Fast n' furious

The Brown Argus might be our second smallest butterfly but its easily the most combative. I watched this one launch itself time after time against passing Common Blues, Small Coppers and Speckled Woods all two or three times its size. With its territory secured it allowed itself a short respite on some newly emerged bracken giving me a chance to photograph this most elegant of species. It was 10 degrees when the spaniel and I set off this morning, 31 degrees by the time we got home.