European Gardening: Male Gatekeeper, 1 by wallaby1

wallaby1 wrote:
An article on Milk-parsley, it is native to an area just south of me, so I see no reason why the Swallowtail wouldn't visit here if the food is available and weather conditions right. Perhaps they will in the future?

http://www.spookspring.com/Umbels/Milk_PArs.html

Another late-comer which has me confused is a Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae), the larger size of it that is. It looked so different, I was thinking it could be the Large Tortoiseshell. The colours could be washed out and the wings tatty at the edges, but even though the bands across the leading edge are broad and resemble the Small Tortoiseshell, I can't see the distinctive white spot near the tip. Neither can I see the blue marks on the edge of the forewing, they do look tatty but I would have thought I could see some.

It does look a lot like the Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros), but neither is that supposed to be here. But it could be with this hot weather.

It took forever to get a top shot of this one, and the battery was going flat!