Valezina

On the Butterfly day this year we managed 24 species along the Norfolk coast; and we missed some obvious ones. As we waited for insects to descend into the sunshine draped blackberry bush a Valezina arrived. This is a washed out silver form of the female Silver Washed Fritillary with a rainbow thorax. When I say it arrived; I mean it did everything but slap us in the face. I was surprised. I’ve never heard of one being seen at this site before and to have one land just inches from us was quite a delight… for us all.

Purple Emperor Day

Our day tour to Northamptonshire for our Purple Emperor Tour was a complete success. At times it was as if we couldn’t get away from Emperors and Silver Washed Fritillaries, Next years tour is open for bookings on the website here. White Admirals and White letter Hairstreak and several other species thrown in too!

Norfolk’s Silver washed Fritillaries

Last year there were a number of sightings of Silver washed Fritillaries in Holt here on the Norfolk coast. This year the sightings have been repeated. I presume they must have bred locally; which is great, as they are a beautiful butterfly that can only enhance our walks in the countryside.

I went to find them earlier this week. It didn’t take me long. A glimpse was all I could manage. The orange phantom drafted through the forest ride and away through the trees like a spectre on speed. Not once but repeatedly. Then there were two. This only aggravated the situation as one was unlikely to settle while being harassed by another. The heat of the day wasn’t helping. Not helping me as I was getting uncomfortably hot and not helping the Frits as they were unlikely to settle in the heat of the day. I decided to sit it out. They had to land sometime. I found a shady patch overlooking some brambles and waited.

A White Admiral passed by followed by the orange spectre again and then it went quiet, then two orange flashes; and so it went on. Each time they passed my brambles by. I was about to give up when lilting from the canopy came a Fritillary. It settled on a leaf for an instant, only to be pushed away by a bee. How dare it! Just present long enough to fire a shot or two.