27-10-2019
Brimstone (2)
Red Admiral (13)
Comma (2)
12.30 - 14.00. Walk along the old Drove from Barford St Martin to western end of Grovely wood. Nice to find several red admirals still nectaring on the flowering ivy - I had feared the recent heavy rains and call of the Continent might have more severely diminished their numbers. They were very docile, far more tolerant than I would have been of the bees and huge numbers of flies that were also taking advantage of the ivy. Commas seen nectaring on ivy and also bramble. Brimstones (both male) showed no interest in feeding - both looked intent on catching some rays and finding safe havens for the coming months, demonstrating fantastic agility, spatial awareness and accuracy of movement (helped by near breathless conditions) as they wove in and out of the tangle of barbed thicketted bramble.
Simon Crampin