Downe Bank, June 2010

Bull by the roadside on Cudham Road near Downe, 12 June 2014.

I've been offered a place to park near Downe Bank, but if I don't walk along from Downe village I'll miss things like this bull, sitting at a gate like a house dog guarding its territory.

Burnet Companion, Euclidia glyphica, on a Common Spotted Orchid, Dactylorhiza fuchsii.  Downe Bank, 12 June 2014.

Downe Bank is famous for its orchids, and it's especially useful to get records of what creatures might be pollinating the orchids.  So it was handy to see this tattered old Burnet Companion moth on a Common Spotted-orchid.

Marbled White, Melanargia galathea.  Downe Bank, 12 June 2014.

What really pleased me that day was that I was able to get some good closeups of a Marbled White.  There was only one and I followed it around for quite a while .. this is often necessary with butterflies and moths.

Female Common Blue, Polyommatus icarus.  Downe Bank, 12 June 2014.

Common Blue females come in varying shades of brown.  Some are much less blue than this and can be mistake for a Brown Argus.  With really brown specimens you have to examine their underwing patterns quite closely.

Pyramidal Orchid, Anacamptis pyramidalis.  A Twayblade, Neottia ovata, in the background.
Downe Bank, 12 June 2014.

These lovely orchids were just coming out.  They are quite prolific this year.  The Twayblade in the background, a green-flowered orchid, is at the end of its flowering period.