IN THE MONTH OF JULY CAN YOU SPY A BUTTERFLY

Some butterflies are around in spring and autumn but mid-June till mid-August is the peak time.  Up at Filnore Woods there are a few that you can spot easily.  I've mentioned some of them already but this is a quick guide to who is on the wing at Filnore NOW.

A mottled white butterfly in the grassland - MARBLED WHITE

Dark brown flitting feebly in the grass - RINGLET

Pale brown, rather drab, with some orange - MEADOW BROWN

Chocolate and orange, sunbathing on hedgerow leaves and on sunny patches of ground - like gateways, rather smaller and more orange than the meadow brown - GATEKEEPER

Small and bright orange - SMALL SKIPPER (or maybe one of the other skippers)

Very fast, vigorous flier, often on thistles - PAINTED LADY

Brown with cream splashes on wings, preferring dappled shade - SPECKLED WOOD

I've not mentioned the Orange Tip, or the Brimstone which are spring butterflies, nor the Comma, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Holly Blue and Large or Small Whites, which you may see in your garden.

If you want to help butterflies, the organisation Butterfly Conservation is running the annual Big Butterfly Count from 16th July till 8th August.  Here is the link.