Collard Hill

Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) – Collard Hill, Nr Street, Somerset, UK. ID JB_9257

Who does not love small skipper butterflies.  They have so much energy.

Today was my annual visit to Collard Hill near the town called Street of Somerset.  This hill is a wonderful patch of grassland.

Collard Hill – Somerset, UK. ID 807_6378

It also has amazing views.

Compton Dundon from Collard Hill – Somerset, UK. ID 826_0639

But it is mainly famous for its population of very rare large blue butterflies.   I lucked out on the large blues on this visit.  The picture below was probably the best I got.

Large Blue (Phengaris arion) – Collard Hill, Nr Street, Somerset, UK. ID JB_8970

Instead it was those, much more common, marbled white butterflies that stole the show.

Marbled White (Melanargia galathea) – Collard Hill, Nr Street, Somerset, UK. ID JB_8712

They are beautiful butterflies with checker board coloured wings.  Strangely they are classified as brown butterflies.

Marbled White (Melanargia galathea) – Collard Hill, Nr Street, Somerset, UK. ID JB_8642