The Big R day 2

Long-tailed blue.
I decided it was now or never weather wise, so I set off really early to Brighton to Whitehawk hill (see extra 4) to see if I could see the Long-tailed blue butterflies. 
As you can see I was sucessful! and thanks to a very helpful man there we all got to see this one perfect male. The underside is also in my extras.
The long-tailed blue Lampides boeticus is a migrant from Europe, a small number of which turn up on the south coast each year. These then lay eggs on plants from the pea family (Broad-leaved everlasting pea in this case) resulting a few individuals in the summer.
I was delighted to be able to photograph it as it is really quite a rare butterfly, and a first for me.
I also found a very red specimen of the spider Araneus quadratus (see extra 3) who was tussling with a rather brave bumble bee when I found her,(see extra 2). The brave little bee had the spider's leg in it's jaws, and as neither seemed like they were going to win, I broke up the fight and the bee flew off and the spider sat on a twig and sulked!

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