Five-Spot Burnets and one Meadow Brown

On Kirkstall Hill I found lots more Burnets amongst the grasses and Red Clover. The constant breeze made for tricky pics, but it didn't deter the moths from going about their business. If anybody could help confirm whether these are Five-spot or Narrow Bordered Five-Spot Burnets I'd be very grateful.

On this visit I discovered a caterpillar and about 10 chrysalids, constructed on Buttercup and Ribwort Plantain.



Another first of the year on the hill, heading upwards, amongst the brambles, my first Meadow Brown of the year, not a great pic but enought to confirm my sighting.

The Small Tortoiseshell basked in the early evening sunshine, on a wooden palette.



Kirkstall Hill sightings

Earlier this evening I discovered Five-Spot Burnet moths (Zygaena trifolii) in the short grasses near the top of Kirkstall Hill. I counted eight in total, dotted around on flower heads of Ribwort Plantain and Red Clover. Its a distinctive day flying moth with metallic looking black forewings coloured with red dots and black clubbed antennae.

The larvae feed on Bird's Foot Trefoils, located nearby. I've yet to develop the knack of spotting butterfly and moth eggs and chrysalis, so I was happy enough with my discovery of a Five-Spot chrysalis, the moth still inside the semi opaque papery yellow casing.

Also on the hill, this well worn Small Tortoiseshell soaking up some early evening rays. Altogether a pretty good bounty for such a brief stroll-io-lio.