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there was one of these flying around the hanging baskets today ;D
mind you, there were also 4 cabbage whites
Good picture, Tony. It's a Speckled Wood.
thanks for the ident, ceres ;)
until a few weeks ago i had never seen these now we see them almost every sunny day both in the garden and in the woods i walk through to drop and pick up my older daughter from school. i wonder whats their food source, hmm? off to google.
edited: quite a few good links, here's a couple:
http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/Butterfly/32/Butterfly.html?ButterflyId=56 (http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/Butterfly/32/Butterfly.html?ButterflyId=56)
http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?vernacular_name=Speckled+Wood (http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?vernacular_name=Speckled+Wood)
i recognise the caterpillar i definitely saw some of those last year and i see one of the food plants for their caterpillars is 'good' old couch grass :o.
and as for them preferring woodlands to mate and breed i can vouch for lots of frisky activity in the woods when we see them there.