Aberrations emerging at Fermyn

There will be a little of everything at Fermyn this weekend. Pristine males are still emerging and grounding, especially in the mornings. In particular, there is a spot where Neil apparently left shrimp paste that regularly attracted a pair of males. The females are also emerging and I spotted five consecutive males sallow searching and trying to dislodge a pair in cop at the top of a sallow on the main ride through Lady Wood.

Finally, as our Guru and leader correctly predicted earlier in the week, the aberrations are beginning to emerge. I was standing at the first junction in Lady Wood when a semi-Iole aberration landed on my lower leg. I tried desperately to get into the required gymnastic position to take a good shot, but failed. Looking at my record shots, I believe it is ab. Stictica, but I'm not sure. There are reduced white markings on the forewings and the white band on the hindwing is broken into 5 clearly separated spots. The white band on the underside of the hindwing is clearly reduced. It could not fly properly and had only just emerged so, hopefully, he will be taking salts tomorrow morning and any more extreme aberrations are about to emerge. The next phase of the season is about to begin.