I went to Alner’s Gorse early with a couple of friends on 16th June, getting there at 8.30 as it was promising to be a very hot day, which it turned out to be. The first sightings were the Meadow Browns as we walked from the car park, they have certainly done well this year, like last year.
There were a few sightings of butterflies but not in great quantities, a couple of Comma butterflies, some Large Skippers, a couple of blue butterflies but they were to quick to identify and my first sighting of the year of Marbled White butterflies, there were plenty of them about.
A lovely colourful Five Spot Burnet Moth on Knapweed flowers, such a striking moth.
The scary looking Scorpion fly, although he doesn’t look so bad from above!
My friends went home after walking round the reserve but as we came separately (due to Covid 19 rules) I stayed for a while longer before it became too hot. I sat down in the grass watching the Marble Whites and trying to get pictures of them flying, quite difficult as the don’t fly in a straight line you have to anticipate their movements and get lucky sometimes and it was fun trying!
Marbled White, Melanargia galathea, gallery (Click on an image for a bigger view)