Several Small Tortoiseshell butterflies about this morning, plus a Large White on Field Scabious and Verbena bonariensis. Found one Small Tortoiseshell on a Privet flower.



I have 4 Privet bushes. They were forming a hedge with a neighbouring garden when we moved here in January 2000. I've cut them back drastically twice. I've trimmed them recently and I left the few flowers. My side of this hedge faces north-east so I rather suspected that any butterfly would be on the other side. Privet is supposed to be a butterfly plant. Consequently, I was delighted to see a Small Tortoiseshell proving the books right!

Yesterday, a Small Tortoiseshell was spotted on my trouser leg when I was stood in the front garden!