Leaf Sitters.

During my most recent butterfly transect walks, either late mornings or early afternoons, the much higher temperatures have meant that while a greater number of species have been recorded very few provided an opportunity to catch them perched with wings open with one or two exceptions.

A male Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus). Throughout the last two visits the numbers recorded have been slightly higher than the Meadow Brown.

Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina).

 

One species that has certainly been more active during the sunshine and higher temperatures is the Purple Hairstreak flitting around the canopies of the numerous mature oaks. 

During my most recent walk I managed to locate one individual when it finally perched high above my head. The original image (right) is what I saw through the lens.

Below is a heavily cropped version of the original.

Purple Hairstreak (Favonius quercus).

One graceful species that had strangely eluded this years transect list up until this Monday was the White Admiral (Limenitis camilla) that tends to frequent sunlit glades within the mature broad-leaved woods. 

In between its territorial flights this individual consistently decided to perch one one of few sunlit leaves in this otherwise heavily shaded spot.

I decided that this was a good spot to watch and wait. Eventually one of the two individuals seen here perched very briefly on the bracken much closer to the lens.