The Comma

It is easy to recognise this species by its ragged outline, however its patterns of grey, tan, brown and sometimes green, can act as a splendid camouflage. I have seen several in the garden each year since we came to live here three summers ago. A century before our arrival this butterfly was on the verge of extinction. Southern woodlands and scrub areas have seen its recovery. Its range is still expanding northwards. Because of this and the fact that it lives in loose populations we can again look out for commas in our village and in our gardens. They can be seen from March to September but the two main peaks of activity are in April, then later from July to mid September. The caterpillars feed on hops in the south but rely on stinging nettles as their main foodplant here.

The Meadow Brown

This butterfly is common throughout lowland Britain. It is a large insect, attractive but unspectacular. If grassland is ungrazed and unimproved you can expect to see impressive numbers of them as they emerge in mid June. Peaks occur in mid July unless we have high temperatures during an earlier period. Last year (1999) I watched drift after drift of them in early July, at Marfield. Many threaded their way in and out of our village gardens. The Meadow Brown is Britain's commonest butterfly, but they are declining in numbers as farmland is improved. Meadow grasses and Purple Moor Grasses are their favourite food and fine leaved or coarse grasses are places chosen by them to lay their eggs.

Ringlet

To avoid the heat of summer, cool, moist, damp areas are selected by this species, which flies mainly in July. The dusky, darker wings distinguish it from the Meadow Brown, although it has much the same flight pattern. Look out for the white fringes which catch the sun. The gleaming eye-spots give it its name. There are fewer of them in hot droughty years. The best place to see them is on brambles and thistles where they vie with Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers for their sweet nectar. A few wander into the gardens near open fields. Few survive beyond mid August. Last year the rides at High Batts were alive (in July) with them as they fluttered gently and peacefully in and out ot the vegetation at the edge of the trees.

Holly Blue

This species is a regular visitor to gardens, since it prefers shrubs to grassland. It is easiest to distinguish it from the Common Blue when it is at rest. Look for its silver black spotted underside. There is no trace of orange. The Small Blue could be confused with Holly Blue except for its size, which as its name suggest, is much smaller. Mid April to June is the time to look for Holly Blues as they emerge. A second emergence takes place in late July and August. Although you can approach a Holly Blue quite closely, the wings only open in weak sunshine and even then scarcely wider than 90 degrees. Holly, Ivy, Spindle, Dogwood and Snowberry are their favoured garden shrubs. Heather and gorse are also visited.

Painted Lady

This beautiful and subtly marked butterfly can be found almost anywhere in good years. 1999 was not one of its best, though you will certainly have admired it as it fed on buddleias with Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshells. A few years ago it was so plentiful in the Bedale area that the occurrence was reported in an article in the national newspapers. it is intriguing to learn that our European form of the Painted Lady breeds along the desert edges of North Africa and Arabia. Vast numbers emerge, some managing to fly as far as the Orkneys, about once every five years. Landfalls in England have been as early as January or February. The main swarms arrive in late May or June. These are followed by others until late summer. They like thistles, mallows and nettles. The caterpillars live in tents which they construct from leaves and bind with silk. They are able to breed in England in intensive farmland.

PLANTS: Herb Paris

Many interesting plants grow in the village bounds. Only one is illustrated here. Herb Paris is neither common or rare. It can be found scattered accross Europe. However it is always a delight to come across something which is elusive. Herb Paris is suited to wet woods, oak and beech woods, and mixed coniferous woods. It is highly poisonous.

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