Small Copper

My wife has a saying - "What's for you won't pass you by" - normally quoted when I am ranting because I've missed something.. When we were up on Windover Hill the other day I sort of missed the opportunity to get some nice shots of a Small Copper, perhaps I should have been a bit keener. However, today the forecast for the morning was good so I went hotfoot to my local patch.

Last week when I visited, the Hemp Agrimony was just coming into bloom and I expected that one week on it would be just right for nectaring butterflies. When I arrived the place was buzzing - Red Admirals, Silver-washed Fritillaries, Peacocks, Commas and all the smaller butterflies were everywhere. Best of all fresh Small Coppers were about, I counted ten on the patch, which is something of a record, but when I got home I noticed that one specimen "Nick" was putting himself about a bit and had been photographed several times. Still, whatever the number, it is more than I have seen here before and they haven't passed me by.

"Nick" - a small portion of the port forewing missing.....



..... the loss of which is more than compensated by the stunning iridescence - both green and red.



I think the wiggling of the hind wings means "not today - thankyou"

 

Some fresh Peacocks too, which posed for some excellent records, the  Silver-washed Frits are looking a bit worn though. The Brown Argus was a pleasant surprise for the patch.

 

All in all a cracking couple of hours - glad I went.

Butterflies on Hemp agrimony

The rides of the local forest are wall to wall Hemp agrimony, Eupatorium cannabinum, which, at this time of year, is a major nectar source for many butterflies. I snapped these over a couple of hours in two afternoon sessions.

Hemp agrimony as far as the eye can see.

 

 

Of course other insects like it too....

Volucella inanis --- I think

.....and others have different preferences.