Silver on Gold

Perched on a disc of pure gold in the sunshine, gorgeous in deep orange with a massive 72mm wingspan, this beautiful silver-washed fritillary stood out for miles!

After watching Springwatch on TV last night I was bemoaning the fact that I didn't want to get blown-up for just getting a butterfly shot or in the name of blip! Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire on the army firing range where a few species hang out, did look a bit dodgy with the tanks and shells exploding round beautiful prized species! Knowing I needed to find new habitats to spot some different varieties we opted for a fairly safe dog walk in the Forest of Dean.

I was soooo excited to spot this! I have never seen one before but instantly knew what it was from the programme! This silver-washed fritillary really did look so beautiful getting it's name from the delicate washing of silver streaks across the underside of the hindwing. It's Britain's 3rd largest butterfly and the largest fritillary. A true woodland species it roosts high up it the tree branches, lays it's eggs on a tree trunk that has violets underneath which the caterpillars have to find - unlike other butterflies which lay their eggs on the food source!

I thought I'd struck gold myself this afternoon!:))

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It's our wedding anniversary today so bubbles are called for now...:)