Be careful what you whinge about...

[bunn]

Today the sun shone (until the thunder came).  And because the butterflies were, I presume,  carefully checking the internet yesterday, a number of them came out to see if my buddleias were as good as promised.  I only took these with my phone, so they are a bit fuzzy, although I do like the fritillary in the middle, where the clever phone software, desperately trying to compensate for its inadequate lens size, has created a wonderful impression of wings flapping.

From top to bottom  a fritillary (? Silverwashed??  it was huge and flapping about at high speed) a rather scruffy-looking and teeny tortoiseshell, a magnificent Red Admiral, a Peacock (representative of a group of at least 10), the fritillary again, and bottom, a comma, which is, honestly, supposed to look like that; it's not just been pecked around the edges.

There were a few cabbage whites around as well, but they were wary, and not inclined to hang about posing.

However, I am nothing if not a demanding soul. These are good butterflies, no question.  But I still think there should be more of them.  A group of huge buddleias in full bloom, and only one representative of most of the common species?    I'm pleased by the 10+ peacocks, with their huge blue wing-eyes. But otherwise the turnout has to be classed as 'could do better'.

Are you reading this butterflies?

Comments

[puddleshark.livejournal.com]

Ten peacocks!

I wonder what the collective noun is for Peacock Butterflies... An ostentation? A glory?

And the Fritillary is gorgeous. I saw one here a few years ago, but I think last year's rain may have wiped out our local population.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Yesterday I wasn't sure if there was one Fritillary or two, but today there were definitely two, sitting side by side on the buddleia!

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

The tortoiseshell is no longer a common butterfly, its numbers having dropped by something like 90% in recent years. I haven't seen one for ages.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

They used to be by far our most common butterfly around here, and we would often have 2 or 3 overwintering in the house, but the last couple of years seem to have really hit them hard. :-/

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Beautiful! I'm glad they finally showed up.

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

What gorgeous butterflies!