Friday 28 June 2013

Little wings

I had a quick look where there normally is a small colony of Small Blue butterflies, near the monument. The weather was a bit variable, but during on brighter moment I did find one.

It wasn't until I had a close look at my photos that I realised that it had something odd about its wings. I presume that they had become distorted during the butterfly emerging from its pupae. The small creases or cuts didn't seem to hinder it flying. As usual the picture of the settled butterfly leaves me wondering why they seem so much bluer when they are flying than when they are settled.


Despite the current worries about the number of bees around, evidently yet another massive drop due to the weather and various diseases that are ravaging colonies, they were quite a few bumblebees feeding. I'm not sure but I think that this is Bombus pratorum. I find then quite difficult to identify.

I rather liked this Hoverfly on the Ox eye Daisy. There are lots of species both resident and immigrants, but I think that this is the common Heliophilus pendulas or Sun Fly.

2 comments:

Marc Heath said...

Great little butterflies. I think Bumblebees might be my ext mission. I have not got a clue about them.

Marianne said...

Lovely photos. Maybe the Small Blue got pecked by something? I agree with your bumble ID, not that I'm much good at them, like Marc I'm thinking of making them my next project :)