A mixed bag

 

How encouraging that we live in a world where young enthusiasts for moths and butterflies, or indeed other insects, can clad themselves in clothes which Linnaeus might well have envied. And how nice that my light trap provided a couple of fine Poplar Hawk moths this week for a couple of friends who had heard of my strange entomological goings-on and came to have lunch and a look.

Less happily, the Large, Small and Green-veined White butterflies which are currently floating about like small handkerchiefs have shown their less appealing side by laying eggs on our purple sprouting.  Here's the result which I am afraid I am dealing with ruthlessly. We lost the whole of last year's crop to severe frosts and I am determined to salvage this years.

Other butterflies have been absorbing me on walks round the big field near our house, and there are cheerful signs that next year's population is going to flourish. Here's a Brown Argus caught during an interval in a mating dance with a friend (second pic), followed by two Small Skippers which were up to the same tricks.

And just for good measure, here's a contented and very beautiful male Common Blue whose mating perhaps took place earlier in the day.

My morning checks on the moths are watched closely at the moment by this robin, whose appearance on Instagram received 'likes' from both the American and the Iranian croquet associations. This got me wondering wistfully if the world's problems could be sorted out over croquet but the game is so competitive that I doubt it. My granny, who was a saintly woman in all other respects, was utterly ruthless when she had a mallet in her hand.

Here are some recent moths - from the top, reading left to right: Satin Wave (I think), Green Carpet, Spectacle, Anania Coronata micro, Common Plume micro, Straw Underwing, a pair of Grey Daggers, another Common Plume and a Pebble Prominent.

And in the second composite: Iron Prominent, Brimstone, Willow Beauty, female Small Scallop, Endotricha flammealis micro, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Garden Pebble micro, European Corn-borer micro and Small Waved Umber. 

Finally, a couple of dragonflies, the top one a Small Red Damselfly I think and the second one - which I saw near Exmouth - possibly a female Black Darter. Update: See Conehead in Comments who, helpfully as ever, suggests that they are actually Ruddy Darter dragonflies, the top one female and the bottom one probably male but my camera angle is not good enough to be certain.  Many thanks as always.