Brown Hairstreak at Steyning

Brown Hairstreak, Thecla betulae

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Yesterday I spent the day at Steyning Nature Reserve where I met several other Brown Hairstreak seekers. I saw just one Hairstreak, in poor condition, and two others were reported to me. There was plenty of aerial activity between 11 and 12, but I was not sure if I was seeing Hairstreaks or Vapourer moths.

Dock Bug, Coreus marginatus

female Garden Spider, Araneus diadematus

male Garden Spider, Araneus diadematus

Jet Provost

Thanks to Doug Thompson for identifying this plane. The Jet Provost was a British jet-powered trainer aircraft used by the RAF from 1955 to 1993: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BAC_Jet_Provost

micromoth, id needed please

Small Copper, Lycaena phlaeas ab. caeruleopunctata

Small Copper, Lycaena phlaeas ab. caeruleopunctata

It is an aberrant caeruleopunctata due to the blue spots at the rear of the hindwing.

Small Heath, Coenonympha pamphilus