Emma Whitfield
@emmawhitfield.bsky.social
Volunteer for Wildlife Trust BCN, butterfly transect walker at Priory Park, Bedford, interested in conservation, butterflies & all natural history
Chalkhill Blues were the most abundant butterfly at Sharpenhoe today but there were still a few Dark Green Fritillaries around. The flowers, specially the Marjoram, were beautiful & I always love the Woolly Thistles @savebutterflies.bsky.social @midsandeastnt.bsky.social
July 14, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Chalkhill Blues were the most abundant butterfly at Sharpenhoe today but there were still a few Dark Green Fritillaries around. The flowers, specially the Marjoram, were beautiful & I always love the Woolly Thistles @savebutterflies.bsky.social @midsandeastnt.bsky.social
Some more photos
July 12, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Some more photos
Some years we might get 1 or 2 Brown Argus in our garden but this exceptional year we’re seeing about 8 or 10 on one of our Marjoram plants which is also very popular with the Gatekeepers & many other pollinators @savebutterflies.bsky.social
July 12, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Some years we might get 1 or 2 Brown Argus in our garden but this exceptional year we’re seeing about 8 or 10 on one of our Marjoram plants which is also very popular with the Gatekeepers & many other pollinators @savebutterflies.bsky.social
Some more photos
July 11, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Some more photos
The Mullein plants in our garden are absolutely covered in insects - hoverflies, ladybirds, wasps & bugs - but they’re not taking pollen or nectar as far as I can see - does anyone know what they’re feeding on? The flowers have gone over for the day. @willgeorge.bsky.social
July 11, 2025 at 3:17 PM
The Mullein plants in our garden are absolutely covered in insects - hoverflies, ladybirds, wasps & bugs - but they’re not taking pollen or nectar as far as I can see - does anyone know what they’re feeding on? The flowers have gone over for the day. @willgeorge.bsky.social
Lots of butterflies at Tilwick Meadows, Bedfordshire, including large numbers of fresh Peacocks, a few fresh Brimstones & 3 Painted Ladies. Only a few Marbled Whites but lots of Meadow Browns & this lovely Elecampane flower which comes up every year. @savebutterflies.bsky.social
July 10, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Lots of butterflies at Tilwick Meadows, Bedfordshire, including large numbers of fresh Peacocks, a few fresh Brimstones & 3 Painted Ladies. Only a few Marbled Whites but lots of Meadow Browns & this lovely Elecampane flower which comes up every year. @savebutterflies.bsky.social
We had a female Silver-washed today in the garden too, only the 3rd time in 30 odd years here! She stayed for about 20 minutes feeding on this Burdock
July 10, 2025 at 7:45 PM
We had a female Silver-washed today in the garden too, only the 3rd time in 30 odd years here! She stayed for about 20 minutes feeding on this Burdock
End of our week in Serbia with @mariposanature.bsky.social - beautiful meadows, streams & woodland tracks in Stara Planina national park. Stunning Lizard Orchid today & lots of flowers for the insects. Traditional agriculture good for butterflies but lots of rural abandonment.
June 30, 2025 at 5:23 PM
End of our week in Serbia with @mariposanature.bsky.social - beautiful meadows, streams & woodland tracks in Stara Planina national park. Stunning Lizard Orchid today & lots of flowers for the insects. Traditional agriculture good for butterflies but lots of rural abandonment.
Last day of @mariposanature.bsky.social Serbian trip with stunning scenery & yet more butterflies - hard to choose but here are Blue-spot Hairstreak, Delattin’s Grayling, the rare Spinose Skipper & Ripart’s Anomalous Blue. Thanks to @selbypaul.bsky.social, Janos & Zsolt for a great trip.
June 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Last day of @mariposanature.bsky.social Serbian trip with stunning scenery & yet more butterflies - hard to choose but here are Blue-spot Hairstreak, Delattin’s Grayling, the rare Spinose Skipper & Ripart’s Anomalous Blue. Thanks to @selbypaul.bsky.social, Janos & Zsolt for a great trip.
