Tag Archives: Brian Arnold

Butterfly with dark brown rings, fringed with white and with orange spots round the edge

Brown Argus female. Photo: Brian Arnold

Butterfly with brown wings, a white fringe and some orange spots around the edge

Brown Argus male. Photo: Brian Arnold

Brian sent us these shots of Brown Argus which he had seen mating in his garden in Harman’s Cross on 11 August, and gives us some useful tips for telling apart the male and female of this species.

The female is the one with the shorter wider abdomen, where the orange spots on the forewing go as far as the leading edge.

The male is the one with the longer narrower abdomen, and where the orange spots on the forewing do not go as far as the leading edge.

You can find more tips on identifying this butterfly on our Brown Argus species page.

 

 

 

Side view of small butterfly with white, black and orange markings on a pale brown backgrund

Common Blue. Photo: Brian Arnold

Orange and brown butterfly with open wings

Wall Brown. Photo: Brian Arnold

Brian says:

Our garden species count for 2024 is now at 24. Latest additions are Common Blue which finally appeared in our Harman’s Cross garden yesterday 9th August, then a Wall Brown today (10th August). Fingers are crossed for a few more in the next month or so.

 

View of underwing of butterfly on marjoram

Grayling. Photo: Brian Arnold

Orange and brown butterfly on light background

Small Copper. Photo: Brian Arnold

Brian says:

I was stood by our marjorum today [4 August] watching lots of Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers nectaring on the flowers, then noticed that one of them looked different. It is our first Grayling this year, bringing our garden species count to 22 for 2024. A Small Copper was also going around the flowers, and has been there for most of today. Photos are of the Grayling, and the Small Copper when it nipped off for a rest and sat on a stone step.

Yellow butterfly on bright pink flower

Brimstone. Photo: Brian Arnold

Brian tells us:

Several years ago we planted Everlasting Pea in our garden in the hope of attracting a passing Long-tailed Blue. Not surprisingly we have yet to see one in the garden, but a bonus is that the Brimstones like to nectar on the pea flowers. For the Brimstones it is definitely a flower of choice.

This one today (3 August) spent considerable time on the flowers, returning many times to nectar – it is a female.

Light brown butterfly with complex dark brown markings

Wall Brown. Photo: Brian Arnold

butterfly nestled down in the greenery with some orange and black wings and some olive with white marks

Dark Green Fritillary. Photo: Brian Arnold

From Brian:

Two rareties for our garden at Harman’s Cross today – A female Wall Brown – we see about 3 Wall Browns a year in the garden, and a Dark Green Fritillary (probably female) – we see 1 every 2 or 3 years. Today was the lucky day. Both butterflies were trying to hide out of sight in our rather untidy overgrown lawn. The Wall Brown also settles on our stone paths and walls. At first sight I thought the Dark Green Fritillary was just another Silver-washed Fritillary – there were 2 in our garden today – but it was behaving completely differently, settling and flying on and around the lawn, whereas the Silver-washed Fritillaries usually settle on brambles and other plants and bushes around the edge of the lawn and by the trees.

Dark brown butterfly with greenish metallic sheen

Lulworth Skipper. Photo: Brian Arnold

Brian says:

I was quite surprised to find this male Lulworth Skipper in our garden at Harman’s Cross today. It is only the second time we have seen one in our garden, the previous sighting being in 2022. This brings our garden species total to 24 this year. I don’t know if it is the way the light is catching the butterfly but when I looked at the photos there is a sparkly look to the wings, body and head – a mixture of golds and greens. We have planted a very small patch of Tor Grass, but it is quite a distance from where the butterfly was nectaring on our marjoram.

Marjoram is a flower appreciated by quite a few butterflies, so grow some if you can, but if you use it as a herb, so allow some to blossom.

Black butterfly with red and white markings on bright orange flower

Red Admiral. Photo: Brian Arnold

Brian says:

Continuing on the theme of butterflies on the Day Lilies in our garden at Harman’s Cross, this Red Admiral decided to add its name to the list today (15 July). We have now seen Silver-washed Fritillary, Comma, Gatekeeper, Peacock and Red Admiral on them. None appear to be nectaring from the lilies.

view of a Brown Arguson a pink flower showing all upperwings

Brown Argus. Photo: Brian Arnold

Brian saw this Brown Argus while at Ballard Down on 30/07/18.

Unlike most other “blues”,and this species is one, the Brown Argus has no blue scales on its upperside, both sexes being primarily brown in colour as its common name suggests, although the butterfly does exhibit a blue sheen when at certain angles to the light. Both sexes have beautiful orange spots on the upperside of both forewings and hindwings.