If you're in the UK you can send your butterfly sightings between now and the end of August to the Big Butterfly Count run by Butterfly Conservation.
Saturday 23 July 2011
Big Butterfly Count
This year so far we haven't seen all that many butterflies. A good number of white butterflies, a few ringlets and the occasional small tortoiseshell had been it before this week. Yesterday we saw a small copper on Corstorphine Hill (it rushed away and didn't want to be photographed!). On Thursday we saw two butterflies that looked like graylings (a rare species, but one that is locally almost common in certain areas of Edinburgh) that were securely fastened together as they swooped in front of the path in front of us and then continued their coupling in a gorse bush where Crafty Green Boyfriend caught them in this photo.
We thought of doing this but, as you so rightly say, there are so few butterflies around this year.
ReplyDeleteIf you want an identification of that butterfly for sure, send the photo to Stuart Dunlop at Donegal Wildlife on my side bar - he is marvellous at identification.
Great sighting of a beautiful butterfly. I have been seeing mor edragonflies than butterflies lately.
ReplyDeleteWe seem to have the usual number of peacocks and meadow browns plus a small number of whites. I might have a go at the butterfly count as I have been trying to plant for bees and butterflies and think it might be working in terms of insect numbers!
ReplyDeleteI had been thinking the same thing about the lack of butterflies - I am sure due to the lack of sunshine. But I have seen a few today - they just need some good weather!
ReplyDeletePomona x
Though this summer in New York is
ReplyDeletewildly hot it's been great for
sightings. Monarchs and cardinals
have been blowing my mind.
I haven't been seeing very many here in Cape Breton, either! Check out this blog for UK butterflies: wildlifeandlandscapes
ReplyDeleteHi Juliet,
ReplyDeleteThe butterfly is beautiful and don't you have to be quick to photograph them. That is great that they are carrying out a butterfly count.
Happy week
Hugs
Carolyn
Oh i missed it! Typical when i have my head down working i forget all else! Ihave seen mostly tortoiseshell butterflies, lots of them, have had one in my studio every day this week, though it might be the same one being very nosy!
ReplyDeleteCount 'em!!
ReplyDeleteI want to make it to the Monarch migration here. All those gorgeous creatures heading to Mexico would be a site to see.
ReplyDeleteWith the heat and drought about the only things I see lately are grasshoppers.
"sight" rather.
ReplyDeleteGreat picture. I heard a six year old child the other day say "those bugs are copulating". (I was at least a decade older than that before I knew that they weren't just "firmly stuck together".
ReplyDeleteOn a serious note -- the butterflies seem to be in shorter supply in many places and I'm afraid we know why.
ReplyDeleteVery nice capture of butterfly.. I like it.. Nice blog..
ReplyDeleteThere's a place near where I grew up in the Blue Ridge where Monarchs ride a chute of air up the mountain... Suddenly felt homesick to go there.
ReplyDeleteI remember once walking through a hilly field where there was a dead tree, covered with dead leaves. Then all at once it burst into Monarch wings.