Some kind of...

...Swallowtail butterfly, feasting on the small cornflowers on the olive terrace this afternoon. The upper side of his wings had a lovely azure blue scalloped edge and there was a yellow and black "eye" on each "tail".

It's a big Bank Holiday in Italy today, Ferragosto, the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She's the patron saint of Siena, and lots of other Italian cities. It was extremely quiet here today - it's rare not to hear a chain saw or strimmer at work somewhere round the village...