Evening everyone, Christine here, reporting from Barry who was up at Collard Hill today. Unfortunately it was a poor day for any butterflies, in high winds and with the weather closing in for much of the day. Nothing much was moving first thing, bar a couple of hardy Meadow Browns. It did not improve until close to midday, but still no butterflies, let alone Large Blues!
Nearly gone until next year... Large Blue on gorse - Christine Tansey June 2011
Rain moved in by early afternoon and that was it for the day. The change from fine weather to poorer conditions means that sightings of any remaining Large Blues are getting increasingly difficult. With some heavy showers predicted over the next few days it is likely that Large Blues will remain hard to find, and the chance of seeing them at Collard this year has fallen considerably.
Instead, its time to block out mid-June 2012 in your calendar and schedule in a visit to see these beauties next year! I’ll continue to write updates for the rest of the week, but I think it looks set to be full of Six-spot Burnet moths, Ringlets and Gatekeepers rather than Large Blues.
Burnet moths are now on the wing - Christine Tansey July 2011
