Early Morning Sharpenhoe

I was interested in the effect of shade, cloud and direct sunlight on the colours and appeal of images. Clouds covered the sun when we arrived at Sharpenhoe yesterday morning but these cleared as the sun came above the ridge. All single shots except image 10 which is a focus stack of 10 images.

Sharpenhoe 11th August

Although nowhere near as many as on bumper years, we were pleased to find a good number of Chalkhill male and female butterflies along with Burnet moths. I was trying to anticipate flight shots and achieved a few I like including a Burnet Moth and Knapweed amd the Carpenter Bee approaching a Harebell.

Sharpenhoe Butterflies

 Despite the strong winds, most of the RPS Nature Group on an outing to Sharpenhoe yesterday managed to photograph two of the target species - the Chalkhill Blues (all males so probably early in the season) and Dark Green Fritillaries (getting a bit worn and mainly females so late in their season). However, the favourite was a Brimstone male emerging from its cocoon. Also shown Large Skipper, Red Admiral, Small White and Holly Blue.

Wasp Spiders at Royston

A party of 12 from CCC visited Royston Heath yesterday in search of Wasp Spiders and Chalkhill Blues. Once the cloud cleared a bit, there were plenty of butterflies and to our delight abundant wasp spiders. I was particularly pleased to find one with a grasshopper in the web - its stated prey, though Chalkhill blues were the most abundant corpses in the webs

 

Chalkhill Blues

This appears to be a good year for Chalkhill Blues judging by the numbers at Sharpenhoe and Royston. Here a mass of butterflies visiting ?Badger droppings for minerals, some studies of the males and females plus a couple of Six-spot Burnet moth with cocoons.