Butterflies and smaller things.

#butterflies #photography #nature

http://shojiwax.com/2025/04/03/butterflies-and-smaller-things/

Last year 'one of the worst for UK butterflies' https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c230kzz73zmo

Last summer was second worst for common UK butterflies since 1976 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/02/last-summer-was-second-worst-for-common-uk-butterflies-since-1976

Like they say in real estate - this one is unexpectedly back on the market!
If you missed out the first time this drawing was available, now's your chance to get it...
https://theweeowlart.etsy.com/listing/1876765093

#FediGiftShop #ScottishArtist #MastoArt #CreativeToots
#Butterflies #insect #insects #InsectArt #InsectDrawing #OriginalArt #Drawing #PenAndInk #ColourPencil #MixedMedia #Artwork #TraditionalArtist #ScottishArtist #GiftIdeas #ArtShop

Great Purple Hairstreak
Cheraw State Park, SC 3/23/2025
#butterflies #naturephotography

Great Purple Hairstreak
Cheraw State Park, SC 3/21/2025
#butterflies #naturephotography

Gray Hairstreak
Cheraw State Park, SC 3/21/2025
#butterflies #naturephotography

Henry's Elfin
Cheraw State Park, SC 3/21/2025
#butterflies #naturephotography

Holly Azure
Cheraw State Park, SC 3/21/2025
#butterflies #naturephotography

Brown Elfin
Cheraw State Park, SC 3/21/2025
#butterflies #naturephotography

Sleepy Orange
Cheraw State Park, SC 3/21/2025
#butterflies #naturephotography

New on my blog: https://aspi.blog/2025/04/02/random-jottings/
A look at a bizarre happening in yesterday's IPL match, an election in #Wisconsin and a large photo gallery.
#cricket #T20 #IPL #IPL2025 #election #photography #birds #insects #bees #butterflies

If you'd like to do your bit to help butterflies in the UK, have a look at https://ukbms.org/

The UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme has been running since 1976, it's a big commitment - can you walk a transect every week over the summer for at least 5 years? There's also some other, less intensive ways to get involved, including helping with data entry and shorter surveys

https://ukbms.org/get-involved

Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui)
Butterfly 2018-26

We are absolutely unstoppable
When we have the right things behind us.

First peacock butterfly of the season for me. Last year I didn't see one till August.
(On the radio this morning was a dire warning about the decline in the UK butterfly population.)
#photography
#butterflies

European peacock butterfly, Aglais io, filling all 12 megapixels of my pocket camera. Let me get real close.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/268092179

While I'm waiting impatiently for my new wildlife camera/lens to arrive I'm having to use my Panasonic GX9 travel camera for everything, so this isn't the sharpest image. Of all the butterflies listed as common in my part of Scotland, the Comma is the one I see least often, so this was a lovely surprise this morning.
#photography #butterflies #insects #wildlife