Today on a warm and sunny afternoon I visited the Butterfly Conservation owned
Prees Heath Common Reserve. I found that the iconic Silver-studded Blue butterflies had emerged and were abundant. They will be around for the next couple of weeks. Well worth a visit for these and much else besides.
Here are a few images from my visit.
A peaceful place despite being near the meeting of the A41 and A49 just south of Whitchurch.
A male feeding on Ling, also known as Common Heather (
Calluna vulgaris). This plant is vital for the survival of the butterfly, here at its only remaining Midland site.
Males vastly out-numbered females.
Here is one female
And the only other female I found with its wings open.
Another stunning male.
This male feeding is on a Blackberry flower (Rubus sp.).
Another individual tucks in showing the underside. Males and females are difficult to separate from below.
One of these is, I assume, a male and the other a female. I surmise that the lower butterfly with the blue tone around the base of the wings is probably the male. It is therefore the female that shows the 'silver studs' - the small blue marks toward the wing-tip that can sparkle when caught by the light.
Another underside view.
And again.
I spent most of my time pursuing the butterflies. I was distracted by this grasshopper in an Ox-eye daisy (
Leucanthemum vulgare). I am not an expert in grasshoppers and their 'song' is the easiest guide. This one was quiet. The habitat makes it quite likely to be a Common Field Grasshopper (
Chorthippus brunneus).
Also feeding on the Ling was this Honey Bee (
Apis mellifera). Now where would I find the heather honey?
There are many special plants on the heath. This however is a widespread species but who could resist a Foxglove (
Digitalis purpurea).
(Ed Wilson)
