While the abundance of, shall we say, less attractive insects continues – just now the leaves of every lime and sycamore tree around here are so covered with tiny whiteflies that the pavements below are sticky with their exuded 'honeydew' – there are disappointingly few butterflies to be seen, apart from the ubiquitous Holly Blue. However, I crossed the border into Derbyshire this last weekend, and in the glorious sunshine (at last!) I was delighted to find something more like early summer abundance. Fresh and bright Common Blues – those uncommon beauties – were flying, like pieces of the summer sky, and, at the more subdued end of the colour scale, I saw my first Dingy Skippers of the season (yes, the name fits rather well, but I love them), and two other firsts, both small, both beautiful: a solitary Small Copper (they're having a bad year in Derbyshire) and a single Brown Argus. My aurelian's heart rejoiced.
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