Butterflies at Trinity Hill Woods

I haven't had much time out and about today but Rex needed his walk, so I decided to go to Trinity Hill Woods. It can be very good for butterflies at this time of year. I was hoping to see Silver-washed Fritillary because I've seen them on previous years and got decent snaps of them too. Despite the largely cloudy weather I saw ten species, including two SWFs, unfortunately they were both in territory establishing mode and didn't settle once today. I'll no doubt see them better on another of my regular visits. I pointed my camera at a few 'more willing' ( well slower) subjects instead.

A Bumble-bee.

I'm not good at bee ID, but I've 'got a book'.

I think this one may be Bombus pratorum.

Large Skipper

Small Skipper

A closer look just to make sure it's not an Essex Skipper, nope just a Small.

Red Admiral

I usually don't bother taking photos of these ( I'm not sure why), this one tempted me though.

A stunning fresh Comma

Knapweed

There was lots of this attracting the butterflies.

For some reason I cannot look at this plant without this little ditty coming into my head,

"I am Constable Knapweed, and I keep law and order,

I watch to see that all is well, around the garden border."

Too many hours watching the fantastic Micheal Bond show 'The Herbs' no doubt, both as a child and with my children, whom I selflessly bought the entire video collection for! :-) All the characters had their own little ditty but for some reason this totally uninvited intrusion of said ditty into my head on seeing a character's plant ONLY happens with Knapweed, I have no problem with Dill, Sage, Parsley, Rosemary, Basil etc, etc. Wait a minute, that's a lie, I do have the same problem with Tarragon, and in fact it's worse coz I usually find myself singing.

"I'm Tarragon the Dragon, I'd better make it clear,

That nothing's safe when I'm around, things seem to disappear!"

Don't worry, I'm going for a lie-down now...