They're back

I had a real rush to complete my butterfly transect at the nature reserve this morning and didn't have time to stop to get good photos of the two striking fritillaries that are flying at the moment - Dark Green Fritillary that is racing around the big open grassland areas and this one, Silver-washed Fritillary, that is gliding around the woodland rides and clearings. This was the best photo I could get as this one was sunning itself high up in some ride-side bushes. At least it shows the silvery-white streaks on the underside of the wing that help to separate this species from the otherwise similar large orange Dark Green Fritillary in the meadows, which has a pattern of large white spots on its underside. It is so brilliant to have them both flying around the reserve again.