Wood White!

Making my usual Monday morning trek to Oxfordshire to visit my father I decided to stop at Chiddingford Forest on the West Sussesx/Surrey border. The aim was to find a Wood White - one of the rarest butterflies in England and one that I've never seen before. Within ten minutes of leaving the car I'd found my first one of these beautiful small white butterflies with very rounded wings. The upper wings are almost pure white and the flight is rather weak and fluttery a bit like a demoiselle damselfly. It seems that I was in the right place at the right time for once. After only half an hour my count was up to 80. I was even lucky enough to witness its astonishing courtship rituals - the male stands opposite the female waving his head and antennae back and forth while extending his probiscis. It also happens to be my 41st species in ten weeks - a new record for me. If I have time I'll drop in again on my way home tomorrow evening.