Late nectar

I walked with the usual Wednesday crowd today. We had a short walk for us, only 7 miles, but a lovely route from Alston. The weather was perfect with sun all day. It's still very very boggy underfoot, especially on the Maiden Way (wet in the driest seasons in fact).

On our return to Alston I saw this Red Admiral on the ivy (hedrax helix) growing over a wall. Ivy provides late nectar for butterflies and other insects, which is why we are supposed to leave it alone during the flowering season. (I love the detail in the striped antennae of the butterfly.)

My photo homework was to use the Velvia effect on an image. Now I see what some landscape photographers do to produce the rather startling colours you see in coffee table books! Very interesting and I'm sure I'll be able to put the technique to good use sometime in the future.