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.
These tiny and abundant flowers can also be used to make a herbal tea.
An unmistakable wayside summer flower.
Dock, the friend of anyone who has just been stung by a nettle. Here the flower, looking very similar to those of the related sorrel
And here, the whole plant.
Bees visiting two different species of cranesbills.
The characteristic purple flowers of this thistle are starting to come out.
More of the damsel flies on the pool at Wightwick Manor in early June.
The electric blue species were not pausing at all.
