Keeled Skimmer.

Another dragon from my wanderings at Thursley Common in July was the Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens).

This is the male and when on the wing it is often easy to confuse this species with the Black-tailed Skimmer but that has a black tip to a much broader abdomen. At rest the other difference is the colour of pterostigma. As you can see (above) it is yellow on the Keeled but dark brown/black on the Black-tailed.

I didn't spot any females during this session so I'll have to wait until next year for another opportunity to bag one for the files.  FAB.

Restless Copper.

During one of my butterfly forays around Bookham Common I searched for one of our smallest flutters which despite its distinctive copper colours often prefers to perch on or close to the ground and is therefore easily missed amongst the grasses. Knowing that the preferred nectar source of the Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) is Common Fleabane made my search slightly easier once I located a patch of bright yellow.

The males can be very restless and readily take on anything that enters their territory, including someone with a camera, so it took me a little time to get this one to settle after chasing several Whites away!

This species thrives in hot, sunny conditions and can have 3 to 4 broods in a good year but if the summer months are cool and wet the populations crash and it usually take several years to recover.

Hopefully this summer will be kind to this delightful little copper beauty.  FAB.

Bookham Butterflies.

Just beyond this old gate on Bookham Common proved to be an ideal spot to watch and snap a few of our colourful butterflies during the past week.

 Common Blue [male] (Polyommatus icarus)

 Common Blue [female - blue form] (Polyommatus icarus)

 Small White (Pieris rapae)

Large White (Pieris brassicae)

 Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineola)

Silver Y Moth (Autographa gamma)

 Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)

 A very tatty Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia)

Peacock (Inachis io)

Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus)

Other species seen were Small Copper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Speckled Wood, a very out of place Chalkhill Blue with lots of Grasshoppers around my feet. I also enjoyed some of natures bounties, a few sweet and juicy Blackberries. I filled a bag to take home but they didn't last long with a dollop of ice cream ... scrumptious.  FAB.