Marbled white

A common north downs butterfly. (melanargia galathea)

Alan calls this the hedgehog flower

Orchids

The last of the wild pyramidal orchids on the north Downs. They are almost over now, but have been lovely. (anacamptis pyramidalis)
Taken on a camera phone - so not the best photo!

The small scabious scabiosa columbaria. This description fits this North Downs plant, but it is flowering in June.

What is that?

This weird thing caught my attention. It looked almost metallic, like a pair of tweezers when I first saw it. The inside of the pod is so silvery against the black exterior, which looks like the handles of the tweezers! Much too rich an imagination.

Knapweed and friends.

More of these lovely Common Knapweed on the North Downs. Here they are experiencing a visit from the Marbled white, melanargia galathea and, I think, two Narrow-bordered five spot Burnet moths, zygaena lonicerae.

Gatekeepers on the North Downs

I think these are Gatekeepers - but I found two names: maniola tithonus and pyronia tithonus.

Celtic headstone

Peony at Ballyknocken

And another

Irish Rose

More of the Orchids

The orchids have grown so tall.