More Butterfly Action

My latest round of butterfly images.

Firstly the Small Heath on grass seed.

Secondly a male Marbled White on grass seed. 

I found this mating pair of Marbled White (below), you can see the difference between the female (that has brown underside markings) and the male that has all black markings on white background. 

While I was shooting the image above, a male interloper decided to try his luck.

However, true love and loyalty prevailed and the interloper made off, without making out.{:))

Also found was this female Meadow Brown pitched on Marsh Valerian.

Male Meadow Brown

Male Large Skipper

Male Common Blue

Lastly another male Marbled White pitched on Greater Knapweed.

Framing Swallows

Shooting Swallows from a high bridge, never an easy pastime.

A Black and White

The Marbled White Butterfly (Melanargia galathea)

July is approaching so look out for the Marbled White. 

Black, well not really as they are classed as a member of the "Brown" Species.

It was a very warm sunny day so I guessed that the Marbled White would be out in force now. I did see one the other day in more windy cooler conditions, so assumed that when it warmed up they should be flying at the location where I normally observe them.

Sure enough and encouragingly they were out in some numbers, finding them was not difficult.

The male is black and white all over, the female has brown markings underneath and on the leading edge of their wings. Marbled White will fly from the end of June, all through July and August to mid way through September. They live in colonies in tall unfertilised grassland.

A Butterfly Shoot

A Butterfly Shoot collected over the last few days.

Large Skipper (Male)

Orange Tip (Male and Female)

Small White (Female)

Dingy Skipper

First sighting of the Meadow Brown of this year.

Meadow Brown (Female)

The Marbled White was the first sighting of the year for me. 

It was the only one and in high wind was difficult to keep up with.

Marbled White (Male)

Red Admiral

Speckled Wood (Male)

Female