A resting orange butterfly with black and yellow markings

Large Tortoiseshell. Photo: Richard Belding.

Orange butterfly with black and yellow markings nectaring on a pink flower.

Large Tortoiseshell. Photo: Richard Belding

Broadcroft Quarry is certainly attracting the butterfly hunters searching for the Large Tortoiseshell.  Richard went there yesterday, 07/07/2020 and has sent us these two photos saying that if it is the the same individual that Mark Pike photographed 2 days ago it has got a lot tattier.

Large Tortoiseshell, Broadcroft Quarry
Posted on: 7 July, 2020

Orange butterfly with black spots and margins to the wings nectaring on a pink flower

Small Copper. Photo: Ann Barlow

Orange butterfly with black markings perched on a seed head

Small Copper. Photo: Ann Barlow

Ann was recently back at one of her favourite local sites in Corfe Mullen and was rewarded with these photos of this fine Small Copper which she sent to us with the following comments:

I visited the orchid field on 05/07/2020 – quite a windy day, with not many butterflies about, but this lovely Small Copper was undaunted, and posing very beautifully for me. 

Small Copper, Corfe Mullen
Posted on: 7 July, 2020

Two silvery blue butterflies with black spots on the wings, both resting on a seed head

Small Blues. Photo: Rob Morrison

Two silvery blue butterflies with black spots on their wings and one dark brownish blue butterfly, all resting on a seed head

Small Blues. Photo: Rob Morrison

Rob travelled to Portland yesterday, 06/07/2020 and has sent us this report of his visit together with these two photos:

I enjoyed my first visit to Broadcroft Quarry and was impressed by the abundance of butterflies on a breezy, yet sunny day.  There was an abundance of Small Blues in very localised spots. This pair was continually harassed by what I presume were other males and were continually pirouetting around this plantain The harassing individuals were scattered by the fluttering of wings – again, presumably the male.

Small Blues, Broadcroft Quarry
Posted on: 7 July, 2020

Greyish brown and orange butterfly resting on a tree trunk

Grayling. Photo: John Woodruff

Greyish brown butterfly resting on a tree trunk

Grayling. Photo: John Woodruff

Two more photos from John sent in with the following comments:

A quick afternoon outing down to Morden Bog this afternoon, 05/07/2020 searching for Graylings resulted in these beauties and a worthwhile trip. The heath was very windy and I had to search in amongst the tree line to find where they were hiding.

Grayling, Morden Bog
Posted on: 7 July, 2020

Orange and chocolate brown butterfly with some white dots on the wings resting on a green leaf

Gatekeeper. Photo: John Woodruff

Pale silvery blue butterfly with some black spots on the wings resting on a green leaf

Holly Blue. Photo: John Woodruff

John sent us these photos taken on 05/07/2020 with the following comments;

A couple from this morning’s gentle stroll around Chase Wood. Glad to see a decent emergence of Gatekeepers is now underway and delighted to see a second brood Holly Blue which stayed around long enough for me to take a number of shots of it.

Gatekeeper and Holly Blue, Chase Wood
Posted on: 6 July, 2020

Golden brown butterfly nectaring on a purple flower

Lulworth Skipper. Photo: Rob Morrison

View of a golden brown butterfly nectaring on a purple flower

Lulworth Skipper. Photo: Rob Morrison

Two photos from Rob taken on 08/06/2020 which he sent in with the following comments:

After slow results in finding good numbers of Lulworth Skippers to the east of Lulworth yesterday, counts today were in the tens of individuals to the east of White Nothe on the SE facing sections of coast path below Chaldon Herring in variable sunlight.  Also found were both Large and a few Small Skippers as well as a Dingy Skipper.  Numerous Burnet moths were also seen. 

Editors Note:  The Lulworth Skipper in the top photo has a red mite (trombidium breei) on it just behind the right eye – some species are more prone to these than others but they do not seem to harm the butterflies.

Lulworth Skipper, White Nothe
Posted on: 6 July, 2020

Orange butterfly with black and yellow markings resting on a lilac flower

Large Tortoiseshell. Photo: Mark Pike

Brown butterfly with some blue markings nectaring on a lilac flower

Large Tortoiseshell. Photo: Mark Pike

Mark went to Broadcroft Quarry on Portland today, 05/07/2020 in search of the much talked about Large Tortoiseshell and was rewarded with this super example of one – the first he had ever seen.  Mark added that he wondered if it was the one seen here last Friday?

Large Tortoiseshell, Broadcroft Quarry
Posted on: 5 July, 2020

Greyish brown butterfly with white and orange markings resting on a green leaf

Purple Hairstreak. Photo: Mark Pike

 

Close up head on view of a greenish yellow butterfly

Brimstone. Photo: Mark Pike

Two more photos from Alner’s Gorse taken by Mark on 02/07/2020 – a nice fresh male Brimstone which he spotted cowering from the cool breeze and one of a Purple Hairstreak (he saw 4 there in total), all nice and fresh too.

Purple Hairstreak and Brimstone, Alner’s Gorse
Posted on: 5 July, 2020

White butterfly with brown markings resting on a green leaf

Marbled White. Photo: Rob Morrison

Brown butterfly with yellow, black and white ring markings on the wings

Ringlet. Photo: Rob Morrison

These two photos were taken by Rob on 26/06/2020 whilst he was checking for Elm trees and updating km squares along the bridleways to the east of Badbury Rings and he sent them with the folowing observations:

The beauty of these creatures never fails to impress.  I would hesitate to suggest that there may be not just a small amount of jealousy on the part of the fly studying the Ringlet.

Marbled White and Ringlet, Badbury Rings
Posted on: 5 July, 2020

View of a black and white butterfly with a purple sheen resting on the ground

Purple Emperor. Photo. Tom Smith

A wonderful find by Tom who has very kindly agreed to let us copy this photo he posted on WhatsApp with the following comments:

This male Purple Emperor turned up on our walk in Chase Woods near Sixpenny Handley today, 03/07/2020.  We’ve been visiting these woods for about 7 years now and this is our first sighting of one.

Our Dorset BC Records Officer, Bill Shreeves has also told us that Chase Wood was where the revival of Dorset Purple Emperors started and they seem to have successfully spread to Garston Wood where the RSPB are making a big effort with their sallows to retain them.

Purple Emperor, Chase Woods
Posted on: 4 July, 2020

More photos: Gallery archive