Wimbledon Common

Our walk at Wimbledon Common was wet, but a few butterflies were seen, including Small White, Large Skipper, Meadow Brown, Small Heath. Cinabar Moth larvae of various sizes were seen on Ragwort.

Oaken Wood

The Purple Emperor walk at Botany Bay/Oaken Wood was in wet weather, with the odd sunny spell.

 A few butterflies of note were seen, including Ringlet, White Admiral.

 A white form of the Common Spotted Orchid was also seen in the Triangle meadow.

Orchids & Kidney Vetch

Today went to a couple of sites with Greenie [in the wild]. First stop was a site near New Addington full of Common Spotted and Pyramidal Orchids.

Then it was a move to Farleigh Dean, A Valley which is now a golf course, the yellow in the pictures is mostly Kidney Vetch, the foodplant for the Small Blue Butterfly, several were seen flying around the flowerheads, a pair was seen.

 Then it was onto the Glanville Site, where 3 were seen on the muddy track at the bottom of the site, one fed on Birds-foot Trefoil, before flying off.

 The second one was mud puddling in a damper patch.

Hutchinsons Bank Orchid Walk

Here are a few things seen on todays walk, My favorite green beetle, A common Lizard, and Bee Orchid.

Greater Butterfly Orchid.

Man Orchid

I went over to Hutchinsons and Chapel Bank today, a few Man Orchids were in flower. Small Blue, Grizzled Skipper and Brimstone Butterflies and a Mother Shipton Moth.

Chapel Bank Orchids

I made a visit to our Chapel Bank Nature Reserve today, looking for the orchids, I found these special orchids,

Greater Butterfly Orchid

Early Purple Orchid, some 4 year old seedlings were also found, they should flower in about 3 years, as it takes about 7 years for the Early Purple to flower from seed.

The original group first found as a single plant in 1992 are still present in the same spot.

One of the more recent plants is in the later stages of bud, and should be in flower in a week or so.

New Small Blue Scrapes

With help from the Dowlands Countryside Management Project 2 new scrapes have been put in along the cutting on Hutchinsons Bank Nature Reserve, these will improve the Small Blue butterfly habitat.