Spring Butterflies

It's looking like another great butterfly year! The hot dry spring has seen several species on the wing remarkably early, including Duke Of Burgundy, Grizzled Skipper and Dingy Skipper. I rarely see any of these species before the end of April, but on Saturday morning, with the weather feeling more like mid-summer, I caught up with all three at Ivinghoe Beacon and Church End, near Pitstone Village. I found several Dukes pottering about in their usual sheltered gully near the Beacon and they posed nicely for me on Hawthorn leaves and grasses. If only all Butterflies were as easy to photograph! At Church End I counted 10 Dingy skippers but came away with taking a single shot. The newly emerged males, buzzing with sunshine were so concerned with chasing each other and battling for territory that they rarely had time to settle for more than a second. Orange Tips, Green Hairstreaks and Holly Blues are also out in good numbers and the first Red Admirals have emerged, although strangely I have yet to see a Comma, a species I would have expected to catch up with weeks ago.

Duke Of Burgundy Hamearis lucina (23/04/2011)

Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus malvea (18/05/2008)

Green Hairstreak Callophrys rubi (23/04/2011)

Dingy Skipper Eynnis tages (14/05/2008)

This afternoon I set myself the task of taking some pictures of Orange Tip, a tricky butterfly to photograph well. Orange Tips are always on the move and when they do settle, often keep their wings half closed. I have just spent an energetic hour in the late afternoon sun running up and down the Cow Parsley clad banks of Wilstone, chasing after these delicate, flighty butterflies. I managed to grab a few shots before the temperature dropped as the bank went into shade and all the butterflies suddenly disappeared for the day.

Orange Tip Anthocharis cardamines (24/04/2011)