Draycott Walls
My return to Draycott Sleights attempting to find more Walls. Not the wall of rock below but the Wall butterfly (Lasiommata megera).
Draycott Sleights – Somerset, UK.
It was early in the morning and after chasing a few old Chalkhill Blues I refocused on my plan and looked out for Walls. I knew the places they like to sit and warm-up in the morning so I settled down by some rocks and waited.
Why the long shadow – because its too early to outside on the side of a hill in Somerset!
Wall (Lasiommata megera) – Draycott Sleights, Somerset, UK.
This butterfly was my favourite. Each time I disturbed it, it kept returning to the same group of rocks. Nice to sit and wait as it allowed me to trim a few bits of grass out of the way before it came back.
Wall (Lasiommata megera) – Draycott Sleights, Somerset, UK.
Wall (Lasiommata megera) – Draycott Sleights, Somerset, UK.
And finally…
This is what happens to a butterfly when it gets old. They lose the brightly coloured scales from their wings. This can happen due by rubbing against surfaces or being hit by falling rain drops. It seems they are designed to be slightly loose as if caught in a spider’s web they can escape simply by loosing a few scales.
Wall (Lasiommata megera) – Draycott Sleights, Somerset, UK.
They fade and become ragged – a bit like old photographers. This one also appears to have gone mouldy. I guess it has been pretty wet this summer.
Wall (Lasiommata megera) – Draycott Sleights, Somerset, UK.
