Two for the price of one!

Today was my last half day of this academic year, and to celebrate my daughter Juliet and I went for a trip to Cissbury ring, Cissbury ring is is referred to as 'One of the jewels in the crown of the new south Downs National park, it is the largest hill fort in Sussex and has a history dating back over 5,000 years' Because it was grazed for centuries it is now an amazing habitat for many beautiful chalk grassland species. This was certainly true today, with Pyramidal orchid in abundance, along with yellow rattle, wild thyme and eye bright to name but a few, There were hundreds of Six Spot Burnets , and also Marbled whites, Meadow Browns, Small Skippers, Small Heaths and best of all......the butterfly I went there to see......The superb and very beautiful Dark Green Fritillary (Argynnis aglaja).
I love these fast and majestic butterflies, and I was really pleased to find this pair mating in the grass. As I watched them wondering how to get a good picture, (without too many grass stalks in it) a second male arrived and tried to push the mating male off! he was quite persistent, pushing the tip of his abdomen between the pair, in the end I went to wave him away and in doing so the pair climbed onto my hand, closely followed by the errant male, who continued to pester them!!! I just watched amazed, and eventually he flew off no doubt to find his own woman, and this beautiful pair stayed for a little while allowing me to photograph them.
I hope you enjoy this blip, I feel very priviliged to have been able to bring it to you.