Collard Hill

Sunday 26th June 2011

On a very hot day with temperatures of around 30oC, I took the opportunity to visit Collard Hill in Somerset, having had to drive to Bristol anyway. The famous Large Blue site didn't disappoint, with at least six individuals seen. The mid-afternoon heat meant most of them seemed to never settle, but one female Large Blue was egg-laying and so allowed me to get a couple of photos (above and below). It actually flew towards me at one point and landed a few feet away, just long enough to quickly get on it with the camera as it laid its eggs on some Wild Thyme, before it was soon on its way again.

Also at the site were some beautiful Wasp Orchids still just about in flower (below), and I saw my first two Silver-washed Fritillaries of the season near the Ivy Thorn Hill car park.
Wasp Orchid:

Pyramidal Orchid:

Collard Hill - the upper slope looking SE towards Combe Hill:

Main Large Blue area:

View towards King's Sedge Moor:

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