In the Ingatestone area, Orange Tips have had a very extended season. My first record was on April 23rd and the latest, so far, on June 11th. There were very few around during the early part of this period but a mass emergence towards the end of May when warmer temperatures by both day and night kicked in; my maximum counts being 32 on a regular transect at Mill Green and 10 at Blue House Farm, North Fambridge, where their food plant is not so numerous. Holly Blues have also had a good spring locally - again extended between late April and mid-June - with up to 5 in my garden. Have seen very few elsewhere though. Most spring butterflies seem to have had an average, if late, season; the exception hereabouts being the poor old Small Tortiseshell, with only a trio of records, all in April. Common Blues, Small Heaths and Small Coppers have all done well at Blue House (see my entry in May). Among the rarer species, several Green Hairstreaks have been seen during the past ten days at The Backwarden EWT Reserve, Danbury.
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