)

 

Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages)

 

Brown Argus (Aricia agestis)

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A backlit Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi). Usual M240 and 90 Macro Elmar-M.

 

Edited by wattsy
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A pair of mating Common Blue. M 240 and 90 Macro Elmar-M (with goggles).

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Wood white (Leptidea sinapsis) is a relative rarity in the UK. Not difficult to see if you go to the right location (mostly in the midlands and parts of the southwest) but far less common than the other whites. I used the usual M 240 and 90 Macro Elmar-M but have now acquired the 14652 Macro-Adapter-M and EVF to focus a bit closer and (in theory) more accurately than with my goggled adapter. The jury is still out as to how much I like the combination.

 

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Speckled wood (Pararge aegeria). Common woodland butterfly, on the wing from early spring until the autumn. 90 Macro Elmar-M and original goggled adaptor.

Edited by wattsy
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I was slightly surprised to find Small Blue (Cupido minimus) down near the beach at Compton Bay, Isle of Wight. There is a sizeable colony a couple of miles inland but I hadn't expected any at this location. There seems to be only small amounts of kidney vetch (the larval food plant) near the beach but I guess the butterfly will try to exploit any opportunity. This is the UK's smallest butterfly so the extra magnification of the 14652 Macro-Adaptor-M (1:2 ratio) came in very handy on this occasion.

Edited by wattsy
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In the UK, the Glanville Fritillary (Melitaea cinxia) is restricted to the western coastline of the Isle of Wight. It's a good excuse to take the (exorbitantly priced) ferry across during May or early June.

Edited by wattsy
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  • 3 weeks later...

The Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) – a species of the genus that Americans refer to as checkerspots.. This species has seen a fairly dramatic decline in its distribution in the Uk during the last 30 years and is now largely restricted to the western side of Britain. However, there is an established (albeit reintroduced) colony in Lincolnshire and I took this photo whilst paying a quick visit last weekend on my way up to Cumbria. This particular colony had a dramatic emergence this year and numbers were estimated in the tens of thousands. I visited quite late in the flight season and there were still very large numbers flapping about in the meadow.

90 Macro Elmar-M and adapter.

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The Large Blue (Maculinea arion) became extinct in the UK during the late 1970s but was successfully reintroduced using Swedish 'stock'. The life-cycle of this butterfly involves a complex symbiotic relationship with a particular species of ant so the reintroduction wasn't a straightforward affair. This was taken on Collard Hill in Somerset, the most accessible site (and where the butterfly will be on the wing for the next couple of weeks). M240 and 90 Macro Elmar-M (no cropping).

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The considerably more widespread Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus), in this case on wood cranesbill and located at the marvellous Smardale Gill nature reserve in Cumbria.

Edited by wattsy
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This is one of the butterflies in today's news. It is one of a small number of English born Chequered Skippers (Carterocephalus palaemon) that have been successfully reintroduced to an undisclosed location in Rockingham Forest, Northamptonshire. 40 odd individuals (mainly females) were brought over from Belgian last year and the species has made it through to 2019 (against my expectations if I'm honest). A recent news embargo has meant that I haven't been able to post any photos of this butterfly until today. This butterfly is one of the first brood to have been born in England since the butterfly went extinct during the 1970s. Taken using the usual M 240 and 90 Macro Elmar-M.

 

 

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