I paid my first visit to Bernwood Forest today on a very warm and sunny afternoon in the quest for Purple Emperor and Purple Hairstreaks. Admittedly I wasn't too hopeful of finding a Purple Emperor, seeing as they usually prefer the morning to leave the canopy of the oak trees, and in fact I didn't find one. However, following the two mile 'Butterfly trail' I saw scores of silver washed fritillaries, meadow browns, ringlets and skippers. I also saw a painted lady and a comma. Last year I only saw one painted lady in the whole of the year, but already I have seen painted ladies at several of the reserves I've visited. As I walked, I kept looking hopefully at the oak trees I passed but it wasn't until I reached the carpark at the end, that I found any purple hairstreaks. There were several high up in the oaks which shadowed the carpark, but also one lower down which I manged to photograph.
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