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| Duke of Burgundy, Hamearis lucina |
Yesterday morning a visit to a local Duke of Burgundy site
failed to find any, but an afternoon visit to Kithurst Meadow provided two
fresh Duke of Burgundy butterflies, a Dingy Skipper, a Burnet Companion, Green-veined Whites
and a Peacock. Two male Brimstones were trying
to persuade a female to succumb to their charms. Bluebells and Early Purple Orchids were in flower and the meadow is covered with cowslips. Neil and young Mia joined me and we watched a Duke resting on the grass until it flew up to roost in the trees at around 3:45pm.
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| Bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scripta |
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| Brimstone courtship with 2 males, Gonepteryx rhamni |
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| female Brimstone receiving attention from two males |
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| Brimstone roosting under leaf - well camouflaged |
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| Bugle, Ajuga reptans |
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| Burnet Companion, Euclidia glyphica |
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| Dingy Skipper, Erynnis tages |
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| Duke of Burgundy, Hamearis lucina |
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| Duke of Burgundy, Hamearis lucina |
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| Early Purple Orchid, Orchis mascula |
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| a Nomad bee, possibly Nomada flava |
There are over 25 species of cuckoo bees in the UK. They are cleptoprasites of Andrena bees in whose nests they lay their eggs. Their larvae kill the eggs and larva of the host bee and eat their pollen stores. Thanks to Jamie for the id.
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| mushroom - id needed! |
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| Green-veined White, Pieris napi on Bugle |
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| Green-veined White, Pieris napi |
Very nice sequence of courting brimstones. I referred to your entry in my blog!
ReplyDeletehttps://rcannon992.com/2019/07/31/courting-brimstones-wing-walking/
thanks Ray, that is a very interesting article.
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