Friday 21st June 2019

Butterfly Species: Small Tortoiseshell (1) Red Admiral (1) Marbled White (3) Meadow Brown (4) Ringlet (3)
Damselfly - Tucking Mill 21-06-2019
It has been almost three weeks since I last took a walk along the cycle path between Tucking Mill and Midford. The weather has been bad and other things have kept me away for a week or two. However, it was a warm sunny day and the temperatures were about 19 degrees C and the weather was fine, so I was anticipating seeing quite a few butterflies on this trip.

Damselfly - Tucking Mill 21-06-2019
My first encounter was not actually a butterfly but damselflies. There were several on the embankment near Tucking Mill. They appear to be Azure damselflies, although I can't be sure. It was on this stretch of path I found the first Ringlet butterflies of the season. They were flapping about lazily in the shade as they normally do. They were accompanied by several Meadow Browns. These I expected to see as I'd seen them in other locations before this walk.

Meadow Brown - Midford 21-06-2019
It was in this location, that I saw the first two Marbled Whites of the season. I saw these butterflies last year in this location, so it was nice to see them again this year. Marbled Whites are butterflies of damp grassland therefore I was a little worried, given the drought last year, that they would not reappear in any numbers.

Small Tortoiseshell - Midford Viaduct 21-06-2019
 As I approached the Viaduct at Midford, I could see several butterflies flying along the flower rich verges that line the viaduct. One was a Small Tortoiseshell in combat with a Red Admiral, the former must be a first-generation individual, offspring from overwintering parents. The Red Admiral appeared quite worn and I was wondering whether it has come a long way, given this is a highly migratory species.

Red Admiral - Midford Viaduct 21-06-2019
It was on the viaduct where I came across a plant that had been nearly completely eaten by something. The plant was a Mullein and the culprit the Mullein moth!

Mullein moth caterpillar and damage - Midford Viaduct 21-06-2019
As I made my way back along the path, it was nice to see so many damselflies flying along the route. These were both Beautiful and Banded Demoiselles.

Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly - Midford 21-06-2019


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