Butterflies and Buddleia (1)

It was warm and sunny in Redesdale on Saturday. I had intended to go out for the day to look for butterflies but they were visiting me in such large numbers that I couldn't resist the temptation and ventured no further than the garden.

Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and both Large and Small White butterflies were all in attendance and feeding on the buddleia bushes. The Red Admirals were not as frequent but I was delighted to photograph them for the first time.

Painted Ladies and Red Admiral feature here, with the Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell in the next of this two-part piece.

Both together on one flower
Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Red Admiral underside
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
Painted Lady underside

Butterflies at Bank's Pond

Banks pond has been a source of great pleasure, providing exceptional views of dragon and damselflies. Yesterday I found and photographed the Blue-tailed damsel fly I had been looking for and was more successful in my efforts to photograph the Common and Ruddy Darter dragonflies (more of both in forthcoming pieces).

I also kept an open-eye for butterflies and was not disappointed. Unfortunately, a fresh-looking Peacock escaped the camera but I did find a pair of Large White feeding on Common Knapweed. I think this is the male ...

Large White (Pieris brassicae)
And I photographed a Painted Lady for the first time ...

Painted Lady (Venessa cardui)
These Wall butterflies were a real bonus and a lifetime tick. The male (upper) was typically hyper-active, patrolling his territory, settling frequently if briefly on sunnier parts of the path we shared, before eventually coming upon his mate, if mate she was, in the path-side grass. He then head-butted her half a dozen times before pausing just long enough for them to have their picture taken.

Phil Gates has a fascinating piece on his Cabinet of Curiosities blog about Wall butterfly behaviour including the head-butting I observed.

Wall butterflies (Lasiommata megera)