Wednesday 17th. July 2013

Decided against another look for Purple Hairstreaks this morning , and arrived up on the Downs just before 0830 , with a temperature already of 20C . Some areas were still in shade , but that didn't stop the butterflies from getting on the wing . Three hours later , the following had been recorded :
Small Skipper (73) , Large Skipper (3) , Brimstone (4-pictured , all in the same area and looking very

 fresh , this one trying to keep out of the sun) , Small White (1) , Large White (7-pictured , all were

females like this specimen ) , Common Blue (1-the first of the second brood that I have found ) ,

Chalkhill Blue (54-pictured , my first specimens of the year , and the first specimen was the only one found with open wings all morning) , Red Admiral (1) , Painted Lady (1) , both managed to evade the

viewfinder ,  Comma (1) , Dark Green Fritillary (4-pictured , two fighting pairs found a good distance from each other) , Marbled White (125-inlcuding another mating pair , pictured , with the male

sporting a mite , a problem with this species) , Gatekeeper (1) , Meadow Brown (136) , Ringlet (129) and Small Heath (3) , a pleasing total of 16 species seen . Also seen , several 6 Spot Burnet Moths ,

several like this one , only just emerged from the pupae case . Also found on a stile step was this

moth , but I haven't been able to identify it yet . Many thanks yet again to Spock for identifying the moth as a Broad-barred White . On the way round , I also surveyed for reptiles , and was quite surprised , given the conditions , to find more Adders than Slow Worms , by a singleton .

5 female Adders were recorded , one of them pictured above , along with just 2 males , one pictured

below . The total was completed with three juvenile females , probably born last Autumn , one

pictured . Other interest found included ;

Rest-harrow / Ononis repens , a member of the Pea family ,

Dwarf Thistle / Cirsium acaule , a member of the Daisy family ,

and Harebell / Campanula rotundifolia , a member of the Bellflower family .
When I got back to the car , the temperature had reached 28C , and I felt like a wet rag .