Ringlet, [female with an Ant up her abdomen]

A rather uncomfortable female Ringlet thanks to the Ant, which has managed to get up this poor butterfly's abdomen......

You can just make out the Ant at the entrance to this female's abdomen

Ringlet, Male....

Another butterfly that can be found over most of Britain, and flies in the same habitat as the meadow Brown.

Open winged male Ringlet

Closed winged male Ringlet

Meadow Brown, male

A very common insect, which can be found almost anywhere in Britain. The males being quite drab...

Open winged male Meadow Brown

Closed winged male Meadow Brown

Dark Green Fritillary, male bedding ......

Male Dark Green Fritillary bedding down for the night......

Large Skipper, the difference between.......

When the Large Skipper is sitting with it's wings closed, it can get rather confusing when trying to  identify between male and female. Back in 2006 as a newcomer to the world of butterflies, i  too would often be totally perplexed as to which was which with the sexes of this species, along with the Small Skippers. After closely studying these two species, i found that the antenna were completely different from the males and the females. I also found that the males have larger eyes than the females in this species, as do many males of other species of butterfly.

The antenna of a male Large Skipper being orange and black

The antenna of a female Large Skipper being black and white

Large Skipper female, here's look....

Here's looking at you........

Female Large Skipper

Large Skipper, on Bird's.....

Female Large Skipper on Bird's-foot Trefoil

Large Skipper, male, sex.......

When the male or female Large Skippers are basking in the sun, with opened wings there is no confusion between the sexes. The male having a sex brand, [a black diagonal line] on it's forewings [the females do not have sex brands] making it unmistakable from the female.

Large Skipper, male

The Large Skipper is one of eight Skipper species that fly in the British Isles, and this species normally emerge at the end of May, beginning of June.

Brimstones, so you want.........

So you want to be my wing man.....

Chalkhill Blues copulating with Ant attending...........

Copulating Chalkhill Blues with an Ant attending the newly emerged female

Chalkhill Blues, synchronised copulalation

Chalkhill Blue, female

Female Chalkhill Blue with her wings open

Female Chalkhill Blue with her wings closed

Chalkhill Blue, male

Chalkhill Blues are, which their name suggests, are found on chalk soiled landscapes/south facing slopes. In the south of England the North and South Downs can hold thousands of these beautiful insects on a good year and Denbies near Dorking, Surrey on the South Downs is particularly good. Carpets of these butterflies is not uncommon on Denbies and is just an amazing site, something not to be missed for any butterfly enthusiast.

Opened wing male Chalkhill Blue

Closed wing male Chalkhill Blue