Speckled woods like shady gardens, which give a similar environment to their original preferred setting, sunny glades in woodland.
The males settle on a bright sunlit patch and spread their wings to display themselves, to deter other males from intrusion while trying to attract females. White plastic garden furniture can give favourite posing positions.
The butterflies are much less conspicuous when they perch with their wings folded together.
The growing tip of a nettle.
This bean plant had so many aphids it was an abundant food source for many native ladybirds (above).
On the same plant there were also several harlequin ladybirds.
This year the flowers of the lime trees seem to have been producing even more pollen than usual.
First a bumble bee and then a honey bee busily remove nectar from this flower.
Watch out for a small beetle on the blossom on the lower left of the picture in this video.
This delicate spider was weaving its web in an outhouse.
