Skippers - Large and Small

Large Skippers (Ochlodes sylvanus)

Small Skippers (Thymelicus sylvestris)

This below is the effect when you are (inadvertently) using a slow shutter speed and the subject decides to take off.

Hawker and Darter

Brown Hawker Dragonfly (Aeshna grandis)

Not often do you find this species pitched so you have to take every opportunity to shoot a few images. 

I think this is a female that I found.

Common Darter Dragonfly (Symptrum striolatum)

The first one is possibly an immature male and others immature females.

Silver-Washed Fritillary Butterfly

The Silver-washed Fritillary Butterfly (Argynnis aglaja).

 A large species, the female's wingspan measures some 76 mm and the male 72mm.

The most common and widespread of our Fritillaries, that said it is still low in numbers as opposed to our more common species generally. A woodland Butterfly emerging at the beginning of July. 

Male

Female

White Admiral Emerges

The White Admiral Butterfly (Limenitis camilla) is usually quite elusive. 

I only found a couple of rather old and worn specimens last year on my Woodland walk. 

So it was quite encouraging this week on my walk, to find two in good condition so early in the season. I have been looking for them amongst others for the last few days, hopefully there may be more to come yet. These were returning every few minutes to a batch of 'In Flower' Bramble bushes, situated in a sunny position along side a woodland ride. I would have liked a few more shots of the underside as its a colourful pattern, but when feeding they tend to mostly open flat their wings.

More Dragons and Damsels

Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum)

Male

Female

Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) (Pair)