Butterflies at Ringstead Downs

As it was such brilliant weather, sunny and 17 degrees, I thought I would walk my first butterfly transect of the year at Ringstead Downs with the hope of seeing a few butterflies. I was not disappointed. Within the confines of the transect itself I recorded a total of 9 butterflies - 5 Peacock, 3 Small Tortoiseshell and 1 Comma. A lot of them were feeding on the flowers of the Sweet Violets which were abundant on the south-facing slope. Other insects were also busy on the flowers - Red-tailed Bumblebee, Buff-tailed Bumblebee and Honey Bee. There was a variety of small flies busy on the Gorse flowers on the north-facing slope. Ground-ivy plants were just coming into flower and the clumps of daffodils in the chalk pit at the west end were in bud.

Sweet Violet Viola odorata

Small Tortoiseshell soaking up the sun

Peacock feeding on Sweet Violet

Comma in camouflage mode