 |
| Meadow Brown |
 |
| Wayfaring Tree berries |
Five
members undertook the not insignificant journey to these downs in conditions
which the weather people promised would improve as the day went on - and they
were right! We are now getting good at finding our way through Tidworth and the
easier back route to the key part of the down for the scarce Brown Hairstreak. Later
in their season they like gorging on the going over berries of the Wayfaring Tree,
of which there are very many in this area and we have seen them doing exactly
this in earlier years - never very many though. Last year there were two but on
thistle flowers and judging by the look of the wayfaring berries then they had
made a better choice. Sadly none were seen today which is the risk one takes
when seeking out rare butterflies. However, other butterflies abounded and we
recorded twelve species in all including lots of Meadow Brown and Common Blue,
second generation Brown Argus and a Dingy Skipper which only occasionally does
a second generation. Speckled Wood which had a very poor year in 2016 were
plentiful in the little glades. The down is rich in wildflowers and among many
others we noted Red Bartsia, Vipers Bugloss, Weld, Centaury and Harebell. Birdlife
was not noticeable and maybe it did not like the army helicopters which flew
over regularly low and noisily.
All photos ©
Richard Smith
 |
| Common Blue - male |
 |
| Speckled Wood |
 | | |
Robin's Pincushion Gall
Diplolepis rosae |
