Butterflies amongst the flowers

7th August 2022 - a walk along the Old Railway Cutting was a rather dry, dusty experience this week, but there were patches of bright colour, with the Wild Marjoram, Wild Basil and Common Knapweed coming nicely into flower.  These were proving to be something of an oasis for a number of butterflies, including many Gatekeeper, Common Blue, and the second brood of Holly Blue and Small Heath. Unusually, Small Copper and Brown Argus also put in an appearance - Andy M.

Much of the area was looking very dry, including these grasses

Wild Marjoram putting on a good show ...

... as were these Common Knapweed ...

... and Ragwort

Common Knapweed (aka Lesser Knapweed)

Old Man's Beard flowers

Wild Marjoram

Wild Basil

Lucerne (also called Alfalfa)

Male Common Blue

Male Common Blue

Male Common Blue - note the unbroken white border

Male Common Blue - paler than the female

A Holly Blue hiding in the shadows - note the pale blue, largely plain underside,

except for a few scattered black dots

Gatekeeper, with the its characteristic double white spot in the black 'eye' 

and the uneven row of white dots on the lower under wing

Small White

Small Copper - with its bright orange and black spot combo.

Brown Argus - could easily be mistaken for a female Common Blue,

but the clearly defined rows of bright orange spots along the 

whole edges of both upper and lower wings are characteristic.

Brown Argus

Brown Argus

Second brood Small Heath

Hornet Mimic Hoverfly on a Scabious flower