Aug 062010
 

After we came back from Krakow, Tomek and I went along to a local grassland area on the edge of the forest. We went there because we knew there were loads of Burnett moths. We took a few containers with us, but one of the coolest things we saw was a teeny blue butterfly. There were actually a couple of them, but we managed to sneak up on one after a couple of attempts and catch it in a container. So we took it home, fed it some sugar water and kept it inside for a couple of days, photographed it and released it. This one behaved very much like the speckled wood back at Eastertime and each time it was released from the box it went for the window.

So here’s a few shots of it. Bear in mind that it’s tiny. Wing span is about 15mm (3/5 inch). I’ve included the reflection shot because my dad likes reflections. Would have been better without double glazing though. 😥

Common blue - Polyommatus icarus

Common blue - Polyommatus icarus

Common blue - Polyommatus icarus

Common blue - Polyommatus icarus

Common blue - Polyommatus icarus

Common blue - Polyommatus icarus

Common blue - Polyommatus icarus

Common blue - Polyommatus icarus

Having been unable to get a good straight-on shot of a tortosieshell here in Poland, have a look at the underside instead.

Tortoiseshell - Aglais urticae

Tortoiseshell - Aglais urticae

Jul 062010
 

Just a short walk to a wild area of undergrowth near the airfield today.

Thistle

Hoverfly

Lots of butterflies about. Saw at least 5 species, but the only one that would sit still long enough to get a shot was the tortoiseshell.

Another tortoiseshell

Right at the end, I saw this beastie. I’m reliably informed (thanks Shane) that it’s a 6 spot Burnet – a type of moth.

6 spot Burnet moth

Jul 012010
 

Went for a walk by the stream yesterday and saw lots of tortoiseshell butterflies, cabbage whites, a couple of species I haven’t identified and several beautiful blue damselflies with dark blue wings. Oh, and a fox. 😎

Went back today with the camera. It was a bit cloudier and windier than yesterday. No fox, no damselflies, but still lots of tortoiseshell, a female cabbage white and a small fly-like insect I’ve never seen before. I also saw two buzzards, but they were too distant to even attempt a shot.

Tortoiseshell

Female Cabbage White

Scorpionfly - female

After I posted the last pic on a forum, someone told me it’s a scorpionfly. Looked it up and it looks right. I am astonished though, that the available shots on the web are mostly of very poor quality, making my shot, with which I was disappointed due to poor depth of field, look quite good.