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Image-of-the-Day by Subject


Butterflies Page 17

Image Taken on 28 Jun 2024 at 16:15    Image of day on 02 Aug 2024

One of our reliable butterflies - a Meadow Brown.


Ref: 20240802_r70_20240628_1615_086 meadow brown butterfly(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 19 Jun 2011 at 10:24    Image of day on 02 Aug 2011

4 in one
This time a single frame containing what we thought was 3 insects turned out to contain not just a Meadow Brown butterfly and 2 skippers sharing a flower, but a winged ant flying by and casting a shadow on the butterflies wing it was about to land on.


Ref: 20110802_df1_20110619_1024_346 meadow brown butterfly + 2 large skippers feeding on single thistle flower + flying ant (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 10 Jun 2018 at 15:04    Image of day on 22 Jul 2018

The first Meadow Brown this year, enjoying a Buttercup.
Love the contrast of Orange, dark (shaded) and sunlit yellow.


Ref: 20180722_df3_20180610_1504_170 meadow brown butterfly feeding on buttercup(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 22 Jun 2019 at 12:36    Image of day on 12 Aug 2019

A Meadow Brown butterfly feeds on another delight of early summer - swathes of Ox-eye Daisies.


Ref: 20190812_df5_20190622_1236_210 meadow brown butterfly feeding on ox-eye daisy flower (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 27 Jul 2017 at 16:12    Image of day on 12 Sep 2017

A meadow Brown Butterfly extracting nectar from one of the many florets on this Oxeye Daisy.


Ref: 20170912_df3_20170727_1612_001 meadow brown butterfly feeding on oxeye daisy(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 13 Jul 2016 at 09:31    Image of day on 30 Aug 2016

A Meadow Brown butterfly enjoying the nectar from a thistle.


Ref: 20160830_df3_20160713_0931_094 meadow brown butterfly feeding on thistle flower(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 23 Jul 2017 at 12:29    Image of day on 07 Sep 2017

By the margin of the Iris dominated main pond quite a lot of Water Mint grows, and this Meadow Brown Butterfly has arrived to feed on the flowers.


Ref: 20170907_df3_20170723_1229_063 meadow brown butterfly feeding on water mint(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 16 Jun 2023 at 13:19    Image of day on 13 Aug 2023

A second day photographing flying insects starts with this Meadow Brown Butterfly.


Ref: 20230813_da1_20230616_1319_065+20230614_1526_044_ft1 meadow brown butterfly in flight with red campion (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 29 Jun 2019 at 15:37    Image of day on 20 Aug 2019

A meadow Brown Butterfly shows us the bottom (left) and top (right) of its wings. The differing colours flicker in flight and can be momentarily confusing.


Ref: 20190820_da1_20190629_1537_134+133_ft1 meadow brown butterfly male in flight showing upper & lower sides of wings 2+1 of 2 (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 12 Jul 2020 at 09:12    Image of day on 19 Aug 2020

A Meadow Brown enjoying the same source of Nectar.


Ref: 20200819_d73_20200712_0912_063 meadow brown butterfly male on ragwort(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 19 Jun 2011 at 10:24    Image of day on 02 Aug 2011

Next frame the ant had landed (sort of).


Ref: 20110802_df1_20110619_1024_347 meadow brown butterfly with ant on wing + 2 large skippers on single thistle flower (crop of ant)(r+mb id@288).jpg


Image Taken on 29 Jul 2006 at 09:38    Image of day on 11 Aug 2006

Coiled like a watch spring below and left of its head the feeding proboscis will soon be uncoiled and back in action.


Ref: 20060811_d10_20060729_0938_005 meadow brown butterfly with coiled proboscis on teasel (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 29 Jun 2024 at 13:29    Image of day on 02 Aug 2024

Another Meadow Brown Butterfly with wings closed and the rear wings covering the tell-tale spot on the forewing.


Ref: 20240802_r70_20240629_1329_394 meadow brown butterfly with wings closed and rear wing covering forewing markings(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 01 Jun 2021 at 08:33    Image of day on 27 Jun 2021

A few second later the missing antler isn't so clear, but we can just identify on his flank a hitch-hiking small Orange-tip Butterfly!


Ref: 20210627_bu7_20210601_0833_054 muntjac reeves deer male (1 antler) in early morning sunlight + orange tip butterfly on flank(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 13 Mar 2021 at 14:01    Image of day on 09 Apr 2021

This male Reeve's Muntjac Deer is far from tolerant of humans. This brief sighting was followed by an unhurried departure, but not spotted again.


Ref: 20210409_df3_20210313_1401_029 muntjac reeves deer male among sprouting daffodils at east end of butterfly alley(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 09 Apr 2022 at 09:47    Image of day on 10 May 2022

One of the male Reeves' Muntjac Deer looks back at the photographer along 'Butterfly Alley' - a sun drenched path between a low hedge (left) and a wall of conifers on the right.


Ref: 20220510_df3_20220409_0947_222 muntjac reeves deer male looking back down butterfly alley(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 12 Apr 2020 at 16:17    Image of day on 01 May 2020

Orange-tip Butterflies males fruitlessly looking for females, not yet emerged from their over-wintered chrysalises, are now rewarded with a female to entice. Here are 4 moments from an attempted seduction.
The male has the orange tips, but the female doesn't. They both have that wonderful green and white marbling under the wing.


Ref: 20200501_d73_20200412_1617_154+1618_161+175+1620_191 orang-tip butterfly pair courting (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 17 Apr 2021 at 16:06    Image of day on 12 May 2021

Normally we see female Orange-tip Butterflies a week or two after the first see the males, but this year we saw first emergence at the same time. The females don't have the orange tip, but still have the delicate green tracery under the wing that you can JUST see showing through as a green haze on the rear wings. The Green tracery is present on the males as well but the picture of the male above wasn't optimised to show it.


Ref: 20210512_df3_20210417_1606_092 orange tip butterfly female (1st of 2021)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 29 May 2008 at 12:08    Image of day on 02 Jun 2008

This is an orange-tip butterfly - the female has no orange tip but the beautiful green and white mottled underwing is the giveaway. Haven't seen a male for a week or two.


Ref: 20080602_dc1_20080529_1208_114 orange tip butterfly female on red campion (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 01 Jun 2021 at 11:31    Image of day on 25 Jun 2021

Another flyby by this male Orange-tip butterfly shows you the underside of the insect including the intricate green lacework that provides disguise (on both sexes) when the wings are closed.


Ref: 20210625_da1_20210601_1131_060+1232_085_ft1 orange tip butterfly male in flight with garlic mustard flowers (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


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