Butterflies and London Wasps



The essence of summer - Clouded Yellows




An "ordinary" Silver Washed Butterfly



I SAW MY FIRST CLOUDED YELLOW OF THE YEAR  TODAY – ALWAYS SUCH A SYMBOL OF HIGH SUMMER – A STRIKING ORANGEY YELLOW BUTTERFLY THAT WILL HAVE CROSSED OVER THE CHANNEL FROM FRANCE. THIS ONE, IN NEED OF A QUICK BOOSTER OF NECTAR TO FILL ITS TANK SO THAT IT COULD CONTINUE ON ITS WAY, STOPPED TO IMBIBE ON A PALE BLUISH PINK SCABIOUS FLOWER, GROWING ALONGSIDE THE LANE THAT PASSES MY HOUSE.

A LITTLE LATER ON DURING THE SAME MORNING WALK WITH MY LURCHER ROSIE, WE WALKED BACK THROUGH THE WOODLANDS AND I WAS DELIGHTED TO SEE SO MANY BUTTERFLIES INCLUDING GATEKEEPERS, RINGLETS, MEADOW BROWNS, PEACOCKS, RED ADMIRALS, SMALL TORTOISESHELLS, BRIMSTONES AND LOTS OF SILVER-WASHED FRITILLARIES. IT APPEARS TO BE ANOTHER GOOD YEAR FOR BUTTERFLIES!

AMONGST THESE SILVER-WASHED FRITILLARIES WAS A DARK “VALENZENA” FORM WHICH OCCURS IN A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF FEMALES, PRIMARILY IN THE LARGER COLONIES IN THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND, WHERE THE ORANGE-BROWN COLOURING IS REPLACED WITH A DEEP OLIVE-GREEN. THE LEGENDARY LEPIDOPTERIST, FREDERICK WILLIAM FROHAWK, WAS SO TAKEN WITH THIS FORM, THAT HE NAMED HIS ONLY DAUGHTER AFTER IT.

YOU NEED TO BE CAREFUL NAMING A CHILD OF YOURS AFTER  A BUTTERFLY - MRS ELEANOR GLANVILLE, A BUTTERFLY ENTHUSIAST OF THE LATE 17TH/EARLY 18TH CENTURY NAMED A FRITILLARY AFTER HERSELF – THE GLANVILLE FRITILLARY – ONLY TO HAVE HER WILL CONTESTED ON THE GROUNDS THAT “NOBODY OF SOUND MIND WOULD HAVE SUCH A HOBBY!"

ON A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SUBJECT, I AM OFTEN ASKED BY PEOPLE LOOKING FOR A CAREER WORKING IN THE COUNTRYSIDE HOW THEY CAN GET A “FOOTHOLD” ON THE CAREER LADDER. WELL, IT IS ALL ABOUT PERSEVERANCE.

GOOD FRIENDS OF MINE HAVE A SON CALLED OLLIE WHO AS FAR BACK AS I CAN REMEMBER WANTED TO BE A TOP RUGBY UNION COACH (WELL HIS DAD IS A NEW ZEALANDER!) HE WENT OFF TO UNIVERSITY TO STUDY SPORT SCIENCE WERE HE ALSO PLAYED THE GAME LOTS, THEN TOOK ALL THE APPROPRIATE COURSES SO THAT HE IS NOW FULLY QUALIFIED RUGBY COACH. NOW THE DIFFICULT BIT – GET THAT INTRO TO A CLUB. HE STARTED TO KNOCK ON RUGBY CLUB DOORS, SAYING THAT HE WAS PREPARED TO DO ANYTHING TO HELP OUT.

WELL TO CUT A LONG STORY SHORT, HIS DAD TOLD ME LAST NIGHT THAT HE HAS NOW GOT MINOR COACHING ROLES WITH HARLEQUINS, LONDON IRISH AND SARACENS. BUT THE REALLY EXCELLENT NEWS IS THAT HE HAS BEEN OFFERED THE POSITION OF COACH TO THE LONDON WASPS LADIES TEAM – AN EXTREMELY STRONG SIDE THAT CURRENTLY CONTAINS 6 INTERNATIONALS! HE HAS REPORTED BACK THAT THEY TRAIN EXCEPTIONALLY HARD.

AT HIS VERY FIRST SESSION HE INTRODUCED CATCHING PARTLY BOILED CHICKEN EGGS – SHOWING THAT YOU NEED TO CATCH THE “BALL” WITH CARE. THIS WENT DOWN A STORM AND THE GIRLS LOVED HIS FIRST INNOVATIVE COACHING SESSION. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT HE HAS OF COURSE NOW GOT THE NICKNAME OF “BOILED EGG!!” SO RUGBY!

BUT IT IS SUCH A GOOD LESSON FOR ALL THOSE WHO WANT TO GET INTO A PARTICULAR FIELD – WHATEVER THAT MAY BE. GET QUALIFIED, BE TOTALLY POSITIVE, TURN UP AND BE A PLEASANT NUISANCE OFFERING TO DO ANYTHING. THE DOORS WILL EVENTUALLY START TO OPEN.

IT WOULD NOT SURPRISE ME ONE JOT IF YOUNG OLLIE BECAME THE ENGLAND NATIONAL COACH ONE DAY. OR ON SECOND THOUGHTS, MAYBE THE NEW ZEALAND COACH – HMMM.    




A "Valenzina" Silver Washed Butterfly