no longer losing my marbles

...yesterday was the start of this year's Big Butterfly Count so I will try to blip as many butterflies as I can during the count but, as it doesn't finish until the 5th August, I doubt (much to everyone's relief) you will have to put up with a diet comprised only of butterflies for three weeks!

The location for today's adventure was Stoborough Heath, near Wareham. Despite a strong breeze, there were plenty of insects on the wing and, on the menu, there were Yellow-Black Longhorn Beetles, Six-spot Burnet Moths, and Southern Marsh Orchids to choose from, as well as a good choice of butterflies - Essex Skippers, Small Skippers, Red Admirals, Meadow Browns, Small Heath, Large White, Ringlet and Marbled White.

Seen, but not photographed - several deer, stonechats, a mole, and a fox.

This lovely Marbled White Melanargia galathea posed for ages as she drank nectar from this Marsh Thistle Cirsium palustre...