Tuesday 7 May 2013

Butterfly Atlas (STERF) project May 2013

Despite the wet weather earlier in the year we are ahead of ourselves with the 2013 surveys for STERF, the butterfly atlas project.

Conditions were just about perfect yesterday when we went to do the survey but we got off to a slow start. Sections which had butterflies coming at us from all angles last year were all but devoid of them this year.

However we did see some lovely specimens further on.

First off, and by far the most prolific, was the notoriously hard to photograph Orange Tip.... Colin did manage to get a photo of its underwing and a blurred in-flight shot.

We fared better in the garden this afternoon!

This is the first Map Butterfly we have seen this season. It looked in splendid condition

The Speckled Wood put in a few appearances..

So, too, did the distinctive Brimstone

Then we spotted one of our favourites, the Duke of Burgundy Fritillary
 

Again, this was in fine condition and very kindly allowed us to take its photograph... unlike the Orange Tip!!

1 comment:

Susan said...

I am green with envy at your Duke of Burgundy.