15th July, Matthew in Fermyn

Today I counted 127 apparent individuals in the Lady / Souther / Greenside block. Even allowing for some inevitable repeats I think I can honestly claim a hundred individuals. 

My guess is that the males are very well out (? about 75% out).  All bar one of the many seen close up looked pristine. 

Three aberrations were seen: 2 ab lugenda males (I saw one) and a weak ab iolata male (by me).

I saw only 3 females, which suggests there will be a big emergence of females over the next few days.  At 1.08 I watched a female being courted, only she led the lucky fellow to a pine tree top completely out of view.  At 2.38, over half a mile away, I saw a female fly high into a male territory by the Lady Head Wood poplars. She was instantly accosted by 2 males, she led them to a Scots pine spray 10m up where the successful male instantly joined her. The unsuccessful male spent 20 mins trying to muscle in before departing. The pair stayed mating, motionless and wings closed for 2 hrs and 33-45 mins.  That's short by iris standards: most pairings last 3 hrs 45mins, one all night.

A large number of iris were descending to the rides today, primarily between 9 and 11am, with a frenetic hour from 10am.  In this dry heat they are desperate for moisture.  They went quiet from 2.30, though a few kept going and activity picked up from 5pm until the evening flight was curtailed by thin cloud after 6.30pm.

Advise: throw a sicky tomorrow (food poisoning -prawns - is always a good one) and come along... especially as tomorrow is Optional Clothing Day in Fermyn.

PS. This Blog is getting 1000 hits a day at present, so please post your Doings...