View of a brown butterfly with some orange markings and white fringe to wings resting on a green plant

Brown Argus. Photo: Brian Arnold

View of a pale beige, brown and orange butterfly resting on the ground

Small Heath. Photo: Brian Arnold

Brian sent us these photos of his first sightings this year of these two butterfly species together with the following comments:

We went for a walk up Ballard Down today, 04/05/2020 following the coast path from the Ballard Estate in North Swanage to Old Harry Rocks at Handfast Point. It was a very dull windy day, but luckily the sun came out as we got to the upper slopes.  On the way up from Ballard Estate we found a number of butterflies that were sheltered from the wind on the south east facing slope.  There were Small White, Red Admiral, Holly Blue, Brown Argus (the first I have seen this year), Small Heath (the first I have seen this year), Speckled Wood, Wall, Dingy Skipper and a rather lovely pair of Bloody Nose Beetles.

Leave a Reply