Marbled Whites and Silver-washed Fritillaries

Marbled White, Melanargia galathea

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Yesterday morning I dropped Sue off at the Amex Stadium, Brighton for her convention. As it was near Hollingbury Park I called there to see if the White Hairstreaks were showing. No luck, but there were many ladybird larvae and pupae on the nettles.

I then headed for Southwater Woods as Purple Emperor season is fast approaching. I was surprised to see only a couple of butterfly hunters. The flower meadow was full of Meadow Browns, and more importantly, Marbled Whites which obliged by nectaring a lot. The usual cross-paths with bramble flowers gave me plenty of Silver-washed Fritillaries, though all except one were males. I also saw a Comma, Large skippers, 2 White Admirals in the trees and a Red Admiral and a possible sighting of a Purple Hairstreak in the canopy of the master oak.

Hollingbury Park:

Burdock, Arctium pubens

Burdock, Arctium pubens

Ladybird larva

Ladybird larvae and pupa on nettles

Ladybird pupa

Prickly Sowthistle, Sonchus asper

Southwater Woods:

Comma, Polygonia c-album

Large Skipper, Ochlodes faunus

Marbled White, Melanargia galathea

Marbled White, Melanargia galathea

Marbled White, Melanargia galathea

Marbled White, Melanargia galathea

Marbled White, Melanargia galathea

Marbled White, Melanargia galathea

Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta

male Silver-washed Fritillary, Argynnis

male Silver-washed Fritillary, Argynnis

male Silver-washed Fritillary, Argynnis

male Silver-washed Fritillary, Argynnis

 The butterfly often flew off before or as I pressed the shutter button.