26th June: Butterflies, The Hill Road White Path

 After a week of maddening heat and Red Heat Warnings, some cooler air blew in from the south. Sea mist ebbed and flowed all afternoon. The opportunity to take an afternoon walk was too good to ignore. Walking at this time would have been folly for the last 5 days.

  By July last year, the relatively new path that had been cut into the chalk (hence the 'White') above Hill Road was been a wonderful butterfly experience, particularly in the mornings. Butterflies on the White Path

  Despite the earlier date and the later than optimal time of the visit, the numbers were still good:

Gatekeeper 2

Meadow Brown 10

Peacock 9

Comma 10

Red Admiral 8

Ringlet 4

Large White 4

Small White 1

Small Skipper 1

Painted Lady 1

Speckled Wood 1

Garden Tiger (day flying moth) 5

  As to be expected, several fast-moving, predatory dragonflies were in attendance. However, some of the more pugnacious Commas actually chased them.

Painted Lady 

Comma

The Buddleia that grows in profusion along the path 

Garden Tiger

Peacock 

Northern Evening Primrose, an invasive species