In Flower: Pelargonium aridum

Pelargonium aridum

One of the most familiar of garden and house plants in much of the world are the various forms of what are often called Geraniums or storksbills, when they are not referred to as their proper generic name of Pelargonium.

On the Wing: the Holly Blue

Holly Blue Male

Of the ten resident species of “Blue” butterflies to be found in Britain only one is likely to be seen in suburban gardens, the Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus. The spring brood is just now emerging, and will be on the wing until early June. A second brood begins to appear in late July and will be seen until September.

On the wing: The Orange-tip Butterfly

A.cardamines male

The warm spring here in Bristol has resulted in the emergence of a wide range of butterflies. Overwintering adults that have now left hibernation and are busy looking for mates and egg laying sites that I have seen so far are Peacock, Comma, and Brimstone, and those that overwintered as pupae and are now hatching include Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, and the subject of this post, the Orange-tip Anthocaris cardamines.