Blean Woods

 

I know very little about Butterflies other than what I learnt as an infant, which was to know 4 types of Butterfly, namely “a Cabbage White”, “a Red Admiral”, “a Peacock” and “ it’s another type of Butterfly”. With the bird activity dropping off I decided to take advantage of “A Heath Fritillary Walk” arranged by the RSPB at Blean Woods last Sunday. A gentleman by the name of Michael was the lead on this and before we set off he explained that the Heath Fritillary’s were early this year, so the walk was to be more of a general Butterfly walk, this was all the better for me. The weather was very hot and sunny, better than the rain earlier in the week but it did mean that most Butterflies were constantly on the move. This together with the shade of overhanging trees cutting the light level, made decent photography quite difficult (and that’s my excuse for the blurry shots such as this open wing shot of a Heath Fritillary).



Melitaea athalia - Heath Fritillary

  - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

Michael fairly quickly showed that he knew his stuff, at the very first glade he was pointing out butterflies faster than I could keep up with. Within a few moments a Red Admiral, some Ringlets, a coupe of Small Skippers and a Large White had gone past, but other than the Red Admiral and a Ringlet I didn’t get a decent look at any of them and only this Ringlet waited around for their photo to be taken.
  


Aphantopus hyperantus - Ringlet

  - Olympus SP590UZ

 After the first glade we went on a bit of a trek, eventually turning onto an old Bridle path where I was introduced to the Common Spotted Orchid. I cannot remember having seen this plant before though I must have.


Dactylorhiza fuchsii - Common Spotted Orchid

  - Olympus SP590UZ

 A bit further down the path we were shown Cow-Wheat, another plant unknown to me, but significant for the Heath Fritillary as its eggs are laid on the underside of its leaves. Then we found some mating Heath Fritillaries who were happy to sit still for camera; unlike the grass stem they were on and the intervening grass which was whipping around in the stiff, breeze.

Melitaea athalia - Heath Fritillary

  - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

Melitaea athalia - Heath Fritillary (a 3rd one tries to interfere)

  - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

The bridle path had a fair few butterflies along the route, the main three being Heath Fritillaries, Small Skippers and Ringlets, also a Common Blue fluttered past. There were a few moths keeping mainly to the trees and a huge insect with a flash of orange on it, it was about 4cm long, possibly a Hornet or a Humming-Bird Hawk Moth, sadly my photos just show a blur as it was on the move all the time and was about 20 feet away. Throughout the walk Michael had been explaining about the various butterflies found at Blean, their life cycles and how they cope with adverse weather conditions. Michael was both informative and interesting and I really appreciate what he did.

Melitaea athalia - Heath Fritillary

  - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

Melitaea athalia - Heath Fritillary

  - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

 There was not much bird activity, the usual Tits and Willow Warblers were heard as was a Pheasant and a Green Woodpecker, but as I was trying to concentrate on learning about Butterflies the only positive sightings I made were some Long Tailed Tits, a Jay and a Green Woodpecker. Later at home I read up on the Heath Fritillary in my 1986 Readers Digest and was surprised at its rarity, Blean Woods being shown as one of only 3 places it could be found.  



Aphantopus hyperantus - Ringlet

  - Canon 400D + 100-400mm



Thymelicus sylvestris - Small Skipper

  - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

Home was also the place for the final photo of the day, an Orange Moth f. corylaria which flew into the kitchen, Wendy reunited it with the outside world via a blue beaker (2^nd shot).



1924 Orange Moth Angerona prunaria f. corylaria

  - Olympus SP590UZ



Orange Moth - clearer shot of Antennae

  - Olympus SP590UZ