RINGLET RETURNS

 Alan spotted this Ringlet at Filnore Woods on 16th June.  Hopefully there will be many more of this summer butterfly in the next couple of months.

When newly emerged they are almost black, with a white fringe round the edge of their wings, but they soon fade to dark brown.  The distinguishing feature is the row of  small ringed spots on the wings, which gave them their name.

Ringlets like lush grass and their pupae (chrysalises) overwinter in grass tussocks so we need some grass left uncut for them.  They, like many insects, enjoy bramble and thistle flowers, so we need some bramble and thistle, but for the sake of biodiversity we need to stop these plants invading all the grassland.  

Managing for wildlife requires a balanced approach.  Nothing too drastic.  Whenever you help one plant or creature you are probably disadvantaging another.

Update: there are now quite a lot of ringlets up at Filnore.

When one of them obligingly perched, Alan took this photo.