STERF Butterfly Atlas Project 2014

With the conditions being dry, sunny and very little wind and encouraged by the number of butterflies we have around the garden, this afternoon we carried out our first butterfly survey for 2014.

In the past couple of years we have struggled to get a suitable day in April never mind in March.

The results were as good as we expected and by the end of the survey we had a reasonable count. Top of the list was the Peacock, closely followed by both the Brimstone and the Speckled Wood...

The Speckled Wood was a bit of a surprise at this time of year..

A bit more of a surprise was what we think to be a Holly Blue. Our book says: "...may be observed on ivy blossom in summer.." Well, it's not summer (yet) but here it is, on ivy..

And, as we regularly do on our surveys, we took a couple of none butterfly shots. We are not sure of the identity of these damsel flies...

The results will have to be filed for the time being as we have not yet received this year's survey information from STERF, though this shouldn't surprise us!

For  more information on the Butterfly Atlas project (STERF) and to find out how to get involved, go to http://vigienature.mnhn.fr/page/suivi-temporel-des-rhopaloceres-de-france