Two Tunnels Butterfly Count

Species: Brimstone (2) Comma (1) Common Blue (3) Dingy Skipper (3) Green Hairstreak (1) Large Skipper (5) Marbled White (2) Meadow Brown (4) Painted Lady (1) Peacock (1) Comma - Tucking Mill 12-06-2022 It was about 4pm on the 12th June when I emerged from the Combe Down tunnel. I had decided to cycle on towards Midford and Wellow and then work my way slowly back. I crossed over the Midford viaduct and onto the permissive section of path.  Brimstone larva - Midford 12-06-2022 It was here I noticed two male Brimstone butterflies. These butterflies do fly well into June most years and this is a location where I have regularly found the early stages of this insect. It wasn't long before I found a Brimstone larva on one of just a few Buckthorn bushes that line the path. Beautiful Demoiselle - Midford 12-06-2022 One of the features of this stretch of path at this time of year are the frequent, large damselflies. These are invariably Beautiful Demoiselles. Today a metallic blue-green mal...

Butterfly Species: Dingy Skipper (1) Marbled White (1) Meadow Brown (3) Small Heath (2) Speckled Wood (1) Small Heath - Tucking Mill 10-06-2022 On Friday 10th June my visit to Tucking Mill was on foot. Rather than taking the cycle path through the Two Tunnels, I walked down into Horsecombe Vale accompanied by my Labrador. It was an early trip and the weather rather overcast, although warm at 18c considering it was only 10.15am. Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly - Horsecombe Vale 10-06-2022 A Beautiful Demoiselle damselfly flew past and perched on a leaf as I made my way along the valley floor towards the Tucking Mill reservoir. It's brown tinted wings and metallic green body identified it as a female. Comma larva on Wych Elm - Horsecombe Vale 10-06-2022 At this time of year I always checkout the Wych Elm trees. In another months time White-letter Hairstreaks will be on the wing, and this is good time to search for the larvae of this species, or the damage they do to the young leaves....