Nature notes: butterflies

Butterflies are still about in ones and twos, but not in great clouds. Comma butterflies are among the most common of them now. With ragged edges to their tawny, black-marked wings, they look like torn scraps of tiger skin. They can frequently be seen on bramble bushes, either nectaring on the few remaining white flowers, or sucking the juice from rotting blackberries. The other large butterflies that are around are the red admirals, gorgeous in black, red and white. They come to late buddleia and the still-thriving Michaelmas daisies, as well as to fallen fruit on the ground in gardens. Some of these may be late immigrants. There are fewer small tortoiseshells this autumn than is often the case, and a real dearth of peacock butterflies, which have not done well in the rain this year. As the autumn proceeds, a place to look out for some of these butterflies will be on ivy, where the tiny green flowers are just starting to open. At field edges and on heaths, small coppers, which are glossy little black and orange butterflies, are flying about energetically.