5th day of the @mariposanature.bsky.social Serbia tour & the species keep coming - the biggie today was Poplar Admiral but also new were Yellow Banded Skipper (which I like as it’s easy to ID), Turquoise Blue & Great Sooty Satyr. Another great day!
June 29, 2025 at 5:29 PM
5th day of the @mariposanature.bsky.social Serbia tour & the species keep coming - the biggie today was Poplar Admiral but also new were Yellow Banded Skipper (which I like as it’s easy to ID), Turquoise Blue & Great Sooty Satyr. Another great day!
4th day of our Serbian trip with @mariposanature.bsky.social - last night’s storm freshened everything & provided puddling for the butterflies. Highlights along the lovely river path were Apollo, Chequered Blue, Map & even better views of this Lesser Purple Emperor which became very friendly!
June 28, 2025 at 7:39 PM
4th day of our Serbian trip with @mariposanature.bsky.social - last night’s storm freshened everything & provided puddling for the butterflies. Highlights along the lovely river path were Apollo, Chequered Blue, Map & even better views of this Lesser Purple Emperor which became very friendly!
3rd day of @mariposanature.bsky.social trip to Serbia ended on a high note with the very rare Lesser Lattice Brown found in oak trees by our guide, Janos. Also Violet Copper, Russian Heath & Bright-eyed Ringlet. We’re up to 114 species today!
June 27, 2025 at 7:39 PM
3rd day of @mariposanature.bsky.social trip to Serbia ended on a high note with the very rare Lesser Lattice Brown found in oak trees by our guide, Janos. Also Violet Copper, Russian Heath & Bright-eyed Ringlet. We’re up to 114 species today!
2nd full day of @mariposanature.bsky.social trip to Serbia with very brief views of False Comma sailing past & now up to a total of 102 butterflies. Highlights were Balkan Copper, Hungarian Glider, very fresh Arran Brown & stunning Lesser Purple Emperor which landed at my feet!
June 27, 2025 at 4:54 PM
2nd full day of @mariposanature.bsky.social trip to Serbia with very brief views of False Comma sailing past & now up to a total of 102 butterflies. Highlights were Balkan Copper, Hungarian Glider, very fresh Arran Brown & stunning Lesser Purple Emperor which landed at my feet!
First day of @mariposanature.bsky.social trip to Serbia with 70 species including several of our targets - Freyer’s Fritillary, Large Chequered Skipper, Southern White Admiral & lots of Scarce Swallowtails puddling.
June 26, 2025 at 5:17 PM
First day of @mariposanature.bsky.social trip to Serbia with 70 species including several of our targets - Freyer’s Fritillary, Large Chequered Skipper, Southern White Admiral & lots of Scarce Swallowtails puddling.
We set off early for our annual trip to West Wood, Bedfordshire, to beat the heat. So many Ringlets & Meadow Browns plus a few Commas & Silver-washed Fritillaries & about 4 of our target species White Admirals looking very fresh. Plus a bonus Marbled White! @savebutterflies.bsky.social
June 22, 2025 at 1:34 PM
We set off early for our annual trip to West Wood, Bedfordshire, to beat the heat. So many Ringlets & Meadow Browns plus a few Commas & Silver-washed Fritillaries & about 4 of our target species White Admirals looking very fresh. Plus a bonus Marbled White! @savebutterflies.bsky.social
Lots going on in the garden at the moment: Toadflax Brocade moth caterpillars nearly ready to pupate, Brimstone pupa which we covered with a sleeve, Large White caterpillars parasitised by Cotesia granulata (ghastly!) & a newly hatched Ladybird getting its spots.
@ukbutterflies.bsky.social
@ukbutterflies.bsky.social
June 14, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Lots going on in the garden at the moment: Toadflax Brocade moth caterpillars nearly ready to pupate, Brimstone pupa which we covered with a sleeve, Large White caterpillars parasitised by Cotesia granulata (ghastly!) & a newly hatched Ladybird getting its spots.
