A Thought on Numbers...

It looks as though numbers at Knepp are about one-third of 2018's (astronomic) level, and about two-thirds of the norm. If this is an accurate impression, and is being reflected elsewhere, then the butterfly will be unusually hard to see in localities supporting small populations. 

However, the butterfly's emergence is unusually staggered this year, so I may yet need to revise my impression.

Also, I managed to count108 probable individuals at Knepp today. I would have managed more but it was rather too cloudy for them after 3pm. They are still emerging here, especially the females.

I rarely see them feeding on the ground at Knepp, but found this male down on the track this morning, around 10am -