Six Nature Group Members met at Sharpenhoe Clappers at 9am. This is a classic chalk escarpment and part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is crowned with traces of an Iron Age hill-fort and an impressive beech wood.
The main subjects of the outing were butterflies, other insects and chalk-specialising flowers. This is a wonderful site for butterflies, especially Chalkhill Blues. The morning was overcast and after overnight rain, the butterflies and other insects that we found were mainly perched and stationary so easy to photograph.
We were lucky to find a Wasp spider on the edge of one of the paths.
When the sun broke through in the afternoon, hundreds of Burnet Moths and Chalkhill Blues were on the wing and I was lucky enough to track down both Silver-washed Fritillaries and Dark-green Fritillary
Led by Ann Miles
Photographs Ann Miles, Dave McKay, James Foad
For more events to attend go to Nature (rps.org)
