'Fun' In The Sun

No, not a Red Dwarf post [though there should be one].

The dread combination of it being a hot sunny-type start to August, and a mate having far too much success [I'm not at all jealous, really] the day before, saw me brave the Burning Heat [deserving of capitalisation] to try for Brown Hairstreak at That Place, last weekend.

That Place

Looking the other way

Anyways, I lasted about three hours [all sense was eroded by said Heat] and in that time I got one glimpse; a female finishing laying, flying about a bit, deciding, no this won't do for any more eggs, and buggering off...

Not a hope of a pic.


Drat and double drat.

So, I took what I could get while searching in vain.

Hit it and other comments;

Gatekeeper

Easily the most common species on site, and the closest in appearence to my target.

Speckled Wood

So hot, even these inveterate sun-bathers closed wings...!

Common Blue

Third most common species [no pics of the Meadow Browns]

Female Blue sp.

But which one? Yes, an ID Challenge! Three* [non- Small] Blue spp. are [or have been] recorded on Patch, and this could be any of them.. Or could it?

Bees!

Field Grasshopper

Anerastia lotella?

A moth! Lots of moths about; maybe the heat got to them, too..?
One in particular decided it not only had to be made famous, but showed quite ridiculously.. Observe, regardez!

On the open window of the open door of my car!!

Flew in [while I was trying to turn it from blast furnace into a mere sauna] and completely ignored me... Normally Crambids are very flighty and require careful stalking to get any kind of picture [as you may have deduced from prior photos..].

This is Agriphila inquinatella and let's have some more!

"Get my right side, too"

"Check out my goooorgeous legs, dahlings"

In the shade

What a performer!

:)

[[Told you there'd be moff porn! ;) ]]


I will have to try again, in a week or two - assuming weather permits**, of course... - and maybe I'll finally get a decent hairstreak photo? [Ok, of other than Green]


Birds? A couple of Chiffchaffs were still evident, Goldfinches seem to have had a good breeding season, quite a few Swallows and House Martins overhead. A Buzzard annoyed the gulls.. Too hot for anything, really.


Be Seeing You...





[[*Ok, five, but she's clearly not a Brown Argus or Long-tailed!]]
[[** Hah ha ha ha ha ha ha.....]]
[[ Answer; She is, of course, another Common Blue; a very brown one, in fact. ]]