","

This morning Brian and I had a little trip out to Chambers Wood, one of my favourite places. It's wonderful woodland and meadows, with a wild and overgrown butterfly garden. 

Unfortunately for me my camera decided not to work. I thought it might be the battery, but we could not get the old one out of the compartment. So I had to stick with phone shots.

It's been less sunny today but not cold, and we saw lots of butterflies: commas like the one I've Blipped, red admirals, silver wash fritillaries, gatekeepers, holly blue and various white butterflies. There was a great variety of bees too, but no horseflies, fortunately.

We were well daubed in insect repellent, but I was concerned it might scare off butterflies too... It might not have deterred anything and we were just fortunate that nothing wanted to bite us today anyway: I noticed that it went out of date in 2004!

There are a couple of extras - some fluffy white lichen and a Gatekeeper, just because I liked them.