July Butterflies - ranging along the River

The first day of July and the sun has returned after an overcast end to June.

A Comma butterfly - one of several independent fliers exploring the riverbank today.

Comma butterflies that hibernated over the winter are usually seen in ones and twos on warm and sheltered river banks here in March, or even earlier on a warm day. When they have established territories, after chasing others away, in warm areas where nettles grow, the female will choose fresh new nettle leaves to deposit her eggs singly.  When hatched, the caterpillar feeds on the leaves mostly unseen. In the chrysalis stage, it hangs up under deep vegetation, unseen until it emerges as this beautiful and unique butterfly.  

The river bank was today alive with other butterflies too - Small Skippers chasing, Large Skippers, Green-veined White, Meadow Browns and Ringlets.  On the river, both Banded and Beautiful Demoiselle Damselflies were chasing, foraging and basking, occasionally flying up and out over the banks to explore. 

This Comma was not just basking, its alert stance shows that it is on the lookout for any other butterfly which might fly over its territory; it had just seen off two Small Skippers.

Native wild flowers and grasses - Bird's Foot Trefoil, Red and White Clovers, Ribwort Plantain, Mallow, Hedge Woundwort and Common Figwort - all in flower.

This raised, dry patch of subsoil, now flourishing with native wild flowers and grasses has become a favourite foraging area for butterflies. Today, the first day of July, the Small Skippers with one or two Large Skippers were 'quartering' the site, stopping now and then on a choice plant, with Ringlet butterflies chasing each other around and single Commas and Meadow Browns exploring. Small Tortoiseshell butterflies were still present too, all along the bank, especially where nettles are growing.