Orange Tip

After lunch I decided to walk around the village to see if I could find any damselflies, none having emerged yet from either of our ponds. I didn't see any, though I did spot a fresh caddisfly on the marginal vegetation by one of my favourite local ponds, and I had a pleasant chat with the pond's owner, whom I haven't seen at all through the long and dreary winter we've just endured.

Although there were Nodonata (©) to be found in the village today, there was quite a bit of butterfly activity along the hedgerows: in the space of half an hour or so, I counted three Orange Tips, one Large White, a Red Admiral, a Holly Blue, a couple each of Green-veined and Small White, and a Peacock. Added to the Brimstone and the pair of battling Speckled Woods I'd seen in the garden earlier, I thought this was a pretty respectable bag for the third week in April. I'd have been happier with this image if the Orange Tip had posed against a less messy background, but after pursuing him up and down the lane a couple of times I only got one brief chance to take his portrait, and this was it.

I'd hoped to get out and about during the coming week in search of damsels and dragons and the small early butterflies, but the Met Office is predicting plunging temperatures and yet more rain, so this plan may have to be put on hold.