grays and blues in holyroo

(Holyroo is a reference to Bojack Horseman and won't make much sense if you haven't watched that. Doesn't make an awful lot of sense even if you have.)

On the 1st and 2nd July I went for a short runs about Holyrood Park checking out the butterflies at Haggis Knowe and the Radical Road. I had been unaware of the Graylings in the park until seeing Mairi's photos of them last year, and right enough as soon as you start looking for them, there they are. At both sites. They seem to be aware they are a very similar colour to the lichen marked rock and use this very effectively as camouflage.

small tortoiseshell

I am also (mildly) obsessed with the blues. Actually not that mild. Lots in both venues and I have been relentlessly photographing both males and females as they are both spectacular. Difficult to capture on windy days as all the grasses will be flapping back and forth with the butterflies only just managing to hold on. When the sun goes behind a cloud (happens frequently on most days) they close their wings. 

female blue

female blue beside digger wasp

I found this male sat on top of a grass stem. He had just shut his amazing blue wings. I could see the sun was going to reappear in a few minutes so sat with him for the duration. Eventually, after ages, the sun comes out, wings open, I have about 10 seconds to get photos before he flies off.

Grayling

small heath

meadow brown

Bay 1, Radical Road

cinnabar moth caterpillar

While I was mooching around Rad Rd. Bay 1 a Hummingbird Hawkmoth appeared briefly. This was the first one I had seen in real life. (I knew what it was from seeing hundreds online.) Medium sized moth which flies with very fast wingbeats, hovering very much like a hummingbird. Looks like the progeny of a sad owl and a cigar butt. This one was drab in colour and flew about for less than a minute (before disappearing) while I ran after it muttering slower slower please stop! It didn't stop but slowed slightly to check out a couple of plants. Not my finest photos ever, plenty good photos online. It would be great to see more of these funny insects. Hopefully the climate change will be bringing more north.