Garden Wildlife UK

More insect-y bits, including a first for me, that has long been on the wish list!

Hope you enjoy... it's quite short as it was getting decidedly warm!

https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCZscW

Nice finds PB, I have only ever seen and photographed one Clouded Yellow. I wasn't aware of the pale version. Lovely collection of butterflies.

I was up the reserve today, after seeing your photo's thought I would go by the brambles that I have seen most of my purple hairstreaks on. It was gone , cut off at ground level...

SnappyMac wrote: Sat Jul 18, 2026 3:05 pm I was up the reserve today, after seeing your photo's thought I would go by the brambles that I have seen most of my purple hairstreaks on. It was gone , cut off at ground level...

Oh, what a bugger. They live up in the canopy of oak trees mainly, so if the oaks are still there keep an eye out up top, they only come down infrequently. Apparently they feed on aphid love juice or something, up the top, and occasional bramble surfing for a bit of a change.

SnappyMac wrote: Sat Jul 18, 2026 3:00 pm Nice finds PB, I have only ever seen and photographed one Clouded Yellow. I wasn't aware of the pale version. Lovely collection of butterflies.

Thanks Snappy. I had no knowledge of anything about them until I started looking yesterday after photographing them. There are a couple of abs. and the most common is Helice, pale form, apparently 10% of females are pale!

A good selection of butterflies. A special commendation for your Clouded Yellows. I regularly see Brimstones in my garden but their continental cousins have yet to make an appearance.

Nice to see you getting back into your butterflies PB, some just look like leafs to me but if your happy calling them names then so be it!

Linda257 wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2026 7:02 am Nice to see you getting back into your butterflies PB, some just look like leafs to me but if your happy calling them names then so be it!

The eyes give it away that they're not leaves!

Great selection PB.

Thanks William