Thursday 19 May 2022

SMALL BLUES AT LAMBOURN



Today I decided to follow up a recommendation to visit a site at Lambourn where there is an abundance of small  blues.  I parked in a small area at a place called Crog Hill and within  minutes of stepping from the car, I approached a muddy puddle and as I did so a cloud of insects flew up -  not flies, but small blue butterflies!  They seemed to be everywhere, fluttering in the cow parsley alongside the track and far too many to count!  I was surprised to find a couple of Duke of Burgundy butterflies here too, as I didn't know they were any as close to home as this, must remember that - much easier than scrambling down the banks of Rodborough Common!   Stepping off the track into a grassy patch, I found a green hairstreak and dingy skippers and further on I found my first common blue of the year that I could identify properly. 

After having a good look around, I drove down the road to another site I've visited before known as Seven Barrows.  I usually visit later in the season when the grass is a lot taller  and there are more flowers out, but today there were fewer butterflies to see, I only found a few small blues and dingy skippers. 

Duke of Burgundy


small blue








Dingy skipper

small blue

common blue



track where the small blues were found






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