Bonsai Bank !

After spending the morning at Marden Meadows I decided to call in to the ' Bonsai Bank ' at Denge Woods, the sun was out  after a cold night and I thought I'd try my luck with the 'Duke of Burgundy Butterfly. It's been a while since I last observed one and there's always the added bonus of seeing some Orchids although a little early maybe.

As I made my way along the upper footpath on the Bonsai Bank I almost trod on the one and only Duke Of Burgundy to be seen, what a tragedy that would of been.

It was resting on primrose, which incidentally is the food plant that the females lay there eggs on, and the caterpillars feed on. But this was no female, I noticed in some of the closed wing photographs that there were only two pairs of legs, I believe the female has an extra pair of much shorter fore legs.

Duke of Burgundy

The butterfly flew to a nearby low growing sapling where it seemed content to stay for nearly twenty minutes or so, it wasn't until the sun came out fully that it decided to move on.
I managed to photograph this individual in a number of different poses, what a beauty.

Due to its small size not always an easy Butterfly to see, the female spends much more time clambering around in the grass.

I was lucky enough to find a few Early Purple Orchids still in flower, not many probably about five spikes. Still a bit early for the Lady Orchids most were still in a tight bud . I did find a few that were slightly more advanced, I should imagine another few weeks to see them in all there glory.

Early Purple Orchid

Early Purple Orchid

Lady Orchid