Rare Heath Fritillary Butterfly Up Close

I go looking for the rare Heath Fritillary Butterfly in Essex and find a number of other butterfly and insect species too

[@tele-marmotte]

Great shots and nice place. Thanks for sharing

[@newtuber4freedom43]

❤🦋♥️🦋♥️🦋
Beautiful - thank you for sharing!!

[@ukwildlife]

Thanks :)

[@shreecreativearts5132]

Beautiful butterflies

[@ukwildlife]

Thanks, they certainly are

[@JPLamoureuxsTravels]

Fabulous stuff buddy! Totally enjoyed that! ❤😉👍

[@ukwildlife]

Thanks JP :)

[@dcornwell7130]

Very nice macro video Neil. 🙂

[@ukwildlife]

Thanks Dave :)

[@velousagi]

As an old false heath fritillary surveyor, this warmed my heart.

[@jess53nz]

Wow what a cool butterfly! The close ups were amazing

[@ukwildlife]

Thank you. They are cool :)

[@NaturallyCuriousUK]

Nice one Neil. Great footage, well narrated. Despite knowing Emma through FB I still haven't managed to get out with her and our cameras yet. An oversight I must seek to address! 👍👍👍

[@ukwildlife]

Thanks Graham, yes we've spoken about trying to organise something

[@bobseago1513]

Definitely a Purple Hairstreak, and they fairly regularly come down

[@ukwildlife]

Yea, after editing the audio I found some photos I took of one low down. I guess its just I rarely see them and when I do its flying round high up in oaks in the evenings!

[@youphototube]

I have not seen a Heath Fritillary or Purple Hairstreak in the flesh or the Large Blue for a couple of years. All three are on my must try harder list for this year.

[@ukwildlife]

I MAY have glimpsed a Large Blue once, still need to see one properly for sure!

[@youphototube]

I got some good photos of Large Blues, plus a breeding pair at Collard Hill, Somerset. Which is very close to RSPB Ham Wall. Also, excellent for birds and dragonflies.

[@marklaurendet1861]

Really nice images and video, especially the ants. For some reason i find getting a good ant image very hard (stills) as they are always moving

[@ukwildlife]

Thanks. Yes ants are not the easiest, getting them for the brief moment they stop wave their jaws at you or busy feeding seems to be the only way they stop! Or dragging something heavy to slow them down!