Flutterby's

Butterflies are extraordinary little things, not just because of their shapes and vibrant colours, but some in particular make some incredible journeys to get here, and when you consider they are such delicate things, it makes them even more remarkable and impressive. Yesterday evening I was on the Gwent Levels at the Goldcliff reserve, where I was pleased to see at least eight of the migrant Painted Lady butterflies. I took a number of pictures and the above one I was particularly impressed with.

Painted Ladies arrive here in May and June where they have migrated from south-west Europe and North Africa - a distance of more than 600 miles (1,000km). Now that in anyone's book is an impressive feat of flying. Some years they can be scarce and yet in other years they can be seen in vast numbers. Take 1948 for example where over 30,000 were recorded in the UK. Other notable years ahv eincluded 1952, 1966 and 1969. They are however a powerful flyer, and reach speeds of around 8 or 10 mph. Sadly, when the cold weather arrives it sees off this beautiful little migrant.

There was an abundance of the more common Meadow Brown butterflies on the wing yesterday, especially around the Bramble blossom. In one patch alone I counted at least 30 with others drifting about close by. This is the commonest butterfly in the UK and I think it is a little beauty - with its fawny coloured upper wings each with a large black eye. Did you know the female is brighter coloured than the male which is an unusual feature in the butterfly world. They also have bigger 'false eyes' on the fore wings which serve to frighten off potential predators. They hatch between June and August.  The Suffolk poet John Clare described them in his 'Shepard's Calendar' as 'where their old visitors in russet-brown, the hay time butterflies dance up and down'.

I also saw two Large Skippers - it's called large but in fact it is quite small and can be easily overlooked. It is however making up for in character what it lacks in colour. It seemed to like to perch on the outer branches of the Blackthorn, Hawthorn and Willow. It is the largest of the British skippers present from early June into mid-July. Luckily for this species, the two food plants (Cocks-foot and False Broom Grass) are abundant in the UK. They rest with their wings in the typical 'skipper' manner and spend most of their time establishing territories. The Large Skipper produces only one generation a year and each butterfly lives for approximately three weeks - which is a small window of life. No wonder they are busy.

All pictures copyright of N J Davies.