Taking advantage of todays clear blue sky I undertook my second butterfly count of the summer. Like the first a couple of weeks ago, the numbers, and range, were dissapointing. I expected decent numbers of both Gatekeeper and Greyling, but instead just 3 Greyling and 7 gatekeepers made it into the count. The Six-spot Burnet's were still around, but in much lower numbers that the earlier count. Just over 50 this time round compared to over 1000 last time.
Small Copper and Speckled Wood made it into the count for the first time for a couple of years.
The best butterflies, however, were noted away from my transect. A White-letter Hairsteak started things off - a single resting about half way up a Wych Elm next to the Pont-y-Gwith bridge. Just after finishing the first of my transect routes, a rather faded Dark Green Fritilary drifted by. Walking home along the Taff Trail, first a Holly Blue to be quickly followed by a faded and tattered Silver Washed Fritilary were noted.
Small Copper and Speckled Wood made it into the count for the first time for a couple of years.
The best butterflies, however, were noted away from my transect. A White-letter Hairsteak started things off - a single resting about half way up a Wych Elm next to the Pont-y-Gwith bridge. Just after finishing the first of my transect routes, a rather faded Dark Green Fritilary drifted by. Walking home along the Taff Trail, first a Holly Blue to be quickly followed by a faded and tattered Silver Washed Fritilary were noted.
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