Fighting Blues and a foxy den

As the weather was good I made the final trip to Harting Down for the Duke of Burgundy survey. There were none, but I found Common Blues fighting, three were tumbling in the air at one stage.

the winner

Two of them spent five minutes battling on the ground before the third one joined in the bundle. I spotted the backside of a fox disappearing below me at an overgrown little dell I hadn’t explored before and found its den with the entrance strewn with feathers.

There some Grizzled and Dingy Skippers, Orange Tips, a lacewing, Small Heaths and Green-veined Whites.

Burnet Companion moth and Speckled Wood

I called in at Brandy Hole Copse and Rewell Wood on the way back where I found a Pearl Bordered Fritillary (next to yellow broom above), Speckled Woods and many Speckled Yellow moths nectaring on bluebells (top).

White nettle and Herb-Robert

White Campion

above: Beautiful Demoiselles (Calopteryx virgo) with dark wings were flying around the bushes on Harting Down, Cinnabar moth; Yellow flags at the Brandy Hole pond which was teeming with tadpoles; Silver-ground Carpet moth and log pile at Rewell Wood.