My first peacock! My first comma!

[spadge]

I've only just started looking at butterflies to identify them. It started with birds, then I found this site when trying to ID a linnet, browsed on into butterflies ... it could be a slippery slope to total obsession .

Your photos are a huge help, because the butterflies can look quite different from different angles, in different light, wings open or closed etc. I scan through the image library just looking in order of postings - that way I will see more of the most common ones, which I am likely to see.

It's paid off. Thursday I was admiring a cloud of painted ladies on a neighbour's Buddleia, when I saw something different, a big velvety beauty - that's a Peacock! There is something so satisfying about putting a name to it. It very kindly stayed put long enough for me to fetch a camera. Here are pics - not up to most of yours, but I'm pleased with them.





On Sunday we saw something quite new - intricate orange and black markings, very notched wings, I'd never seen anything like it. Managed to get a blurry photo to compare with the library. Of course it wasn't the rare exotic specimen I'd have imagined, but the Comma - described in the encyclopedia as "common", natch! But still a rare beauty to my eyes.

Thanks for the chance to share the excitement.

[Lance Morgan]

Nice pics Spadge. Even the common butterflies can make a day brighter. This weekend on large buddlia I saw Painted Lady, Small Tort, red Admiral and Peacock.

[cat72uk]

cool i love them