@ukbutterflies.bsky.social
@ukbutterflies.bsky.social
Transect today at Priory CP - 2 Small Tortoiseshells, several Meadow Browns, a Red Admiral egg-laying & 13 Commas, some of them courting including a really dark one @ukbms.bsky.social @ukbutterflies.bsky.social
June 14, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Transect today at Priory CP - 2 Small Tortoiseshells, several Meadow Browns, a Red Admiral egg-laying & 13 Commas, some of them courting including a really dark one @ukbms.bsky.social @ukbutterflies.bsky.social
Yesterday we went in search of Silver-studded Blues on the pebble bed heaths near Budleigh in Devon - only found one but several Green Hairstreaks were still on the wing
@savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcdevon.bsky.social
@savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcdevon.bsky.social
June 11, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Yesterday we went in search of Silver-studded Blues on the pebble bed heaths near Budleigh in Devon - only found one but several Green Hairstreaks were still on the wing
@savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcdevon.bsky.social
@savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcdevon.bsky.social
Visit to Aish Tor on Dartmoor to see the fritillaries which didn’t disappoint, though it was difficult to tell the High Browns from the Dark Greens - had to be patient to get underwing photos. Also saw a Small White & a few Brimstones.
@savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcdevon.bsky.social
@savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcdevon.bsky.social
June 11, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Visit to Aish Tor on Dartmoor to see the fritillaries which didn’t disappoint, though it was difficult to tell the High Browns from the Dark Greens - had to be patient to get underwing photos. Also saw a Small White & a few Brimstones.
@savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcdevon.bsky.social
@savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcdevon.bsky.social
Trip to Duddon Mosses in the South Lakes was very successful as we saw about 12 Large Heath, a lifer for us. We hadn’t expected to see them on this trip as they’re out very early. Also Green Hairstreaks & a Small Tortoiseshell
@savebutterflies.bsky.social @naturalengland.bsky.social
@savebutterflies.bsky.social @naturalengland.bsky.social
May 23, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Trip to Duddon Mosses in the South Lakes was very successful as we saw about 12 Large Heath, a lifer for us. We hadn’t expected to see them on this trip as they’re out very early. Also Green Hairstreaks & a Small Tortoiseshell
@savebutterflies.bsky.social @naturalengland.bsky.social
@savebutterflies.bsky.social @naturalengland.bsky.social
Another fantastic day for a walk around Langdale - oak woods full of singing birds like Redstarts, Wood Warblers & Pied Flycatchers. The Dipper in the stream was preening itself. Also found some more Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries & this fantastic click beetle. @lakedistrictnpa.bsky.social
May 22, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Another fantastic day for a walk around Langdale - oak woods full of singing birds like Redstarts, Wood Warblers & Pied Flycatchers. The Dipper in the stream was preening itself. Also found some more Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries & this fantastic click beetle. @lakedistrictnpa.bsky.social
Still on our search for Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries, we found about 6 on the north side of Tarn How - much better photos this time! @ukbutterflies.bsky.social @nationaltrust.org.uk @lakedistrictnpa.bsky.social
May 21, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Still on our search for Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries, we found about 6 on the north side of Tarn How - much better photos this time! @ukbutterflies.bsky.social @nationaltrust.org.uk @lakedistrictnpa.bsky.social
Visited Butterfly Conservation reserve at Myers Allotment in Lancashire in Silverdale and saw our first Northern Brown Argus which was fighting with a Grizzled Skipper. @savebutterflies.bsky.social
May 19, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Visited Butterfly Conservation reserve at Myers Allotment in Lancashire in Silverdale and saw our first Northern Brown Argus which was fighting with a Grizzled Skipper. @savebutterflies.bsky.social
Found a small colony of Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Little Fell, Little Langdale while on holiday in the Lake District. Photo not that great but they were very lively & the ground was very uneven! @nationaltrust.org.uk @lakedistrictnpa.bsky.social
May 18, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Found a small colony of Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Little Fell, Little Langdale while on holiday in the Lake District. Photo not that great but they were very lively & the ground was very uneven! @nationaltrust.org.uk @lakedistrictnpa.bsky.social
Garden cross spiderlings on our bin this morning
May 13, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Garden cross spiderlings on our bin this morning