puddleshark

Took a walk along the underhill path. At this time of year, the path dry underfoot, lined with tall grasses and nettles, overhung with briars and tendrils of Old Man's Beard.

A tunnel into Summer, Greenery, Birdsong, and the Hum of Insects.

Speckled Wood butterflies fighting their endless battles through the light and the shade. Even ragged winged and faded, more ghost than real butterfly, still the instinct to defend their territory persists.

Further along, where the path emerges from the hillside scrub into the sunlight, Red-tailed bumblebees, Buff-tailed bumblebees, and Common Carder bees nectaring on the bramble blossom. Wonderful to see so many bumblebees again. They were scarily scarce last summer.

Essex Skipper.

Lulworth Skipper. Very tiny. Nationally rare, but locally very common.

Red Admiral.

Marmalade Hoverfly on Field Bindweed.

Catsear, I think. And yet another Marmalade Hoverfly.

Cocksfoot grass.

Seedhead of Goatsbeard.

Took the steep chalk track up onto the hill, carefully searching the grassy banks alongside the path in the hope of spotting Bee Orchids. They do appear here sometimes, but not this year it seems. Still, as a consolation, there were Pyramidal Orchids everywhere, and the hillside grasses, all in flower, are extraordinarily beautiful at this time of year.