Summer's here!

That's what the butterflies think. Thursday's butterfly count rocketed up to 411 individuals (from 10 species). This is due to the emergence of the high summer Marbled Whites (207 counted), Meadow Browns (158), helped along by 23 Small Heaths and 9 Ringlets.
 
The week's high temperatures and strong sunshine were obviously responsible for the rapid increase in numbers. The fields were bright with a carpet of flowers – plenty of food for our butterflies and other pollinating insects. 
 
Seven Small Blues were seen in last week's transect but this week we saw only 2 but, for the first time, one of these was on the small Kidney Vetch patch on the left (Outwood Lane) side of the main path. 
 
We recorded our first Small/Essex Skippers of the year. The stroke (slash) in their name is used to cover two Skipper species with minute differences that are impossible to spot when the butterfly is in flight. We can usually make a positive identification if we get a sharp close-up photo that enables inspection of the antenna and wing markings.

In addition. we also had two Dark Green Fritillaries (first sightings of this year) zooming past, one in Hither Field and the other in Stagbury Field.

Count details:
207 Marbled White
158 Meadow Brown
  23 Small Heath
    9 Ringlet
    4 Large Skipper 
    3 Common Blue
    2 Dark Green Fritillary       
​     2 Small/Essex Skipper
    2 Small Blue
    1 Red Admiral
​Click on butterfly names for more info.

Small Blue on Kidney Vetch, Hither Field

Survey by Graham H and Brian G submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS). 
​ ​​Report and pics by Brian Gardner

Butterfly banquet: the rich display of flowers in Hither Field.