Lady Adonis.

It has been difficult in the past few weeks to get out into the countryside, so it was quite a relief over the past few days to get 2 decent strolls in. Even then, the weather was not particularly helpful on the first walk.

However, it was good to see many Adonis Blues on the patch. The 2nd brood has been pretty good locally. Most of the males are now looking as though they have been out a while, but there were plenty of females showing, with several nectaring or resting on the numerous Devil's-bit Scabious and others busy egg laying in the short turf.

Roosting Female Adonis Blue.

Female Adonis Blue on Devil's-bit Scabious.

I have heard several reports of high numbers of Autumn Ladies Tresses on the downs. However, my small colonies on the patch are very poor at the moment with only 3 single plants in 3 areas. It is still early though, so I am hoping more will show in the near future. Of the 3 seen, one was still not fully out, whilst the other 2 were quite different with one very impressive plant having the flowers circling around the stem, and the other one all the flower was one side of the stem. These are the final orchids to flower each year, really sad to think another season is already coming to a close.

Autumn Ladies Tresses.

Autumn Ladies Tresses.

I am expecting the final brood of Wall Brown to start this week. Yesterday all I saw were a couple of very tatty 2nd brood which were just hanging on. There were very large numbers of Small Heath with some areas having double figures all flying together. Some old Chalk-hill Blues were also just hanging on, but a Small Copper seen on the Scabious was extremely fresh with its wings still partly folded up. Let's hope for a good 3rd brood of these lovely little gems.

Several Wasp Spiders were also still showing well, and some of the females are now very large.