A Spring Walk on Pevensey Levels

 Spring seemed to be a long time arriving on Pevensey Levels. April was frustratingly cool, wet and blustery but it was good to get a couple of walks in during the warmer days of early May and see some butterflies and damselflies on the wing.

Wall (Lasiommata megera) (mating)

This species doesn't appear on the levels until at least a week after they are first seen on the downs and these were my first of the year. I had already walked past them before my wife spotted them deep in the grass.

The female of this pair has suffered a pigment deformity on her left forewing. This has occurred during her development in the pupa and has resulted in faded markings on the outer edge and almost the complete loss of the fringe.

Green-veined White (Pieris napi) (male)

Variable Damselfly (Coenagrion pulchellum) (females)

Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) (male)

Long-horned Nomad Bee (Nomada hirtipes) (female)

This rare species has a very restricted distribution in England.